La Masa Opening New Location
The Brady Street fixture plans second restaurant at the Public Market.
Empanadas and chimichurri. Photo courtesy of La Masa.
Scratch-made empanadas will soon join the regular rotation at Milwaukee Public Market, which is set to welcome La Masa Empanada Bar as its newest vendor.
The Argentinian-inspired restaurant, led by Brad and Megan Todd, is working to launch its second location, just over a decade since opening its flagship on Brady Street.
La Masa will be located adjacent to the market’s main stairwell, flanked by Thief Wine Shop & Bar and Freese’s Candy Shoppe. The stall was previously home to On the Bus, which closed in February.
Paul Schwartz, executive director of the public market and Business Improvement District #2, said the restaurant’s crowd-pleasing menu and history of success made it an appealing choice.
“When we began the search for our next vendor, we started by asking what the community wanted to see,” Schwartz said in a statement. “La Masa has earned a reputation for outstanding food, a warm and hospitable guest experience, and a menu that appeals to a wide range of palates and dietary preferences. They deliver exactly the kind of experience and offerings our customers are asking for, which makes them a natural fit for the Market.”
Anticipated to open in the coming months, La Masa plans to serve its namesake empanadas with fillings like Argentinian beef, raisins, olives and hard-boiled egg. Non-traditional options could include grilled chicken pesto, dulce de leche and more.
Each empanada is baked to order and served with house sauces like chimichurri.
”We operate a true scratch kitchen,” Brad said in a statement. “Every empanada starts with fresh dough and hearty fillings, then it’s oven-baked to order. When guests bite into one, they know it’s been made that day, just for them.”
The menu will also feature a vegan and gluten-free doughless empanada bowl, along with salads, slaws and such sandwiches as It’s The Stubby’s Black Bean Burger, a meatless meal inspired by a similar item at—you guessed it—Stubby’s Gastropub.
From the bar, guests can expect alcoholic and zero-proof beverages. A retail section will feature both housemade sangria and take-and-bake empanadas.
With a bustling feel not unlike the streets of South America, the market matches the atmosphere envisioned for La Masa, Megan said.
In Argentinian cities, empanadas can be found on nearly every corner,” Todd said in a statement. “That’s exactly why we’re so excited to join the Milwaukee Public Market. The Market has that same energy, where people can grab a quality La Masa handheld to enjoy on the go or while exploring the Third Ward with family and friends.”
More information, including an official opening date, will be available in the coming months.
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