A ‘Mini Zocalo’ for Silver City

Los Colombians food truck at 1329 S. 35th St. Photo taken Sept. 12, 2025 by Sophie Bolich

A new food truck park is quietly taking shape at Patio Lounge, a southside tavern aiming to turn its outdoor space into a destination for local vendors.

Owner Raúl Varela-Rodriguez told the Milwaukee licenses committee Tuesday that he’s working to designate the business at 1329 S. 35th St. as a food truck park, a process that requires special permitting and inspections.

Though Varela-Rodriguez has operated at the site for nearly 15 years, he said the project feels like “starting from zero.”

Area Alderperson JoCasta Zamarripa praised Varela-Rodriguez for his efforts. “I’m really appreciative of Raúl for trying to implement this idea, ” she said. “To me, it reminds me of a mini Zocalo. I was excited to see it.”

The alder also referenced the late Alderman Jonathan Brostoff’s plan to “make it easier for entrepreneurs to start a food truck park in the City of Milwaukee.”

In 2023, Zamarripa and Brostoff co-sponsored a regulatory framework for mobile food vendors, introducing changes to how and when food trucks can operate near Burnham Park, Downtown, W. Lincoln Avenue, and restaurant districts.

Los Colombianos food truck is currently stationed at Patio Lounge, with others, including El Paraiso Restaurant Bar, proposed to join in the future.

The park’s plan of operation requires trucks to close down by 1 a.m.

Potawatomi Hosting Farm-to-Table Pop-Up

A limited-time dining experience at Potawatomi Casino Hotel will make local purveyors its centerpiece, with five seasonal courses featuring ingredients from Mushroom Mike, Great Lakes Distillery, Kallas Honey Farm and others.

Gather & Grow, a pop-up restaurant, is set to open Sept. 22 and 23 inside Serenity Room, located on the third floor of the hotel at 1721 W. Canal St.

The farm-to-table theme is nod to the land and those who steward it, as well as a continuation of Potawatomi’s efforts to support independent farms and producers across Wisconsin, said Jennifer Wilzbacher, director of restaurant and beverage operations.

“We have always been very proud to be a part of Milwaukee and wanted to extend that past our doors to partner with people and farmers from Milwaukee, but also from greater Wisconsin—whether it be beverage or food,” she said.

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New Tenant Proposed For Company Brewing Space

The former Company Brewing, which has sat dark since its abrupt closure more than a year ago, could soon get a new tenant—one that aims to fill a void in the neighborhood with draft beer, food and hometown sports.

Longtime friends Michael Shaw and Marvin Bailey, along with partners Mike Johnson, Phil Pullium, Brian Bradford and Roberthenry Davis, plan to open Diaspora Sports Bar and Lounge at 735 E. Center St., replacing the 4,000-square-foot brewpub that closed in May 2024.

“It seems like a lot of people depended on that establishment,” Shaw told Urban Milwaukee. “There was a hole left in the community.”

The partners knew any new venture would need—at minimum—great food and quality beer. And while reactivating the brewery isn’t out of the question, Shaw said there are no current plans to do so. Instead, Diaspora plans to bring in kegs to stock their taplines.

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Committee Votes to Close Tavern After Brawl Involving Hundreds

On July 21, an influencer-focused event at Flame 13 ended in a large-scale brawl near the corner of King Drive and North Avenue, causing several nearby businesses to shut down while children as young as 10 were caught in the chaos.

Now, the bar is facing permanent closure.

The Milwaukee Common Council‘s licenses committee unanimously recommended nonrenewal for its license on Tuesday, following nearly two hours of contentious testimony.

“It is only by the grace of God that a child did not get hurt that day,” said area Alderwoman Milele A. Coggs. “I don’t want to wait until somebody’s kid is dead before we take this license away.”

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Discourse Founder Plans Bay View Roastery, Taproom

A new project from one of the city’s most prolific hospitality companies would convert a one-story service building into a taproom and roastery in Bay View.

The concept from Afterglow Group—whose brands include Discourse, Agency, Novel Tea Room and Paradox Bakeshop—is proposed at 1314 E. Potter Ave., just down the block from Goodkind.

Working with architect Tredo Group and contractor Razos Construction, Afterglow plans to transform the 2,400-square-foot building, owned by Ryan Pattee, into a multi-purpose space for coffee roasting and taproom service.

Afterglow founder Ryan Castelaz confirmed the project Wednesday, clarifying that it is not an expansion of Discourse but an entirely new venture. Additional details are expected in the coming weeks.

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Catrina Cafe Will Expand In Bay View

After one year of operation in Walker’s Point, Catrina Cafe is poised to expand with a second location in Bay View.

The proposed business, Catrina Cafe and Cantina, would open at 2354 S. Kinnickinnic Ave., replacing Tulum Latin Gastropub, which quietly shuttered last spring after a short-lived rebrand.

Known for its Latin-inspired menu, the flagship location operates as a restaurant by day, offering brunch dishes, Mexican food and more, along with beverages including coffee, aguas frescas, beer and cocktails. At night, it transitions into a dance club, hosting DJs and themed events such as Havana Thursdays and Diabla Saturdays.

The Bay View location would follow a similar model, according to a license application. The business plans to operate as both a full-service restaurant and tavern, with hours running from early morning until bar close.

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Hoancoming Adds Madison Twist For 2025

Hoancoming is set to return for its third consecutive year later this month, closing out summer with a boat parade, drone display and light show on its namesake bridge.

This time around, the Milwaukee tradition will add a Madison twist, transforming part of the lakefront into a pop-up version of the Memorial Union Terrace, complete with its signature sunburst chairs and waterfront views.

The free experience, dubbed Terrace on Lake Michigan, comes from a partnership between The Wisconsin Union, UW Credit Union and the Hoan Group. It will be open to the public Sept. 18 from 6 to 8 p.m.

Milwaukee’s terrace will set up near the lighthouse at Lakeshore State Park, offering brats, beverages and live entertainment from DJ LoLo and the University of Wisconsin Marching Band. But the event aims to be more than a sum of its parts, said Mark Guthier, director of the Wisconsin Union and University of Wisconsin–Madison’s associate vice chancellor for Student Affairs.

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Blue’s Egg Is The Bomb

If you haven’t been to Blue’s Egg for brunch, or lunch, you will want to pay a visit to this restaurant located in a strip mall just off Bluemound on 76th Street. An extensive menu covers all the bases when you crave a meal that exceeds ordinary and ventures into entrees that will satisfy the most demanding brunch aficionado.

If you want a benedict, you have five choices: the Florentine with spinach and tomatoes; the Dubliner with corned beef, leeks, and paprika aioli; the pulled ham with onion and alpine cheese; the chicken chorizo with tomato sauce, goat cheese, and pickled chilis; and the conventional benedict with pulled ham.

My companion’s classic had two perfectly poached eggs, runny yolks, and a large pile of shredded smoky baked ham. It was served on a house-made English muffin that was yeasty, dense, and utterly delicious. There was enough creamy hollandaise to savor with each bite and the “browns,” as the hash browns are called, were crisp and buttery.

The roasted mushroom omelette combined the flavors of rosemary and tarragon with caramelized onions and provolone cheese. The mushrooms were roasted with the herbs and the tarragon-scented sauce was a scrumptious addition to this omelette. My companion chose fruit over browns and was served an impressive bowl of bananas, oranges, apples and melon.

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