Popular Fruit Trucks Returning to Milwaukee
Plus: Popular pizzeria returns, Nadi Plates pivots and farewell to Pita Pit.
Peaches. Photo courtesy of Tree-Ripe Fruit Co.
Peach-filled trucks will soon be making pit stops in Milwaukee.
Tree-Ripe Fruit Co. is set to begin its 2026 season June 13, traveling across the Midwest with its signature Georgia peaches and pecans, New Mexico pistachios and, later this summer, Michigan blueberries.
In Milwaukee, the trucks will host regular pop-ups at Maxie’s, 6732 W. Fairview Ave., from noon to 1:30 p.m. Mondays June 15 through Aug. 3, and at SmallPie, 2504 E. Oklahoma Ave., from 10 a.m. to noon Wednesdays June 17 through July 29. Both locations are walk-up only and do not take reservations.
Pricing includes four-pound bags of peaches for $12, one-pound bags of pistachios and pecans for $14 and five-pound boxes of blueberries for $23 when in season. Blueberries are expected to arrive in early July.
Tree-Ripe trucks plan to make more than 200 fruit stops across Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Michigan, Missouri, Kansas and Nebraska in the coming months.
New this year, customers can reserve fruit online at select stops. The company is also launching a “25-pound Peach Challenge,” encouraging customers to find creative ways to use a full box of peaches, then share photos or videos online tagging @treeripefruit for a chance to win a $50 gift card.
A full list of Wisconsin stops is available on Tree-Ripe’s website.
Tenant Sought For Former Rare Steakhouse Space
Irgens is seeking a new tenant for the high-end restaurant space at the base of the 833 East office tower following the closure of Rare Steakhouse earlier this year.
The 5,497-square-foot space, 833 E. Michigan St., is available for lease, according to a listing from Colliers International, which describes the space as turnkey. The listing comes even as a co-owner of the restaurant applied to renew the restaurant’s licenses.
Photos included in the listing show the former steakhouse’s dining room, bar and kitchen, with furniture and equipment still in place. An itemized inventory is available on request.
Colliers highlights the property’s proximity to lakefront events and nearby office workers, with more than 25 business tenants occupying the 18-story building’s upper floors. The space is adjacent to The Couture luxury apartment tower and along The Hop streetcar route.
A Walker’s Point Fixture is Back in Business
After months of uncertainty, Fixture Pizza Pub is back to serving customers in Walker’s Point.
The restaurant resumed service at 623 S. 2nd St. over the weekend, though diners said it is currently operating with a limited menu.
Customers crowded in for a taste of their favorite pies following the hiatus, dining in or toting pizza boxes for carryout as the last of the Milwaukee Pride Parade marched past Fixture’s newly reopened doors.
Business was brisk Wednesday evening, too, with guests gathered around square-cut pizzas and plates of eggplant fries as the NBA Finals drew eyes to TVs mounted above the packed bar.
Nadi Plates Cancels Plans To Open In Former Food Hall
Nadi Plates is changing course on its proposed East Side restaurant more than a year after its initial proposal.
The business, which currently operates as a food truck and event vendor, will not move forward with plans at 2238 N. Farwell Ave., the former Crossroads Collective space, and instead plans to launch a brick-and-mortar location nearby at 2163 N. Farwell Ave., the former home of Pomona Cider Company.
“We are cooking up exciting plans to transform the space into the new Nadi Plates, and we can’t wait to share them with you as details are finalized,” the owners shared in an online post Thursday morning.
Nadi Plates was announced as an incoming tenant at 2238 N. Farwell Ave. in April 2025, shortly after the sudden closure of Crossroads Collective. In the following months, the business secured a series of construction permits and, in March, applied for a sign permit.
Pita Pit Closes Downtown Restaurant
Pita Pit, a fast-casual Mediterranean chain, has closed its downtown location after more than a decade in business.
Signage has been removed from the corner storefront at 231 E. Wisconsin Ave., which is now being marketed for lease by Colliers International.
A phone call to the business went unanswered Wednesday and the restaurant’s Facebook page is no longer active.
Opened in 2015, the restaurant occupied a space in the base of the Railway Exchange Building, where it served a health-focused lineup of custom pita sandwiches, grain bowls and salads.
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The Star Bar May Soon Shine On East Side
A prominent East Side building could soon be home to Star Bar, an astrology-themed lounge aiming to bolster neighborhood nightlife with cocktails, dancing, and a touch of celestial superstition.
The proposed business, led by New Land Enterprises, would occupy a 698-square-foot space at 2011 E. Ivanhoe Pl., joining existing tenants, including Poppy Bakery and Shanghai, a speakeasy-inspired cocktail bar.
Unlike Shanghai, which has a long, narrow layout with a hidden entrance off Black Cat Alley, Star Bar would have a more open footprint facing Ivanhoe Plaza. Floor plans show an L-shaped bar lined with stools, along with banquettes and tables arranged around a dance floor and DJ booth. The business would also feature a 167-square-foot sidewalk patio with several two-top tables for outdoor seating.
New Land, which owns the property, is working with Korb Architecture on the buildout, according to a license application.
Two Bay View Cafes Plan Grand Opening Events
Amid a pre-summer wave of bar and restaurant openings, two existing businesses are planning formal celebrations to mark their arrival in Bay View.
Jasher’s Organic Tea House, 2690 S. Kinnickinnic Ave., will host a three-day grand opening from June 11 through 13, while nearby Brew-Jas Coffee House will welcome guests for an all-day celebration at its new location, 2721 S. Howell Ave., on June 20.
At Jasher’s, married couple Jack and Rumi DeDecker have been behind the counter since November 2025, serving an all-organic lineup of nearly two dozen teas, hot cocoa, pour-over coffee and an assortment of snacks. The menu spans herbal and caffeinated loose-leaf teas — available hot or iced — alongside ceremonial matcha and traditional masala chai made with black Assam tea, fresh ginger, whole spices and jaggery.
Jasher’s grand opening will kick off Thursday with a loyalty card launch and a ceramic teapot set giveaway. Friday’s programming includes a tea-tasting competition at 7 p.m., with prizes for the top three participants. On Saturday, musicians Braden Higgs and Priscilla Joy will perform from 1 to 3 p.m. The final day will also feature giveaways of tea boxes and gift cards.
Craft Restaurant Is ‘Old Milwaukee Cleaned’
If you are looking for an elegant dining room filled with memories of Milwaukee’s past, consider a visit to Craft, located across the street from Fiserv Forum in The Trade hotel. As soon as you enter from West Juneau Avenue, you will see the large square bar with seating on all sides and topped with stunning copper lighting fixtures that had past lives as the tops of brew kettles. In addition to that nod to Milwaukee’s brewing industry, you will see a Harley, a lovely photo of the Hoan Bridge, and a Cream City brick border in the hotel lobby.
“This old-school look refers to anything that has to do with old Milwaukee,” according to our server Bryan Gonzalez. The fresh industrial vibe, he told us, is “old Milwaukee cleaned up.”
The menu is brief, but that suggested quality, not quantity. The D.L.T., a duck sandwich and takeoff on a B.L.T., had a large mound of shredded duck breast packed into grilled buttery brioche bread. It also included bacon, tiny pieces mixed into the duck, which made the sandwich a true B.L.T. plus duck. It was delightful. The accompanying house chips had a subtle seasoning that added interest to the nongreasy, thick, crisp chips. They quickly disappeared.
The chipotle chicken grilled cheese, a mash-up of caramelized onions, shredded chicken and Gruyere, was mixed with chipotle mayo and served in buttery grilled sourdough. You won’t want to count calories when you dive into this sandwich. Every bite oozed with cheese and butter and, of course, chicken.
Third Ward Could Get New Chicken Chain
Char’d, a modern Korean restaurant located in the Historic Third Ward, announced its closure last weekend after just over eight years in business.
In an online post, owners Choonghoon Lee and Lane Kim shared gratitude for customers who “embraced our food, our culture, and our little corner of this city,” while also teasing a new concept proposed for the restaurant space at 222 E. Erie St.
They plan to reopen next month as part of the Korean-style barbecue chain bb.q Chicken. “We’ve been cooking up something new, and we can’t wait to share it,” the owners wrote in the post.
The Return of Milwaukee Dumpling Fest
Empanada, pierogi, shumai, momo — any and all combinations of filling and dough are welcome at Milwaukee Dumpling Fest, which returns June 28 for its fourth year.
ElevAsian and Visit Milwaukee sponsor the annual event, which brings together local chefs to riff on the humble — and highly versatile — dumpling for a chance to win the coveted Golden Gyoza trophy.
“Every culture has a form of dumpling,” ElevAsian said in an online statement. “Whether it’s steamed, fried, boiled or baked — if it’s a delicious filling wrapped in dough, we are celebrating it.”
This year’s festival will take place at a new venue, Prairie Springs on Park, 1420 E. Park Pl., with participants including chef Alex Lyskowicz, Amilinda, The Bartolotta Restaurants, Benson’s Restaurant Group, Chao’s Kitchen, Cute Robot Japanese Kitchen, EsterEv, Lucky Ginger, Mezcla Fusion Revolution, Mosaic Catering, Noble Catering, Phat Dumpling, Saffron, Semolina MKE, Serious Sanji and Sinta.
Milwaukee Restaurants Go Halal For Annual Restaurant Week
On the heels of the major Islamic holiday Eid al-Adha, Halal Restaurant Week returns to Milwaukee June 5-14, with 11 participating restaurants offering specials ranging from brunch and brisket to lobster and lamb chops.
Chefs across the area will present their takes on halal dishes, prepared in accordance with Islamic dietary guidelines, throughout the 10-day event.
Best-known restrictions include the prohibition of pork and alcohol; however, halal also informs how permissible meats are slaughtered and processed.
Though it may sound daunting, preparing halal food in a restaurant setting can be as simple as swapping vendors or special-ordering proteins, while being mindful of cross-contamination and missteps, such as using wine to deglaze a pan.
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