Hit the Beer Trail at Havenwoods

Entrance to the beer garden at Havenwoods Taproom and Beer Garden. Photo taken May 14, 2024 by Sophie Bolich.

Whiling away a Saturday afternoon with a pint of beer is a literally a walk in the park at Havenwoods Taproom and Beer Garden.

On Sept. 28, guests are invited to enjoy samples from more than 30 local and regional breweries while strolling through the quarter-mile walking trail at the taproom and beer garden, 5840 N. 60th St.

The 2024 Beer Trail Invitational is the first event of its kind for the recently opened business, and will feature vendors including Lakefront Brewery, Amorphic Beer, 3 Sheeps Brewing Company, Vennture Brew Co. and others.

In addition to throwing back brews, attendees can grab a bite at one of several on-site food trucks, enjoy live music and say “hello” to Boots the eastern painted turtle and Mila the western hognose snake; both are Animal Ambassadors for Friends of Havenwoods.

Tickets for the Beer Trail Invitational cost $75 and include a tasting glass and unlimited beer sampling during the event, which runs from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Designated driver tickets are also available for $20, and allow entry without beer sampling.

Tickets can be purchased online. A portion of proceeds will be donated to the nonprofit Friends of Havenwoods.

Guide to Milwaukee Oktoberfest 2024

Summer is beginning to wind down in Milwaukee, with just a few weeks left before the season officially ends. The city’s festival run, however, is far from over, with plenty more celebrations on the docket for Oktoberfest.

The tradition, which begins each year in September, is well-loved locally, thanks in part to the area’s rich German heritage.

From beer releases to full-scale festivals, explore eight ways to celebrate Oktoberfest throughout the city. For those who can’t make the trip to Deutschland, Milwaukee’s lineup may be the next best option. Prost!

Milwaukee Oktoberfest

Cathedral Square Park is set to host the headlining event for Milwaukee proper, inviting beer-lovers to East Town for a day of German brews, brat-eating and the quintessential stein-hoisting contest.

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New Tavern, Game On, Planned For South Side

A seasoned tavern owner is looking to bring a new establishment to the South Side, with plans to showcase karaoke nights and supplement the bar’s boozy offerings with slices of frozen pizza.

Rebekah Capps is preparing to open Game On at 2730 S. 60th St., according to a license application.

Capps brings several years of experience to the new venture, having previously owned and operated Baler’s Lounge in New Berlin. The bar has since closed.

Game On is slated to open in mid-October. The 1,232-square-foot tavern plans to offer a pool table, five amusement machines and instrumental musicians, as well as DJ performances. It will also place a heavy emphasis on karaoke, which was once a crowd favorite at Baler’s Lounge.

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Farm Fresh Produce Boosts Local Food Pantry

On a recent Friday morning at the House of Peace, community members stopped by to visit the on-site food pantry. Some paused to chat with Site Manager Linda Barnes, while others explored the center’s various resources.

Regardless, each visitor left with bags full of both staple items and seasonal produce.

In addition to the canned goods, pastas, peanut butter and boxes of cereal typical of food pantry packages, House of Peace, 1702 W. Walnut St., offers fresh vegetables, which are grown and harvested by volunteers at the Hunger Task Force Farm in Franklin.

The pantry has recently enjoyed a bounty of cabbage, green tomatoes and corn, but also showcases green beans, broccoli, collard greens, cucumbers, lettuce, bell peppers, yellow squash, zucchini, napa cabbage and summer squash throughout the growing season.

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New Bars and Restaurants That Opened in August

Casera Cafe & Bakery ushered in August as we all should: with fresh pastries, indulgent brunches and lots of coffee.

Despite a rainy start to the month, the new business often opened its floor-to-ceiling windows, inviting in a refreshing breeze as guests chatted at tables, cozied up in couches or wandered through the on-site marketplace, featuring a variety of locally-made goods.

A sibling to Sugar & Flour Bakery Cafe in Greendale, Casera welcomed its first customers to the Harbor District space, 2067 S. 1st St., on Aug. 1. After just a few weeks, it began to attract a handful of regulars, employees report.

The cafe serves breakfast, lunch and baked goods, along with a full range of coffee and espresso drinks. Non-coffee drinkers can opt for a selection of herbal teas, turmeric lattes or a mushroom mocha featuring homemade Rishi mushroom tea.

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Judy’s Cantina Opens on Farwell Avenue

Less than a year after a devastating fire, Judy’s Cantina is officially open in its new location, and already receiving plentiful praise from fans of the restaurant’s margaritas, burritos and more.

Its return was so popular, in fact, that customers sold out every menu item during the soft opening last week.

“We definitely felt the love,” co-owner Kevin Lopez told Urban Milwaukee.

Judy’s previous location at 2207 E. North Ave., known as Judy’s on North, was damaged in a fire last December. Since then, the business has been operating out of a food truck. The mobile concept will continue as Judy’s settles into its new space at 2124 N. Farwell Ave.

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Silver City Fest Returns in September

Come September, Silver City Fest will transform a three-block stretch of National Avenue into a vibrant celebration of global cuisine, local talent and community pride.

The festival, now in its 13th year, brings out the best of the southside neighborhood, home to some of the city’s most beloved restaurants. The neighborhood is located adjacent to the Menomonee Valley, with which it has long had a symbiotic relationship.

The upcoming festival invites attendees — whether or not they hail from Silver City — to experience the neighborhood in a new way.

Silver City Fest will take place on Saturday, Sept. 7 from noon until 5 p.m.  The open-air festival is held along National Avenue between 32nd and 35th streets.

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Brisa Do Mar Is Very Mediterranean

Brisa Do Mar opened on May 1 this year and just in time for summer al fresco meals on its riverside deck in the Historic Third Ward on Erie Street. This is a prime location on the river and chef Ramses Alvarez has taken full advantage of the view by placing many awning-shaded tables close to the river where diners can enjoy a steady parade of pleasure boats.

Diners also have an unobstructed view of the Historic Milwaukee Swing Bridge, which was constructed in 1915. It operated like an 800-ton turntable and in its heyday, the bridge carried up to 100 trains a day, or one every 15 minutes, 24 hours a day. On top of the bridge, a bridge keeper’s house was the place where a railroad employee watched for trains and managed its controls.

The first thing you see when you arrive at Brisa do Mar is the name of the restaurant in large letters on the brick exterior and the word “Mediterrano.” That designation, according to my conversation with Alvarez, opened possibilities for a variety of cuisines associated with the region including specialties from Spain, France, Italy, Greece, Portugal, Northern Africa, and many more countries located in the Mediterranean Basin.

Because he inherited two pizza ovens from the former tenant Riverfront Pizza, Alvarez features pizza on the lengthy menu. My companion’s Funghi Con Formaggio, local mushrooms, fontina, and roasted garlic cream sauce, was a classic Napolitana style from the wood burning oven. Our server described the crust as “fluffy” and that turned out to be an accurate description. The mushroom and cheese filling sunk into the dough which was lightly charred and quite tasty. If you favor Napolitana pizza, you know it is as much about the dough and the crust as it is about the filling. Other choices from the wood burning oven include Pesto Chicken, a Margherita, Da Brisa, which has shrimp, kalamata olives, and soppressata, and La Vert, with pesto fontina, zucchini, hazelnuts, and edible flowers.

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Fruit-Carving Business Coming to Teutonia Avenue

Imani Raiyne has been mastering the art of fruit carving since she was 11 years old. Her business, Kreative Fruitz, serves as both an artistic outlet and a community outreach tool, offering catering and classes to educate Milwaukee residents about the benefits of fresh fruits.

Since 2017, she’s been slicing away at the city’s barriers to healthy foods, connecting with children and adults from all walks of life—many of whom have never tried the fruits featured in her creations.

Soon, Raiyne will move the business from Glendale into a new location in Milwaukee that will serve as a hub for catering operations and provide space for hosting events. Kreative Fruitz could open as early as October in its new home, 4115 N. Teutonia Ave.

Raiyne’s passion for fruit carving runs deep. In fact, it began even before she was born, when her mother prepared a decorative, carved watermelon for her baby shower.

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New Throwback Bar Coming to King Drive

Until this point in their careers, industry veterans Seth and Jake Dehne have focused on creating new memories for customers. Their latest venture, 90s2K Cafe, aims to leave patrons fondly remembering old ones.

The new business, slated to open Sept. 13, is designed with nostalgia in mind.

And though its still a work in progress, the space is already jam-packed with throwback items, from old-school gaming equipment and salvaged payphones to retro band merch and rows of cassette tapes.

“It’s about the conversation,” Seth said. “It’s triggering an emotional response — times in your life that you think back to and remember … that’s what we’re trying to go after.”

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