Bartolotta’s Celebrates 30 Years of Lake Park Bistro

Lake Park Bistro, 3133 E. Newberry Blvd. Photo courtesy of The Bartolotta Restaurants.

When Paul Bartolotta recalls the final lead-up to opening Lake Park Bistro, he doesn’t think of menu creation, employee meetings or advertising. Instead, the most prominent memories are of his late brother and partner, Joe.

A week from launch and already over budget, the brothers looked around at the restaurant’s blank walls and went with the quickest, cheapest solution that came to mind.

“Joe and I ran to a couple of bookstores, bought a bunch of French posters and artwork, took a razor knife and cut them out,” Bartolotta told Rotary Club of Milwaukee members during a recent appearance. “And of course, Joe was putting up the pictures on the wall with a screwdriver, and of course he didn’t bother using a level so they’re all crooked.”

Halfway through, Joe glanced down from the ladder where he stood to ask, “Do you think anybody’s ever going to look at these?” Three decades, numerous awards and countless meals later, it’s safe to say the answer is yes.

Lake Park Bistro celebrated its 30-year anniversary Sept. 28. The restaurant, located in a historic building at the heart of Lake Park, opened in 1995 as the brothers’ second venture, joining Ristorante Bartolotta dal 1993 in Wauwatosa.

It also marked a departure from the familiarity of Italian cuisine, aiming instead to highlight the dishes and techniques Bartolotta acquired while living in France, where he cooked under renowned chefs including Roger Vergé, the Troisgros family, Paul Bocuse and the team at Taillevent in Paris

“Joe found this incredible location in Lake Park, and we felt Milwaukee was ready to embrace an authentic French bistro,” Bartolotta said in a statement. “Joe and I wanted Bartolotta’s Lake Park Bistro to be more than just a fine dining destination. We wanted it to be a place where memories were made and where we could continue the legacy of sharing our hospitality heart with the world.”

In addition to serving as a destination for escargot and terrine, the restaurant has become a popular reservation for milestone gatherings such as birthdays, anniversaries and celebrations of life. That’s true even for its owners. Bartolotta and his wife, Robbi Eisenmesser, were married at Lake Park Bistro in 1999 and Joe’s daughter, Mary, was married there in 2024.

Prior to housing the French restaurant, the building at 3133 E. Newberry Blvd. served as a picnic shelter within Lake Park. It was designed by architect Alfred C. Clas and opened to the public in 1903. The Bartolottas reimagined the space in partnership with Milwaukee County Parks.

Today, the lower level remains open to the public as a community room and the restaurant group “proudly supports Friends of Lake Park initiatives, ensuring that the pavilion continues to serve both neighbors and visitors alike,” The Bartolotta Restaurants shared in a statement.

Executive Chef Amanda Langler now leads the restaurant’s kitchen, with Mariana Popescu serving as general manager and certified sommelier.

“As we look back on 30 years of Bartolotta’s Lake Park Bistro, I am filled with gratitude for the community that has embraced us from the beginning, and to Milwaukee County Parks for the unwavering support and partnership,” Bartolotta said.

And though the site has seen a number of remodels and historically sensitive updates, one detail has gone unchanged. As Joe decorated the walls, wondering if anyone would ever appreciate his handiwork, he fastened one of the posters upside down. It remains that way as a tribute to the late restaurateur. “We painted around that one—it’s never been taken down,” Bartolotta said. “And everytime I go there, I touch it.”

Bartolotta’s Lake Park Bistro is open Mondays through Sundays from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. The restaurant hosts a three-course Sunday brunch from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Guests can make reservations online or by calling 414-962-6300.

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