Ruby’s Bagels on Break, But Fans Can Still Get a Fix

Ruby’s Bagels trailer, 636 S, 6th St. Photo taken Sept. 12, 2023 by Sophie Bolich.

Ruby’s Bagels is taking a well-deserved hiatus as the business prepares for big growth in 2025. Lucky for loyal customers, the Zocalo vendor’s beloved bagels are available for purchase throughout Wisconsin and Illinois — not just through the window of its signature trailer.

Need a fix? The bagelry’s wholesale partners include local spots like The National Cafe, Interval and Green Baked Goods.

South Milwaukee’s Better Together Cafe, Oak Creek’s Avenue Coffeehouse, Fitzy’s Cafe in Whitefish Bay, Coco and Blu Cafe in Arlington Heights, Racine’s Esperanza Coffee Collective and The Bread Pedalers in West Allis also carry Ruby’s Bagels.

The food truck is set to return to its southside station at 636 S. 6th St. in a few weeks, according to an online post from owner Daniela Varela. At that time, fans can also expect an update on the business’s brick-and-mortar location, which is nearing its opening date at 5513 W. North Ave.

Herbalife-Focused Business Joins Sherman Phoenix

Cinnabar Nutrition markets itself as a “healthy hangout,” but don’t expect to find salads on the menu. Instead, the cafe serves up chocolate-drizzled waffles, brightly colored teas and frosty shakes — and don’t forget the sugar-free whipped topping.

Owner Tana Jeter held a grand opening for the six-year-old business in December at Sherman Phoenix Marketplace. The new location, 3536 W. Fond du Lac Ave., replaces its former site at Bayshore in Glendale.

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But how does Cinnabar’s indulgent-sounding menu equate to health? It depends on your interpretation of the word. The cafe is centered on the use of Herbalife products, including protein powders, teas and Prolessa® Duo, which is promoted as a weight-loss product.

Herbalife, a multi-level marketing company, sells nutritional products, dietary supplements and skincare formulas through a large network of independent distributors. These products are promoted as targeting a wide range of conditions, including digestive health, heart health, energy and fitness, immunity and more.

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Ultra Violet Shines Bright in The Brewery District

Enjoying a glass of champagne at the salon is nothing new, but business owner Christine Vang is putting her own spin on the tradition — with bubbles more her speed: boba.

“We thought it would be a fun idea and a little something extra to offer our clients,” she said. “Plus, I don’t know enough about champagne to make sure it’s good,” she added with a laugh.

But when it comes to boba, she’s well-versed — first as a consumer, and now as co-owner of Ultra Violet, a nail salon that doubles as a cafe. Vang and her husband, Yansai Yang, opened the business at 930 W. Juneau Ave. in August, transforming a vacant commercial space into an oasis for both polish and a pick-me-up.

Although The Brewery District business is still gaining traction — its location is a bit off the beaten path at the base of the Vigor Apartments building — the couple are firm in their vision and pleased with their progress thus far.

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Unique Pastries Bring Wellness to the Winter Farmers Market

Each week at the Milwaukee Winter Farmers Market, Ashlee Bishop piles her table with herb-infused baked goods. From flaky biscuits flavored with rosemary and drizzled with raspberry glaze to crisp sugar cookies with a kick of sage, the ever-changing lineup shifts seasonally.

With a plot at Alice’s Garden, Bishop cultivates herbs like basil, rosemary and lemon verbena, ensuring her ingredients travel directly from garden soil to market table — infused with months of care from seed to sale day.

“It’s a farm-to-table opportunity,” she said. “So if I can’t grow it here, I’m not going to use it.”

Customers leave with full bellies and bags heavy with pastries, but what Bishop is truly selling is less tangible: contentment, belonging and self love.

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Pizza Hut Closes Bay View Shop

“No one outpizzas the Hut,” but someone might just fill its shoes.

Pizza Hut has closed its Bay View location at 3131 S. Kinnickinnic Ave., confirmed a City of Milwaukee representative during Tuesday’s licenses committee meeting.

The fast food restaurant, a longtime presence in the Bay View neighborhood, ceased operations on Jan. 23, according to a brand representative. The location has since been removed from Pizza Hut’s corporate website.

Owner Eduardo Diaz and his business partner, Salvador Elias, both based in Texas, withdrew their license renewal application before the scheduled hearing. Diaz and Elias are affiliated with EYM Pizza of Wisconsin, LLC, which operates numerous Pizza Huts across Wisconsin.

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New Tavern to Replace Bay View’s Old Skoolz

School’s out. Forever.

Bay View‘s Old Schoolz, a retro-themed corner bar, quietly closed in 2023 after two years of operation. A new tavern, The House, is now proposed for the space at 1100 E. Potter Ave.

Owner-operator Candice Loveday recently filed a license application for the business, noting plans to revitalize the tavern space with drinks, dancing, snacks and entertainment.

The 540-square-foot tavern is centered around a large wraparound bar, with additional seating at tables and an entertainment area designated for DJs and karaoke, according to a submitted floor plan.

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Taqueria on Mitchell Street Closes

After a series of short-lived tenants, the building at 807 W. Historic Mitchell St. is empty once again. Its most recent occupant, Tacos El Costeño, is closed, and the commercial space is available for lease.

Owner Joaquin Vasquez Garcia opened the taqueria in mid-2024 as an extension of his same-titled food truck, which continues to operate on the South Side.

Although best known for its trompoburger, made with al pastor, American cheese, pineapple and grilled onions, the extensive menu at El Costeño offered much more, including mole, quesabirria and tlayudas. An assortment of breakfast dishes and seafood, including fish tacos and shrimp cocktail, were also featured.

During his tenure, Garcia customized the restaurant space with colorful signage and a tropical mural depicting an ocean with leaping dolphins, palm trees and a friendly crab clutching a beer in its claw. As of early January, however, the dining area is dark and empty. Most of the restaurant’s window displays are gone, replaced by a sign advertising the space for lease.

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Lucky Liu’s Has a Massive Menu

Since 2009, Lucky Liu’s has been serving Chinese and Japanese cuisine in the Brady Street neighborhood. It’s located just around the corner on Van Buren Street and what a variety of food it offers. I stopped counting the dishes at some point, but it boasts more than 150 choices just the Chinese side of the mile-long menu.

The restaurant is small, immaculate and, during both my visits, classical music played softly in the background. If you order the Lunch Combo, as my companion and I did, you have 28 choices, all served with steamed or egg-fried rice, and your choice of two spring rolls or two crab rangoons. We appreciated the little red peppers marking the entree choices that were hot and spicy and that accurately described the spicy heat level of my companion’s Szechuan Chicken. In addition to tender chicken, the dish included broccoli, onion, and carrots. Steamed rice and two egg rolls made this a hearty lunch. My Beef Broccoli, also a Lunch Combo, came with egg-fried rice and two crab rangoons. Like the Szechuan, it was a filling meal. The egg-fried rice alone was enough for a meal and it was quite tasty with the addition of soy sauce for extra flavor.

While we waited for our meals, we chatted with our server who told us he came to Milwaukee from Beijing, and, when he arrived, he spoke very little English. He found that learning the language was a challenge because, he said, “I needed to use a different part of my brain.”

When you come to Lucky Liu’s for lunch, you are not limited to the Lunch Combos as friends and I learned on my return visit. We all ordered from the regular menu and enjoyed dumplings, an appetizer served with a sweet and sour sauce. The eight dumplings were plump, not a bit greasy, and had been sauteed on one side to add more flavor after they were steamed.

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Carnitas Restaurant Plans Second Location

After launching its first brick-and-mortar in January 2024, Carnitas Mi Pueblo is poised to expand with a second location on Milwaukee’s Southwest Side.

The flagship restaurant, a casual spot offering authentic Mexican cuisine, is located at 831 S. Cesar E. Chavez Dr. Pending city approval, it could soon be joined by a new location, Mi Pueblo Mexican Restaurant & Bar, at 8412 W. Morgan Ave.

Owner Hermogenes Correa Miramontes said the proposed business would open in the same building as Cinco de Mayo Fiesta, which has operated for a decade at the address. Previously, the space was home to La Iguana Loca Mexican restaurant.

Although the restaurants will be neighbors, they’ll each have their own kitchen space, Correa Miramontes confirmed.

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Shuttered Bay View Brewery Selling Equipment in Auction

Looking to launch a new brewery?

Enlightened Brewing Company, which closed its doors earlier this month after a 10-year run, is selling its equipment and fixtures.

A 15-barrel Quality Tank Systems brewing system might be the main draw for those looking to grow their operation, but plenty of other items are available.

The 55-foot-long curved bar? It could be yours. A delivery van? It’s there. Four bottles of hard liquor? Also available. There are even a few cases and kegs of beer.

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