Get ‘A Taste of Juneteenth’ at Summerfest
Plus: Peaches, Purslane and Poppy Bakery.
Summerfest South Gate. Photo by Jeramey Jannene.
Milwaukee, often called the “City of Festivals,” is adding a new, food-focused event to its summer lineup with A Taste of Juneteenth at Summerfest.
The event will take place on Saturday, June 21 at Henry Maier Festival Park, highlighting West African cuisine, barbecue, sweets and more from local chefs throughout the Milwaukee area.
Vendors include Atwood Hwy BBQ Company, Dear Florence Sweets, Glad’s Kitchen, It’s Smackin’, Jericho’s BBQ, Johnny’s Kitchen Creations, Peachy’s Plates, Pop’s BBQ Memphis Style, K’s Finger Food Catering and Uyghur Grill.
In addition to food samples, guests can expect live entertainment from a local DJ. Tickets are priced at $100 and include same-day admission to Summerfest. Proceeds will directly support the participating vendors.
A Taste of Juneteenth is presented by American Family Insurance with Summerfest and Northcott Neighborhood House partnering as hosts.
Summerfest and Northcott Neighborhood House partnered for the event, presented by American Family Insurance.
The culinary showcase is part of the broader Summerfest Juneteenth Day Celebration at the festival grounds, which also includes an opening ceremony with remarks from representatives and a special acknowledgment of Juneteenth scholarship recipients including Ms. Juneteenth, Mr. Juneteenth, Little Ms. Juneteenth and Little Mr. Juneteenth.
Dedicated programming is set for several festival stages, with featured artists like Gary Clark Jr., Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Ginuwine, Joy Oladokun, Mike Jones, The Isley Brothers, Eric Benét, Fabolous, The Shonn Hinton Experience, Buffalo Nichols and more.
The Summerfest event follows a morning Juneteenth parade and festival along King Drive.
To purchase tickets for A Taste of Juneteenth, or to learn more, visit the Summerfest website.
East Side Bakery Sets Grand Opening Date
When Amy Gorski was just starting her career in pastry, she and a close friend and coworker would share grand visions over bowls of batter.
“We’d stand across the table and talk about our dream bakeries, and I’d say, ‘Well, when I have my own bakery, I’ll do this. I’ll do that.'”
More than twelve years later, those dreams are becoming a reality. Gorski will celebrate the grand opening of her own business, Poppy Bakery, Saturday, June 14, at 2021 E. Ivanhoe Pl.
The East Side space, once home to Sip & Purr Cat Cafe, has been reimagined as a neighborhood hub for wholesome baked goods and Valentine Coffee — complete with sentimental details like a bakery case handmade by Gorski’s childhood best friend, a storage rack from a former baker’s estate sale and a butter-stained note, now framed, from that same daydreaming coworker.
More Details Revealed About Planned Italian Restaurant
Think you know Italian food? Think again.
Il Ponte, an upcoming restaurant from Lupi & Iris owners Adam Siegel and Daria Aitken-Siegel, promises New York-style Italian cuisine — with plenty of new-to-Milwaukee twists.
“There’s a good amount of red sauce, but not just spaghetti and meatballs,” Siegel told reporters during a Friday morning press conference. “There are quite a few dishes that many people in Milwaukee have never seen that we will utilize, and we’re excited for that … we’ll have some fun with it.”
Il Ponte, meaning “the bridge” in Italian, is set to open on the first floor of the Northwestern Mutual North Building, which is in the midst of a large-scale overhaul.
Hidden Restaurant Offers Sought-After Juneteenth Specials
One of Milwaukee’s most sought-after Juneteenth menus might be found in an unexpected place — the basement of a government building.
RCW’s Cafe, located on the lower level of the Frank P. Zeidler Municipal Building at 841 N. Broadway, will offer specialty soul food menus on June 16, 17 and 18; the building is closed June 19 for the holiday.
Now in its second year, the tradition began when operator Rhonda Carter-Watson took over the cafe space, formerly occupied by Aladdin’s City Cafe. The inaugural Juneteenth menu was a hit, drawing long lines for cream cheese pound cake, smothered pork chops, collard greens and more.
“I was very much surprised,” Carter-Watson said of the enthusiastic response from diners. “This was my first time stepping out of the box like this … we had never done a menu like that before.”
State Fair Announces Sporkies and Drinkies Finalists
Bacon, ice cream and doughnuts, pillars of Wisconsin State Fair food, made a triumphant return to the shortlist of this year’s Sporkies and Drinkies finalists — and that’s just one dish.
The 2025 lineup, featuring a dozen food and drink offerings, also includes a viral snack, a breakfast bratwurst and a nod to an iconic musician. The Wisconsin State Fair on Thursday announced the finalists for the 2025 awards, with eight Sporkies selected from a field of 35 entries and four Drinkies from 17.
On July 29, a panel of local judges will gather at the fairgrounds, 640 S. 84th St., to taste and rank each entry, awarding the coveted Golden Spork and Cup just ahead of the fair’s 11-day run, July 31 through Aug. 10.
Würstbar, a perennial finalist in the Sporkies category, has put forth a unique mashup: Brat Rangoon. The fusion dish combines bratwurst, cream cheese, green onion and melted cheese with a crisp wonton wrapper. The dumplings are then skewered, sprinkled with furikake seasoning and served with housemade sweet and sour sauce.
Proposed Riverwest Food Truck Park Seeks Investors
Four years after it was first proposed, an outdoor food truck park and office space planned for a historic tavern is progressing in Milwaukee’s Riverwest neighborhood.
Developer Clarence Morse is seeking local investors to help the $1.5 million project along.
Last month, Morse pitched the concept to members of Fund Milwaukee, a community investment group, during an event at Amorphic Beer. He’s aiming to raise $100,000 in loans, with a minimum investment of $1,000. The loans carry a 10% annual interest rate over 36 months, with interest paid annually, according to Fund Milwaukee. Loans are secured by capital assets and escrowed funds.
The project would rehabilitate a 134-year-old former Schlitz tied-house tavern at 2249 N. Humboldt Ave., transforming it into a community hub with six turnkey vending trailers, a full-service bar and modern office spaces.
New Owners To Take Over Charles E. Fromage
Honore and Tony Schiro brought a decades-long vision to life with the opening of Charles E. Fromage.
Though both former teachers, the married couple are “not very good at relaxing,” and instead spend their time exploring a wide range of hobbies — playwriting, home improvement, paper collaging and — as of 2019 — running a small neighborhood bistro.
Charles E. Fromage — a tongue-in-cheek reference to Chuck E. Cheese — is a place where “an adult can be an adult.” It’s also a beloved community spot offering a cozy bar and seasonal rooftop patio, with local draft beer, wine, craft cocktails and scratch-made snacks featuring seasonal — and often homegrown — ingredients.
The past six years at the helm of the business have been “really fun and really challenging,” Honore said. “It’s a lot to juggle, but it’s been a blast — just really creative work.”
New Restaurant Planned For Airport
On the heels of Central Standard’s announcement of a new airport location, another bar and restaurant is set to join Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport.
Mitchell Market plans to open this summer in Concourse D, serving a casual menu of breakfast items, appetizers, pizza and sandwiches.
The 44-seat bar and restaurant would occupy 1,820 square feet previously used as concession space, according to Harold Mester, director of public affairs and marketing for the airport, 5300 S. Howell Ave.
A floor plan indicates that the business would be divided into a bar area with counter seating, dining sections with tables and chairs and a market offering ready-to-eat items.
Purslane Opens on Farwell Avenue
On a recent trip to Turkey, Mary Kastman soaked in the sights, sounds and smells of the Eastern Mediterranean country: bustling markets, citrusy sumac and intricate architecture.
She returned with a dose of fresh inspiration — and, even better, authentic supplies and decor — for her new restaurant, Purslane, which began its soft opening at the end of May.
With the help of a fellow chef, she picked out plates at the Grand Bazaar. Another friend contributed vibrant woven textiles. Kastman also brought back light fixtures, now displayed in the dining room.
“It was just a really fun trip because I got to go with three of my best friends in the world and share with them why I think this type of hospitality is special, and why I think it’s important to share it with everybody,” Kastman said.
Historic Protection Withdrawn For This Is It! Building
The building that housed the now-shuttered gay bar This Is It! won’t be historically protected.
The business was Wisconsin’s oldest gay bar, having opened in 1968. It abruptly closed in March, with majority owner George Schneider attributing the decision to a sustained business downturn driven by the COVID-19 pandemic and then the complete reconstruction of E. Wells Street. The bar’s exterior included a rainbow painted masonry facade and small windows.
Downtown resident and bar patron Sydni Foley submitted a nomination to the Historic Preservation Commission to designate the entire two-story building, 418-432 E. Wells St., as historic. A hearing was scheduled for the June 2nd commission meeting on the nomination, which would require any future changes to the building’s exterior to go through a public review process.
But Foley withdrew her nomination at the request of property owner Van Buren Management and lobbyist Michael D’Amato.
Jamaican Restaurant Plans Water Street Expansion
Uppa Yard, a popular Jamaican restaurant, plans to open a second location on Water Street near Juneau Ave., according to a license application filed Monday.
The venture would bring new life to the former Buffalo Wild Wings space at 1123 N. Water St., which has been vacant since 2022. Previous plans for a sports bar in the building never came to fruition.
Owner Oliver Edwards has also applied for an occupancy permit, noting that the future restaurant would offer sit-down dining, occupying 2,264 square feet on the building’s first floor.
At its flagship location, 4943 N. Fond du Lac Ave., opened in 2014, Uppa Yard serves Jamaican staples like jerk chicken, oxtail, curry goat and escovitch fish, a traditional dish featuring whole whitefish like snapper, parrotfish or kingfish, topped with spicy pickled vegetables.
Lupi & Iris Owners Announce New Concept
One of Milwaukee’s most highly regarded restaurants will soon gain a sister business — and a neighbor — in East Town.
Adam Siegel and Daria Aitken-Siegel, owners of Lupi & Iris, announced Monday plans to open a New York-style Italian restaurant at 818 E. Mason St., less than a block from their upscale French and Mediterranean eatery, which recently marked its third anniversary.
The venture — still unnamed — will occupy the first floor of Northwestern Mutual’s North Building, which is in the midst of a $500 million renovation project. The restaurant is slated to open in late 2026, according to a news release.
“We are thrilled to bring a New York Italian dining experience to Milwaukee,” Aitken-Siegel said in a statement. “It’s an honor to participate in the continued efforts of Northwestern Mutual’s North Office Building Modernization Project and the City of Milwaukee’s goal to energize and foster growth in the downtown area.”
Traveling Fruit Trucks Bringing Peaches to Milwaukee
Amid “one of the best Georgia peach seasons in decades,” trucks full of the sweet stone fruits are soon to arrive in Milwaukee, offering four-pound bags and half-bushel boxes for sale at more than a dozen locations across the area.
Tree-Ripe Fruit Co.’s Peach Stop Trucks are making their way through the state this summer, with weekly pop-ups scheduled in Bay View and Bluemound Heights — along with additional stops around the city and in nearby suburbs.
“We just got back from our pre-season visit to Pearson Farm to see the peaches for ourselves and it’s the bumper crop we dream of,” said Tiernan Paine, owner of Tree-Ripe Fruit Co, in a statement. “Everything lined up perfectly this season … It’s going to be a perfect summer.”
Paine added that the 2025 crop will have no purchase limits and no price increases compared to last year.
Interval Workers Confront Cafe Owner, Demand Unpaid Wages
Former employees of Interval‘s two shuttered cafes are accusing owner Ryan Hoban of “widespread wage theft” and demanding he reimburse unpaid salaries, wages, tips and gratuities dating back to early March.
They took their case straight to him Friday morning.
Six workers, accompanied by representatives of the Milwaukee Area Service and Hospitality Workers Organization (MASH) confronted Hoban at his roastery, Neighborly Coffee Roasters. They delivered a demand letter and draft settlement.
They also shared emotional testimonies about the toll Hoban’s actions, missed payments and the constant uncertainty surrounding the cafe’s finances have taken on their livelihoods. One employee spoke of major repercussions to both her and her partner’s credit scores, while others described emotional distress and mental health challenges after overextending themselves for the betterment of the business.
The Couture Names First Retail Tenant
The Couture tipped its hand to Milwaukeeans on Friday, revealing The Vig — a 1950s-themed sports parlor — as its first retail tenant. The Chicago-based bar and restaurant, named for the “vigorish” fee, is slated to open its new location in summer 2026.
In its first expansion beyond Chicago, The Vig plans to feature signature dishes from its globally inspired menu, along with new creations that reflect local flavor. Guests can also expect a lineup of craft and signature cocktails.
“We are incredibly excited to welcome The Vig to The Couture and the Milwaukee dining landscape,” Rick Barrett, CEO of Barrett Lo Visionary Development, said in a statement. “This is more than just a fantastic restaurant; it’s a significant step in realizing The Couture’s potential as the premier address in downtown Milwaukee.”
The new business, led by Legacy Hospitality, will occupy 10,800 square feet on the building’s second floor, featuring an expansive 8,500-square-foot interior and 2,000 square feet of patio space. Lakefront views will serve as a focal point both indoors and out, while large-screen TVs embedded in mirrors cater to sports enthusiasts without compromising the sleek aesthetic, according to a news release.
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