Glorioso’s Delays Reopening
Plus: Fire leaves food trucks reeling and two more restaurants close.
Glorioso’s Italian Market, 1011 E. Brady St. Photo taken Oct. 3, 2025 by Sophie Bolich.
There will be no Christmas miracle at Glorioso’s Italian Market.
The store, closed since early October due to a fire, has further delayed its reopening, which was initially—and optimistically—expected before Thanksgiving.
“We will miss celebrating with you this holiday season,” ownership shared in a Dec. 11 social media post. “We sincerely appreciate your ongoing support and patience during this time; it has been invaluable.”
An update in late November noted that “repairs are going well.” At that time, work had wrapped up on the first floor; future tasks included drywalling and painting the second floor, where the fire originated.
Glorioso’s said it has big plans to celebrate its eventual reopening.
The store, 1011 E. Brady St., encouraged customers to continue following its progress via Facebook, Instagram and its website.
Former Stack’d Becoming Mexican Restaurant
Cesar Lopez was six months old when his family members opened Cielito Lindo in Walker’s Point. He grew up with the restaurant, spending many childhood days beneath its cloud-dappled ceiling—cooking, cleaning and absorbing the essentials of entrepreneurship—before eventually becoming a co-owner.
The role, he said, prepared him for the next step: a restaurant of his own.
Lopez, along with is wife, Yolanda Herrera Montes, is preparing to open Allende Cocina Mexicana at 170 S. 1st St., the former site of Stack’d Burger Bar.
The new restaurant aims to honor Lopez’s family legacy with a menu of authentic Mexican cuisine, while incorporating the chef’s own style.
Kitchen Fire Shutters Two Popular Milwaukee Food Trucks
It was supposed to be an exciting week for Cocina Filipina. The bright green food truck, which serves Filipino cuisine at events throughout the area, planned to announce a new vending opportunity: selling lumpia and rice bowls at UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena.
But a Dec. 12 fire at its base kitchen has put the business out of commission for the foreseeable future. While the blaze didn’t affect the food truck directly, owners Marilupe Moreno and Billy Bush are unable to operate without a city-approved space.
“Unfortunately, moving forward requires us to locate, access, afford, and fully transition into a new licensed kitchen capable of supporting full-time operations,” the business wrote on its GoFundMe page. “Since the license cannot be filled without an approved kitchen, we have to shut down our schedule … for an uncertain amount of time.”
Moreno and Bush’s other truck, Modern Maki, also uses the space, and will temporarily close alongside Cocina Filipina. The food truck operates full-time at Zocalo Food Park, where it serves sushi and ramen.
Fat Valdy’s Reopening Scrapped, New Restaurant Planned
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Buffalo Wild Wings To Reopen After Licensing Mix-Up
Buffalo Wild Wings GO, a takeout-only restaurant at 2900 N. Oakland Ave., is set to reopen next month following a temporary closure enforced by the City of Milwaukee.
The location has been on hiatus since Nov. 12, according to signage posted by the City of Milwaukee Health Department (MHD), which shut down the restaurant due to a licensing error.
Franchisee Kardo Rasha, who submitted a new license application Nov. 14, told Urban Milwaukee he hopes to reopen in January 2026, pending city approval.
At the time of the closure, Rasha was in the process of taking over from a previous operator, he said. “This was a transfer. We submitted the application, but I guess they did not get all the information.”
Harbor District Cafe Will Close
Wantable Cafe has existed at the intersection of corporate and community since its 2021 inception, first serving as a headquarters for employees of the eponymous styling company before opening to the public for coffee, snacks and co-working space.
Now, it’s saying goodbye.
The cafe is set to close later this month, concluding service at 1 p.m. on Dec. 31. But Experience Milwaukee, which took over operations last spring, remains committed to the neighborhood, founder Steve Glynn wrote in an online post Wednesday.
In addition to continued development of the nascent innovation district, Glynn shared plans to activate a new Wantable building on S. 1st St., just west of the current cafe at 123 E. Walker St.
New French Bistro Named One of Nine ‘Must-Visit’ Restaurants in U.S.
Ça va, Cassis.
Celebrated restaurateurs Kyle and Meghan Knall are on track to debut their latest venture, an all-day French bistro, Jan. 5 in the Historic Third Ward.
Located on the first floor of 333 Water, Cassis marks a milestone for the newly constructed tower as its first restaurant tenant, while bolstering the neighborhood’s identity as one of the city’s premier dining destinations.
And, with any luck, its “warm and rustic” menu of classic roasts, slow braises and rich cheeses will help mute the chill of another Midwestern winter.
Southside Restaurant Saved From Closure
After a heated committee meeting and last-minute motion on the council floor, El Jalapeño is set to continue operating on Milwaukee’s South Side—but only after it serves a 90-day suspension.
The Milwaukee Common Council delivered that disciplinary action Tuesday morning, following a recommendation from Alderperson JoCasta Zamarripa, who had previously moved for non-renewal of the restaurant’s license.
“I appreciate El Jalapeño reaching out and trying to come to some compromise,” Zamarripa said of the restaurant at 2106 W. National Ave., which was caught twice in 2025 remaining open far past its approved hours.
The statement marked a shift from the Dec. 2 licenses committee meeting, when Zamarripa called the police report “egregious” and criticized owner Angel Gutierrez Garnica‘s conduct.
Brisa do Mar is Closed
Rumors swirled last week over the fate of Brisa Do Mar, which has remained dark since early December. On Tuesday, co-owner Ramsés Alvaréz confirmed the Mediterranean restaurant’s closure to Urban Milwaukee, citing high payroll costs and a challenging economy.
But the concept could soon return under new ownership. Alvaréz is selling the turnkey business at 509 E. Erie St. to a friend who plans to keep its name and most menu items, though likely with a greater focus on casual options like pizza.
The incoming operator, a mechanic by trade, is new to the restaurant industry. His experience working on local food trucks, however, has helped build relationships with seasoned restaurateurs, who Alvaréz said will offer guidance during the transition.
“He doesn’t have a lot of experience, but he trusts that he can make this restaurant work.”
Outpost Natural Foods Building Far Bigger Commercial Kitchen
Outpost Natural Foods plans to expand with a new commercial kitchen, boosting production for its four Milwaukee-area locations and wholesale partners.
The nearly 9,000-square-foot addition is under construction at the company’s corporate office, 3200 S. 3rd St., and is expected to open in 2026. The move will shift most production—except for bakery operations—away from the company’s current Bay View site.
Outpost leadership announced the project in a news release Tuesday morning, noting it comes in response to growing customer demand for prepared foods including wraps, soups, salads, entrees and baked goods at the store’s four Milwaukee-area locations. The grocer also aims to increase wholesale partnerships, adding to its existing hospital and retail clients.
“With a new commercial kitchen, we’ll be able to increase community access to healthy, locally produced foods made with all-natural and organic ingredients,” CEO Ray Simpkins said in a statement. “Our expanded capacity will allow us to add more products and serve more wholesale relationships.”
Visit Milwaukee Launches Small Business Initiative for Holidays
A number of small businesses raised alarms earlier this month over decreased traffic and slow sales, warning of looming closures without immediate support. In response, Milwaukee residents turned out in full force, selling out bakeries, filling cafe tables and gathering over glasses of wine to carry businesses through a difficult stretch.
Now, Visit Milwaukee Foundation hopes to continue that momentum with a new initiative. The tourism organization launched its Buy Local Bonus campaign Monday, aiming to drive end-of-year revenue while encouraging shoppers to support small businesses.
Starting immediately and running through Dec. 24, in-person customers who purchase $25 or more in gift cards at participating locations will receive a free $25 gift card in return, while supplies last.
The program is funded by a $25,000 investment from Visit Milwaukee, the organization said in a news release.
Temple Goddess Reports Two Close Calls at Farwell Intersection
Last weekend brought two near-misses to Temple Goddess cafe, whose corner building at 1978 N. Farwell Ave. was the site of multiple car crashes Saturday evening.
Neither involved contact with the cafe, and nobody was injured. However, a vehicle involved in the later incident came within two feet of the business’s exterior, according to Temple Goddess co-owner Gregory Cilmi.
The high-traffic intersection has proven problematic for the building, which sits on the southeast corner and is especially vulnerable to left turns off the one-way Farwell Avenue.
Though he did not witness the first crash, Cilmi said the second occurred when a driver slowed to make a turn and was rear-ended, sending the car up onto the sidewalk.
Eating Burmese in Bay View
I dove into a lunch special on my first visit to Ni Burmese, an exciting new restaurant on South Kinnickinnic Avenue. You can order a special Tuesday-Friday from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and if you want to enjoy the special at home, it is also available for takeout.
There are choices. For an appetizer you can choose a samosa as I did, or three pieces of house-made, fried-chickpea tofu. The samosa, filled with potato and seasoned with masala, had a crust that tasted like puff pastry. We learned from our server that the chef used a spring roll wrapper to give it the flaky crust that made the samosa exceptionally delicious.
Following the samosa, our server brought a small bowl of nini soup, chicken broth that had the deep complex flavor that comes from putting the whole bird, including the feet, in the pot. For the rest of my lunch special, I chose Kat Kyi Kaik, and ginger salad. I added pork to the Kat Kyi Kaik, small sliced pieces of meat that were tender and added protein to this mainly vegetarian dish. Fat noodles, mung bean sprouts, and yellow peas were mixed with a mild sauce that reminded me of Thai pad see ew. When you order, you can specify mild to extra hot. I chose mild and added heat from a small pot of chili oil that our server brought to the table.
In addition to the Kat Kyi Kaik lunch special, there are two more choices, rice and bean vermicelli and the one my companion ordered, fried egg noodles. This was two lightly scrambled eggs served over a stir fry composed of thin spaghetti-like noodles, cabbage, and carrots. This was a special so it also included nini soup, a samosa, and a salad.
Madison Restaurateur Planning Bay View Location
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Tea Shop Opens in Bay View
A new tea shop quietly joined the Bay View neighborhood in late November, offering a curated menu of organic teas, baked goods and fresh popcorn—plus ample space to slow down and settle in.
Jasher’s Organic Tea House is snuggled at the back of Joyce Skylight Court at 2680 S. Kinnickinnic Ave. Cozy couches, gentle background music and a shelf full of board games give the cafe the feel of a living room. And, in a way, it is.
Owners Jack and Rumi DeDecker spend evenings there with their son, Jasher, for whom the business is named. Though he’s just shy of 2 years old, Jasher is already a fan—not yet of the tea, but definitely the snacks.
In addition to warm popcorn made with coconut oil, the shop offers Bundt cake, scones and cookies from Rise and Shine Bakery, led by a member of the DeDeckers’ church. “Her lemon blueberry scones are a hit,” Jack said, noting that the pastries are typically first to sell out. Gluten- and dairy-free treats are also available.
Barbecue Restaurant Opens on North Avenue
The lights are on at 5507 W. North Ave.
A new restaurant, Flava House, opened in the building in early December, just two months after Heaven’s Table BBQ‘s departure.
Industry veteran Ken Hughes and his niece, Debra Tyler, lead the barbecue joint with input from Heaven’s Table pit master Jason Alston.
Though it’s now operating under a new name and ownership, Flava House maintains key elements of its predecessor—namely, Alston’s signature smoked meats.
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