Newly Renovated Benelux Sets Reopening
Restaurant will return April 3 with a bigger bar, new seating options and menu items.
Rendering of future Benelux. Image courtesy of Lowlands Group.
Cafe Benelux is preparing to reopen this week after a month-long renovation project.
Typically the site of a bustling weekend brunch, Benelux has been missing from the fray for several weeks, as contractors worked to expand and update the bar area, install additional seating and refresh the overall space.
The restaurant, 346 N. Broadway, is set to return on Wednesday, April 3, according to a news release from Lowlands Group.
“Our intent was to create a more spacious and tremendously improved bar experience,” said Eric Wagner, owner and CEO of Lowlands Group, in a statement. “We’re thrilled with the result and can’t wait to unveil the new space to the neighborhood and city.”
The new, wraparound bar features double the amount of seating and a marble surface. Surrounding the bar is a revamped dining space with additional booth seating and a new, VIP corner booth, which seats up to 10 guests and faces west, offering a view of N. Broadway.
The project also included updates to the restaurant’s kitchen.
Along with the interior upgrades, guests can expect new additions to both the food and drink menus. That includes new cocktails, a tapline of Duvel and “more on draught than ever,” according to the news release.
The restaurant further touted its beer program, noting that it’s one of 12 Orval Ambassadors in the United States — and the only one in Wisconsin. A new addition to the bar celebrates Benelux’s Club Chimay Ambassadorship, showcasing an exclusive four-tap Chimay tower. The restaurant is one of four such establishments in the country.
“Our friendships and relationships with Belgian brewers have allowed us to bring exclusive offerings to Café Benelux that really set us apart,” Wagner said. “In fact, 20 of our 42 draught lines are exclusive to Café Benelux and Lowlands in the state, country, or world. Our goal has always been to introduce our communities to Belgian bier culture. It’s truly the place to enjoy unique bier experiences.”
Benelux is slated to receive its Club Chimay recognition on Thursday, April 18 from Pierre Hensenne, export director for the brewery. Guests are welcome to attend the ticketed event, which will offer beer tastings and food pairings including cheese, chorizo and chocolate truffles.
The event will run from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tickets cost $25 and are available online.
Lowlands Group continued to pay its staff throughout the duration of the closure, which began Feb. 26. As renovations progressed, employees took part in trainings, said Ileana Rivera, chief operating officer for Lowlands.
“Over the last month, our staff engaged in additional training including touring distilleries and breweries, and engaging with guest speakers including importers, distributors, and other local partners,” she said in a statement. “That additional knowledge will enhance the customer experience as they interact with staff who are fully immersed in the expanded bier experience.”
Starting April 3, Benelux will be open Sunday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Friday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m.
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