Lowlands Group to Open “The Buckatabon” in Tosa Vilalge

Wauwatosa, WI – August 7, 2019 – Following a two-year wave of renovations to its restaurants in historic buildings, today the Lowlands Group announced that their Café Bavaria in the Wauwatosa Village will transform in early 2020 into a new, Northwoods-inspired restaurant called The Buckatabon. Described as part ‘up north’ tavern, part lakeside lodge, and part classic supper club, The Buckatabon will offer a full menu with lunch and dinner served weekdays, and both brunch and dinner on weekends.

The concept will be somewhat of a departure from Lowlands’ current collection of European-inspired cafés, which feature impressive imported beer lists and classic café fare. The Buckatabon’s menus will focus on the regional food and beverage traditions of Wisconsin and celebrate the culinary and cultural peculiarities that make the state so unique.

“We find inspiration whenever we travel, whether that’s to Europe or a long weekend up north.” says Dan Herwig, director of brand and marketing at Lowlands Group. “While we’ve been in the ‘import’ business for quite a while, the fact of the matter is that Wisconsin is every bit as unique as any place we’ve ever been. We figured it was time to get into the ‘export’ business a bit, so to speak.”

While the announcement is new, the plans for the transformation of Café Bavaria began in 2018. The addition of the Tosa Village Beer Garden on the patio of Café Bavaria this summer was done in anticipation of The Buckatabon opening in 2020. With its Badger-themed, red and white patio, the beer garden is not only a regional nod to the German heritage of the Southeastern portion of the state, but also lays the foundation for a heavy focus on Wisconsin sports in the new concept.

The new menu is being designed by the group’s culinary director, James Beard-nominated Chef Thomas Hauck. Influenced by recent visits to some of the Northwoods’ most iconic taverns, lodges and supper clubs, Hauck said that their unique, sometimes quirky, and often nostalgic offerings will serve as the stepping-off point for the new menu.

“There is so much food tradition scattered about the state, and we can’t wait to pull it all together in one place.” says Chef Hauck. “It could be specific dishes like booyah stew from the Northeast, broasted chicken dinners, or a classic fish fry, but we’re also interested in using ingredients unique to the state like wild rice, cranberries, cherries, and of course all of the amazing dairy we’re surrounded by. There is no shortage of inspiration.”

While the group’s European cafés offer many local beers and beverages in addition to their imports, the plan for The Buckatabon is to exclusively offer only beers from Wisconsin and utilize local distillers and bitters-makers for their cocktail program, which will feature classics like Old Fashioneds and Ice Cream Drinks, but also add new twists using regional flavors and ingredients.

Lowlands even plans on partnering directly with several Northwoods supper clubs, taverns, and lodges to encourage more discovery of some of these off-the-beaten-path sweet spots. Plans include recipe sharing, cross-promotion, and sharing several unique, Northwoods traditions a bit closer to home.

“We’ve really wanted to do this concept for a while,” says Herwig. “But we wanted to do it right, and in the right location. The stars have finally aligned and it’s perfect timing, as we’re spending this summer eating our way through everything above the 45th parallel as we finalize the menus.”

Café Bavaria will continue to operate as normal throughout the summer, closing to the public in November. The café will then remain open for private dining, events, and holiday parties through the end of December. For information about private events call 414.627.2789 or visit cafebavaria.com.

No firm date has been set for the opening of The Buckatabon, but the group is targeting early 2020. For up to date information, visit thebuckatabon.com.

About the Lowlands Group

Lowlands Group owns and operates eight grand cafés in Wisconsin including Café Benelux, Café Bavaria, and Centraal Grand Café & Tappery, as well as five Café Hollanders located on Downer Avenue, the Village in Wauwatosa, Hilldale in Madison, Mequon, and Brookfield. Its European-inspired grand cafés feature from-scratch cooking and an impressive selection of Belgian beers. The company prides itself in its passion for cycling, bringing neighborhoods together and giving back to the community. More information can be found at lowlandsgroup.com.

The group also operates the Lowlands Brewing Collaborative; a celebration of beer culture that brings the world’s best brewers together to create unique beers available exclusively at the Lowlands Grand Cafés. Learn more at lowlandsbrewing.com.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.