We Tried Two Surplus Food Apps
And what did we get? Plus: Cocktail classes, a Potawatomi pop-up and goodbye Riverwest Co-op
Cacao shell mulch and bakery items. Photos by Sophie Bolich.
When Goodie Bag Food Co. launched in Milwaukee last October, the app was among the first of its kind in the city, connecting local restaurants with consumers to offer surplus food at a discount.
The startup debuted with more than a dozen local partners and continued to grow, now featuring over 40 businesses including Twisted Plants, Midwest SAD and West Allis-based Becher Meats.
Earlier this summer, Too Good To Go arrived with a similar mission to tackle food waste and rising prices. Launched in August, the app features around 40 businesses ranging from independent restaurants like Ma Fischer’s to chains like Whole Foods.
Both companies require users to download a mobile app to browse and buy items. The interface is simple: each listing shows the business, availability and price of its “surprise bag.” Tapping a listing reveals more details, including the address, reviews and a brief description of what’s inside.
But don’t expect a full contents list—blurbs can be ultra-specific, like “two bags of popcorn,” or as vague as “menu items.” Goodie Bag leans toward the vaguer side, which its founders say is part of the appeal.
Too Good To Go almost always has bags available throughout the day, while Goodie Bag sends alerts when new bags are listed, demanding a quicker reaction. “It’s a little bit of a rush to purchase,” said Briana Boehmer of Goodie Bag. “There’s some fun in all of it.”
Goodie Bag deals typically sell for at least 50% off, with prices averaging $5 to $8. Too Good To Go highlights the original price of each item, often offering deals for roughly a third of that cost. Comparing the two apps can be tricky, however, since the contents of each bag vary widely.
I tried both to see how they stack up.
After several failed attempts on Goodie Bag, I finally secured a package from Tabal Chocolate on a recent weekday. My mobile receipt listed the item as “1x Deal Bag” ($8) and instructed me to pick it up before 7 p.m.
At Tabal in Tosa, the cashier—already familiar with Goodie Bag—knew exactly what to do. She handed me a large bag of cacao shell mulch, and I was on my way—though not before picking up some full-priced extras to enjoy on the ride home.
The experience was quick, seamless and a fun surprise. Cacao mulch—who knew?
On Too Good To Go, I chose Azteca Bakery—fingers crossed for pan dulce. Tucked inside Piggly Wiggly at 123 W. Oklahoma Ave., the bakery can be hard to find for first-timers. Luckily, the app provided specific directions.
At the counter, I showed my confirmation screen and was handed a “surprise bag” with about a dozen baked goods: cinnamon-sugar pastries, cocoles, conchas, and more. For $5.31, it felt like a steal—and a fun way to explore a local bakery I might not have visited otherwise.
Photos
New Restaurant Opens in The Saint Kate
Saint Kate The Arts Hotel has refreshed its dining program with the launch of The Studio Kitchen & Cocktails. The rebranded restaurant and bar replaces ARIA and Giggly, which previously operated on the second floor of the downtown hotel, 139 E. Kilbourn Ave.
The Studio bills itself as a versatile spot for all appetites, offering an eclectic menu ranging from braised short rib to spicy tuna bowls. Additional highlights include Mediterranean sea bass with saffron, truffle mushroom terrine and a selection of appetizer-sized sushi rolls—both vegetarian and non.
Giggly’s signature Bubbles & Brunch will continue under the new concept, which will also offer weekday breakfast beginning at 6:30 a.m. Morning menus feature an assortment of egg dishes, Greek yogurt and overnight oats, along with house favorites like chocolate chip pancakes and brussels sprout hash.
An all-day cocktail program leads with bloody marys, mimosas and a Morning Mule featuring Don Julio Blanco, lime, apricot nectar and ginger beer. Dinner cocktails like Staycation—gin, basil, mango, pineapple, grapefruit and lime—share the menu with THC-infused options and zero-proof drinks made with Seedlip and Lyre’s spirits.
Central Standard Enters THC Market
Central Standard Craft Distillery is entering the burgeoning THC sector with its new line, Delta Dawn.
The non-alcoholic beverages, available in flavors like Door County Cherry Lemonade and Fruit Punch, are set to hit retail shelves this week. They’ll also be available in the distillery’s tasting room at 320 E. Clybourn St.
Each 12-ounce can is infused with 10 milligrams of hemp-derived THC—legal in Wisconsin under the 2018 Farm Bill—offering “a new way to mellow out,” according to the distillery.
“We saw an opportunity to bring our expertise in crafting high-quality spirits to a different kind of beverage,” said Pat McQuillan, co-founder of Central Standard. “Delta Dawn allows us to provide a new experience for our customers, focusing on delicious, familiar flavors with the added benefit of THC in a safe, controlled way.”
Sourdough Bakery Moving to Peter Sciortino Space
After launching Peace and Love Sourdough from her home kitchen in 2022, Maria Mickschl is preparing for the leap to commercial production, taking up residence on the lower level of Peter Sciortino Bakery.
The new location, 1101 E. Brady St. offers ample oven space and a direct connection to the street-level business, where Mickschl could eventually display her own loaves while also offering them wholesale and vending at area markets.
Though she once envisioned a future rooted in cottage baking, the business’s steady growth and increasing demand—plus one natural disaster—set the shift in motion.
Last month’s historic flooding event caused water levels to rise “to the ceiling” in Mickschl’s basement, leaving her without electricity or heat, and ruining two custom ovens built by her boyfriend, Ryan.
Dining Out For Life Returns With Biggest Event Yet
Dining Out For Life Milwaukee returns this week for its second installment, and with 18 participating restaurants, it’s easier than ever to put your money where your mouth is.
The food-focused fundraiser features local eateries—like Lakefront Brewery, Sanford and Midwest SAD—donating a portion of each bill to benefit Vivent Health, a nonprofit that supports people living with or affected by HIV through prevention, care and treatment services.
Diners can eat in, order takeout, or make a direct donation to the cause.
The inaugural Dining Out For Life was held in 2024. This year, the event has expanded to three days, running Sept. 18 through Sept. 21. It also comes with higher stakes given the current political climate, said Brandon Hill, president and CEO of Vivent Health.
Milwaukee Steakhouse is Expanding
“The Place for Steaks” will soon have a larger footprint on the city’s West Side. Milwaukee Steakhouse plans to build a 2,071-square-foot addition, doubling its dining space and creating a reservable venue for private parties.
The development comes after owners Kevin Nugent and Brian Young put the building at 6024 W. Blue Mound Rd. up for sale in 2023, seeking growth in a new location. Despite buyer interest, the owners ultimately decided to stay put.
“We love the location,” Nugent said, noting the restaurant’s prime spot along the east-west thoroughfare. “Doubling our capacity and being able to do the private room, I think that’s just going to be fantastic. And we’re very excited to offer that.”
Plans call for a rectangular addition on the west side of the building, where the restaurant’s patio currently sits. Construction will also include new restrooms and a diaper changing station.
Agency to Host Cocktail Classes
After a meteoric first year as a James Beard Award finalist and one of the country’s top 29 bars, Agency will lift the veil on its approach to mixology through a three-part cocktail curriculum.
Led by Creative Director Kat Doughty, the series explores the foundations, creativity and science of cocktails. The small-group classes will be capped at 20 guests or less for a more intentional experience.
“We’re excited to offer these intimate classes and pull back the curtain to show off what we do, why it matters, and why we feel so incredibly passionate about what we get to do everyday,” Doughty said in a statement. “It’s an absolute joy to bring curious, like-minded people together for laughs, exploration, witty debates, and a moment to live in the Agency-universe for an hour or two.”
The series kicks off with Bartending 101: The Foundations of Great Drinks on Sept. 22, with a focus on must-have tools, seasonal ingredients and basic terminology.
Historic Artifacts From Karl Ratzsch’s Restaurant Headed For Auction Block
All good things come to an end.
Chuck Kahn and Patti Keating Kahn, owners of the Colby Abbot Building, are auctioning off the remaining fixtures from their best-known tenant: Karl Ratzsch’s restaurant.
Over its 113-year run, Ratzsch’s offered an Old World German ambiance, a focus on service and a place for gathering for special occasions. Now you can take more than leftovers home.
The couple had held off selling the items after the restaurant closed in 2017, hoping they would help draw another tenant, but are now selling the fixtures while continuing to market the two-level, 5,600-square-foot space to future tenants.
Riverwest Co-op Is Closing
After 24 years as a neighborhood staple, Riverwest Co-op & Cafe will close at the end of the month. It’s the latest—and final—chapter in the business’s long struggle to regain stability after the onset of COVID-19.
Declining sales, mounting debts, board vacancies and staff turnover have plagued the co-op for the past five years, with $70,000 in crowdfunding and a $150,000 loan from the Greater Milwaukee Foundation providing only temporary relief. By mid-2025, the co-op had already posted an $81,000 net loss, surpassing the $74,000 annual projection, and missed its August revenue target by $20,000.
The downward spiral culminated in the board’s unanimous decision to close, announced in late August. A special membership meeting followed on Sept. 10, drawing the full board and roughly 60 members to discuss next steps.
The closure, effective Sept. 21, will leave behind a legacy of connection, collaboration and collective perseverance, according to board member Wendy Mesich.
Lombardi Brewing to Begin Soft Opening
Milwaukee’s newest microbrewery is on track to welcome its first customers late next week. The owners of Lombardi Brewing Company shared Thursday that “everything is in place” for a soft opening as soon as Sept. 18.
But leadership is still deciding exactly what that will entail.
“We have identified the leaders of our service team and will make a determination [Friday] on exactly what our soft opening will look like,” the brewery shared in an online post.
Lombardi, led by Chris and Amanda Gethers, Tim Kunze and John Lombardi—grandson to NFL titan, Vince—announced plans to take over the former City Lights Brewing Co. space at 2200 W. Mt. Vernon Ave. in late May.
Speakeasy-Style Jazz Lounge Proposed For Water Street
Turkey club upstairs, jazz club downstairs.
The Back Door, a music-focused cocktail lounge, is slated to open on the lower level of 767 N. Water St., beneath a Jimmy John’s sub shop.
Owner Joseph Thompson recently filed an application, with a proposed opening date in November, for the business.
The Back Door would occupy a long, narrow commercial space, accessible through a speakeasy-style entrance off N. Front Street. Construction at the 1,416-square-foot site is underway, with completion expected in the next month.
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 the 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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