More Italian Food — And Beer?

Can you ever have too many Italian restaurants in town? We think not.

And what better neighborhood than in the Third Ward, the old stomping grounds of the city’s Italian immigrants? Onesto, the newest restaurant in town, opens today at 221 N. Broadway in the Third Ward.

That particular address has been something of a graveyard for restaurants, and was previously the site of the short-lived Bourbon & Tunns and before that for the Palms Bistro. But the owners of Onesto, Hospitality Democracy, have a track record in the business: they also own Swig, Smoke Shack, Water Buffalo and the new Holey Moley doughnut shop, all in the same neighborhood.

Onesto means “honest” in Italian, and Joe Sorge, one of the partners in Hospitality Democracy, has said he worked in his immigrant grandparents’ restaurant from ages 11 to 18, and promises the food at this new place would reflect that background. The menu will be long on house-made pastas like sweet corn ravioli ($14) and spaghetti with bolognese sauce made with beef brisket ($18), but will also include such entrees as seared scallops with cauliflower and pistachio pesto ($22) and cannelloni made from grilled eggplant ($15). Onesto means “honest” in Italian

Onesto’s hours will be 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday to Thursday, and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. (414) 308-1600.

World of Beer, the national tavern franchise that features a huge menu of 42 rotating taps and 500 beers by the bottle, will open its 58th franchise on August 25 at 418 N. Mayfair Rd in Wauwatosa. This is the second local franchise owned by Adam Chwala and Jeffrey Ferchoff; their first was opened at 1300 E. Brady St. in 2012.

The 3,200-square-foot tavern will have 800-square-foot patio and will serve lunch and dinner daily and host live music performances Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights. The tavern will partner with such local breweries as Hinterland Brewery (Green Bay), The Great Dane Brewing Co. (Madison), O’so Brewing Co. (Plover), and 3 Sheeps Brewing Company (Sheboygan). Local craft brews served will be those from Lakefront Brewery and Milwaukee Brewing Co. The tavern will also sell 64 oz. growlers to go. Happy hours are 3-7 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Since opening its first tavern in Tampa, Florida in 2007, World of Beer has grown to 58 locations in 18 states.

Now Closing

The Open Hearth Restaurant in Wauwatosa has apparently closed. After more than 38 years in business. Best known for its prime grilled meats and seafood, as well as German entrées and fish fries, its doors recently closed, with no word from its owners as to why.