A ‘Star Wars Day’ At Uncle Wolfie’s
Plus: A student-led food truck, gluten-free festival and a new shawarma spot.
Uncle Wolfie’s Breakfast Tavern. Photo by Cari Taylor-Carlson.
May the course be with you — all five of them — at an upcoming Star Wars-themed dinner hosted by Uncle Wolfie’s Breakfast Tavern.
The Brewer’s Hill restaurant, 234 E. Vine St., invites diners to celebrate the iconic media franchise and its enduring legacy with a special meal on May 4 — widely observed as Star Wars Day, a pun on “May the Force be with you.”
Dueling menus will define the one-night-only experience, which includes a vegetarian Jedi Dinner and its carnivorous Sith counterpart.
On the light side, guests can expect Cantina Chowder with root vegetables, fried kale and herb oil; R2-D2, a colorful dish featuring roasted peppers, pickled red onion, daikon radish, red sorrel, frisée and Dijon vinaigrette; and Tatooine Tandoori Tofu with jasmine rice, cashews, cilantro, chili crisp and butter curry sauce.
Dark side diners will enjoy an Imperial Bisque with peppered bacon; Thai Fighter Salad with chili-marinated shrimp, rice noodles and peanut-lime vinaigrette; and Dark Force Ribeye — a charcoal-crusted center cut served alongside demi-glace mushrooms and black garlic whipped potatoes.
Both menus open with a naan, pesto and stracciatella dish and finish with a meringue-based Death Star dessert.
Costumes and lightsabers are welcome at the intergalactic meal, scheduled to run from 5 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. Tickets, starting at $82 each, are available to purchase online.
Brim Cafe & Catering Opens on Lincoln Avenue
Though it sits in the shadow of Basilica of St. Josaphat, Brim Cafe & Catering brings its own shine to the block.
Natural light floods into the freshly renovated storefront through a wall of windows, illuminating a spacious seating area, countertop bakery case and digital menu boards at the cafe, which began its soft opening Thursday at 622 W. Lincoln Ave.
The new location is the latest for the 12-year-old company, which also operates at Honey Creek Corporate Center, 330 Eats and the Rivercenter Building at Schlitz Park.
Similar to its existing locations, Brim’s Lincoln Village menu offers a blend of Mediterranean-inspired and American food, with options including chicken shawarma with pomegranate glaze and garlicky toum; a brisket burger topped with caramelized onions, beef bacon and a fried egg; and a Sicilian muffaletta with imported pistachio mortadella, soppressata, salami, arugula and tomato on a sesame roll.
Bay View High School, MPS Unveil Student-Run Food Truck
Cheers rose from a crowd gathered at Bay View High School Thursday afternoon as students pulled down a black sheet to reveal a new student-led food truck.
The mobile restaurant, 414 ATE, will be managed by students under the direction of culinary arts teacher Ann Marie Sims. It is set to hit the streets later this year, aiming to provide summer employment for students while also helping them build career-ready skills in culinary arts, entrepreneurship, accounting and technology.
“This is what happens when an educator, some kids that don’t say no, an administration that stands up to support us and some wonderful minds come together,” Sims said. “We end up here with a food truck.”
The industry-grade truck was parked on the football field for its reveal and ribbon-cutting ceremony, which opened with performances from the school’s drumline, step team and cheerleading squad. Dozens of students who collaborated to create — and will soon manage — the business were also in attendance.
Shawarma Restaurant Planned Near Crisol Corridor
Industry veteran Heladío Garcia is set to expand his business portfolio with a new southside restaurant.
Quebob Halal Milwaukee is expected to launch later this spring at 1567 W. Oklahoma Ave., replacing the short-lived Latino Grill House.
The proposed business would specialize in shawarma — slow-roasted chicken, beef or lamb marinated in warm spices such as cumin, coriander and cardamom, then sliced thin and served in a warm pita with garlic sauce.
Other offerings could include falafel, gyros, hummus and baba ghanoush, along with salads such as Greek and tabbouleh — a fresh blend of finely chopped parsley, mint, bulgur wheat, tomatoes, onions, lemon juice and olive oil.
Lakefront Brewery Expanding Gluten-Free Festival
Just over two decades ago, gluten-free beer was nearly impossible to find, even in brewery-focused Milwaukee. Now, the city hosts a festival dedicated to it.
Maifest, Lakefront Brewery‘s take on the annual German celebration, is set to return for its fifth — and largest — installment. The May 17 event will feature a wide variety of gluten-free drinks, more than 40 celiac-safe food vendors and entertainment ranging from live music to a dachshund parade.
The family-friendly festival, scheduled to run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 1872 N. Commerce St., will also have a wider footprint than in previous years, spilling beyond the beer hall parking area onto N. Commerce Street and a grass-covered auxiliary lot.
The event will mark the launch of two new Lakefront releases. Gluten-Free Cherry & Sakura Sparkling Mead, aged in Wollersheim brandy barrels, will be available for on-site pours and in 12-ounce cans to go. New Grist Radler, a beer-and-grapefruit juice cocktail from Lakefront’s gluten-free line, will be sold in six packs throughout the grounds.
City Suspends Taco Trucks Over Lack Of Running Water
Council Suspends Liquor Sales at Controversial Store
Drive-Thru Cafe Opens on Layton Avenue
Fast-growing cafe chain 7 Brew Coffee opened its first Milwaukee location at 350 W. Layton Ave. on Monday, marking the official launch with a ribbon cutting.
The drive-thru cafe, known for its quick service and signature drink flavors, has been expanding across Wisconsin since 2023. The Layton Avenue location is the first of two planned for the city. A second stand at 3702 S. 27th St. received its occupancy permit earlier this month and is now awaiting final inspections.
Mayor Cavalier Johnson attended Monday’s celebration with a coffee in hand, praising 7 Brew for its investment in the city.
“When businesses choose Milwaukee to invest in and to make a home in, we see it,” Johnson wrote in an online post after the event. “Milwaukee welcomes you to the neighborhood, and we look forward to your growth and success.”
Indian Restaurant Closing in Walker’s Point
Fast-casual restaurant Ruta’s Fresh Indian Fare will close at the end of the month, ending a nearly three-year run in Walker’s Point and five years total in Milwaukee.
The restaurant, named for owner Ruta Kahate, first launched as a vendor at the now-defunct Crossroads Collective before relocating to a standalone space at 207 W. Freshwater Way.
Kahate announced the shift in a brief social media post last week, citing “unaffordable” rent for the decision. However, she told Urban Milwaukee a future reopening could be in the works.
“I truly thought [Walker’s Point] would be my home, but the location just didn’t do it,” she said. While plans are still up in the air, she added, “generally it’s safe to say I hope to have a new space soon enough.”
Lucky Ginger Is a Tasty, Versatile Option for Asian Food
You will discover several varieties of pho and other Asian dishes when you peruse the menu at Lucky Ginger. This is a restaurant I have passed on North Water Street in the Historic Third Ward multiple times while heading somewhere else and had never thought to stop. Recently I did and after two lunches, I can report that Lucky Ginger was a happy surprise. Owner Souk Sayavongsa has been serving his family recipes for 10 years as he continues to maintain the quality of the many diverse choices on the menu.
Our server Maribel, led my companions and me first to the many pho choices that included meat, chicken, veggies, meatballs, seafood, shrimp, and tofu. I tried the special pho, served with lime, fresh basil, jalapenos, and bean sprouts, in a bowl that overflowed with tender rice noodles, beef slices, brisket, and Vietnamese meatballs. If you like your pho with plenty of meat, this one is for you.
From several salad selections, I chose the ginger noodle bowl, a plentiful mix of grilled pork, carrots, rice noodles, cucumber, tomatoes, red onion, and arugula, topped with a tiny pork egg roll. The noodles were thick and very chewy. The spicy dressing should have come with a warning. It did not, which was odd because every other salad, and there were four, house, salmon poke, steak, and seafood, had a little red pepper next to it on the menu that suggested “spicy.”
There are five entrees: ginger marinated strip steak, Korean short ribs, lemongrass pork chops, BBQ salmon, and BBQ salmon with curry fried rice. Instead of an entrée, my companion and I ordered duck red curry and two starters, chicken satay, and dumplings.
1840 Brewing Equipment Up For Auction
Hundreds of items from the shuttered 1840 Brewing Company, including business equipment, lawn games and heavy machinery, are available for purchase in an online auction.
Gerlach Companies is overseeing the sale, with bidding set to end May 11. Bidspotter is the hosting platform.
The former Bay View brewery at 342 E. Ward St. closed in June 2025, citing market pressures and a personal health battle. That news came just days after co-owners Kyle and Stephanie Vetter announced plans to cease operations at their West Bend location. Last November, Stephanie died after a battle with cancer.
Items from both sites — 438 in total — are now open for bids. Vehicles, including a 2013 Mercedes cargo van, tap beer trailer and 2013 Toyota forklift, are featured in the online catalog, along with production equipment like stainless steel tanks, bottle fillers and barrel racks. Also listed are business essentials such as cash boxes, point-of-sale materials, storage, furniture, games, decor and cleaning supplies.
New Taco Truck Coming to Zocalo
Chucho’s Red Tacos, beloved for its slow-cooked birria, has become a local favorite at festivals, breweries and sporting events throughout the Milwaukee area. Starting next week, the business will also become a permanent vendor at Zócalo Food Park.
Set to open April 21, the new location will replace anchor vendor Mazorca Tacos as the Mexican food purveyor at the southside hub at 636 S. 6th St.
The menu features its best-selling birria — a slow-cooked meat stew traditionally made with goat marinated in adobo and served with a flavorful consommé — in Chucho’s signature red tacos and quesitacos, along with burritos, ramen, quesadillas and more. The restaurant also offers empanadas, nachos, and sides such as beans and rice.
“We’re foodies here — and I’m including myself,” said owner Thaime Gómez. “I feel lucky to live in a city where there’s so much variety and so many options across cuisines.”
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