Everything But the Squeal

The explosion of new restaurants and bars in Bay View is still ongoing, it appears. The latest addition is the Vanguard Restaurant, which actually announced a planned summer opening back in April, but that has been delayed and is now expected in the next week or so. The owners are John McCann and Chris Schulist, the restaurant is located at 2659 N. Kinnickinnick Ave., and in a nod to local culture, the concept is a neighborhood pub that boasts house-made brats and sausages. Shay Linkus, former chef of Odd Duck, has created a menu comprised of traditional choices but also sausages made with alligator, lamb, or duck meat. There is a list of vegetarian options. The menu includes different kinds of poutine and fried chicken. Bourbon and Whiskey will be highlighted at the bar along with craft beer and draft cocktails.

Company Brewing is taking over the space currently housing Riverwest’s Stonefly Brewing Co. Co-owners Karen Bell and George Bregar, owner of Bavette la Boucherie and former director of coffee at Colectivo respectively, hope to have the new brewpub open by early February. Braegar, known for his role in the early development of the Colectivo Keg Co., which debuted back in 2013, will oversee the brewing. Some beers Bregar is working on for the opening include an IPA, an American pale ale, a Belgian wit, and a Belgian quad aged in a rum barrel. The food, which will include family-style dishes, has been described by Bell as “nose to tail,” which is a new one on us, and refers to cooking where you use every part of the pig. Except the squeal?

PhantomBar is expected to open as early as April in Cathedral Square. The new bar is located at 780 N. Jefferson St., a space formerly occupied by Zaafaran. Mazen Muna, owner of The Dogg Haus restaurants spread throughout Milwaukee, is planning to open PhantomBar under his newly established 12AM Management Group. The bar will be focusing on wine and cocktails and provide a simple appetizer menu. Muna has mentioned a remodel of the interior space with a resulting modern aesthetic, and the installation of a bar for the 1,000 sq. foot outdoor patio.

The Brown Bottle, the restaurant and tavern at 221 W. Galena St. in Schlitz Park had plans to reopen in mid-August as we reported back in July. Nope it, didn’t do so, but it now plans to reopen on Monday, November 17.

First established in 1938 at 221 W Galena St., the bar was originally a tasting room for the Schlitz Brewing Company. From 1986-2004 the space became the Brown Bottle restaurant and bar featuring intricate iron pieces by Milwaukee artist Cyril Colnik, and reclaimed architectural elements from Europe. In 2005 it reopened as Libiamo Italian Restaurant; the restaurant closed in 2012.

On July 2, 2014 Gary Grunau, president of Brewery Works, applied for a new liquor license for the vacated bar. The restaurant’s chef will be Ben Hudson, who previously worked at Bacchus in Milwaukee and in Portland, Ore.

The initial menu will include such items as beer nuggets (pizza crust made with beer, served with Schlitz beer cheese sauce), a Waldorf-style salad with honey-amaretto vinaigrette, and pulled pork sandwich topped with coleslaw.

Initial Hours will be 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, and are expected to expand later.

On November 19, 2014 at 5:30 p.m., The Brown Bottle will host a fundraiser for the Historic Brewers Hill Association’s Gateway Signage Project. The project will feature monument signage to highlight critical intersections in Walker’s Point.