Catering Company Plans Lincoln Avenue Cafe
Brim Cafe would replace former Li'l Friar gift shop near St. Josaphat Basilica
Site of future Brim Cafe, 620 W. Lincoln Ave. Photo taken June 24, 2025 by Sophie Bolich.
For years, Brim Cafe and Catering has powered Milwaukee lunch hours at its corporate-focused locations and fueled festivities in venues across the state.
Now, the company is preparing to expand with a standalone cafe in Lincoln Village, drawn by the neighborhood’s history, welcoming atmosphere and “multicultural character,” according to a social media post from chef and owner Michael Wahhab.
Brim Cafe is slated to open at 620 W. Lincoln Ave., across from the Basilica of St. Josaphat, in the former Li’l Friar gift shop — a space the Franciscan Friars have entrusted to the business as its “second home.”
The “first-of-its-kind” cafe plans to offer breakfast, lunch and weekly specials, along with espresso drinks and smoothies, according to the post. It would also serve as a hub for events and catering, blending American, Arabic and Sicilian influences “to meet the distinct character of Lincoln Village.”
A construction permit request published Monday names PURE Architecture Studio as the project’s design firm. Additional details about the construction plan and timeline are not yet available.
The building’s previous tenant, Li’l Friar, opened in 2000 selling religious art — crucifixes, bibles, prayer cards, nativity sets and more — from around the world. The Franciscan Order owned the shop, which operated for more than two decades in the shadow of St. Josaphat Basilica.
Brim Cafe and Catering was established in 2014, and now operates locations at Honey Creek Corporate Center, 125 S. 84th St., the Rivercenter Building at Schlitz Park and serves as the in-house vendor at 330 Eats on E. State St. in partnership with Fooda, a Chicago-based workplace dining company.
Current menus reflect those planned for the new cafe, offering a full range of espresso drinks, Rishi teas and smoothies such as Matcha Green Machine, Chocolate Banana and Mango Tango. Breakfast options include burritos, egg sandwiches, Belgian waffles and bagels, while lunch features wraps, paninis and deli sandwiches. Weekly specials highlight Middle Eastern dishes like chicken shawarma and lamb gyro.
Brim Cafe and Catering will need to secure city approval before opening the new location. As of Tuesday afternoon, a food dealer license application had not yet been filed.
A representative for Brim Cafe and Catering did not respond to a request for comment by the time of publication.
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