The Gallery Food Hall Opening on Murray Avenue
Beginning July 14 the eastside food hall will offer food for thought -- and eating.
Site of future The Gallery, 2335 N. Murray Ave. Photo taken June 23, 2023 by Sophie Bolich.
It’s been said that you eat with your eyes first. The adage will ring especially true at The Gallery, an upcoming food hall that plans to offer a plethora of food options alongside art installments from creators in the Milwaukee area and beyond.
“Whether it’s photography, painting or whatever else that’s creative, we want to give people an opportunity to showcase their work,” said Kamal Shkoukani, an entrepreneur, restaurateur and the force behind the new food hall at 2335 N. Murray Ave.
Within the last year, Shkoukani launched and operated a number of ghost kitchen concepts at downtown’s Paper Table food hall. Several of those, including Secret Hot Chicken, Moon Burger and Gym Bae, will make a comeback at The Gallery, which is expected to begin its soft opening early next month, followed by a three-day grand opening and art exhibition starting July 14.
In the future, Shkoukani said he hopes to offer mentorship to industry newcomers, giving chefs the opportunity to experience the ins and outs of the restaurant world before making any major investments.
“We want to help chefs kind of dip their toes into the business and see what it’s like,” Shkoukani said, noting that each chef would be able to design and trial their own menu on a monthly, rotating basis.
Each concept at The Gallery will offer third-party delivery services through UberEats, DoorDash and GrubHub. There will also be up to five standing tables inside, as well as outdoor seating.
The property includes an extensive backyard, which Shkoukani plans to convert into a patio space to increase The Gallery’s capacity for dine-in services. The project could be completed as early as late summer, he said, but isn’t likely to be fully up and running until next year.
Paddy’s Pub, the next door bar, will likely welcome carry-ins from The Gallery, Shkoukani said.
In addition to satisfying guests’ cravings, Shkoukani said he hopes to stoke the arts scene on the East Side, which is already home to an assortment of murals and the eclectic Black Cat Alley.
An artist himself, Shkoukani said he plans to showcase his photography at The Gallery, and has been working on a series of shoots specifically for the space.
In his latest project, Shkoukani, who works mainly in portraits, took photos of residents from several different Milwaukee neighborhoods, representing a diverse variety of city residents.
Starting July 14, The Gallery will be open Sunday through Thursday from 5 p.m. to 1 a.m. and Friday through Saturday from 5 p.m. to 3 a.m.
In addition to catering to the late-night crowd, the evening hours align with Shkoukani’s upcoming entry into Crossroads Collective, where he plans to operate one or several of his restaurant concepts out of the food hall’s Corner Pop-Up space.
Updates and additional information will be available on The Gallery’s Instagram page.
Update: Shkoukani’s description of his role at Crossroads Collective was initially inaccurate.
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