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Photo credit: Dave Zylstra
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Photo credit: Dave Zylstra
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Photo credit: Dave Zylstra
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Photo credit: Dave Zylstra
The Marcus Group has spun life and energy on the corner of Water Street and Kilbourn Avenue with Saint Kate Arts Hotel (named after St. Catherine, patron saint of artists). The convivial, multi-sensory space is a celebration of creativity and includes five unique culinary experiences. There are so many options for dining at Saint Kate, and all within two floors. This concept is perfect for folks like me who like to live in the land of and, not or, as you can order from other menus within the hotel regardless of where you are dining.
On the first floor is the Bar, in the hotel’s beautiful lobby lounge, where you can enjoy local coffee, craft beer and curated cocktails. It’s a perfect gathering place to unwind, relax and take in the art. The Bar is open 11-2 a.m. and serves coffee creations from 6 a.m.-noon. Happy hour (4-7 p.m. Monday through Thursday) is a real deal, with $5 Arena wines, rail drinks and draft beers.
At the Bar, you can even enjoy a little nosh of antipasti or a personal pizza from the second culinary spot, Proof Pizza. This fast and casual pizza place is also accessible on Water Street for those that need to grab and go and can’t enjoy the hotel offerings. The Neapolitan-style pizza has a delicious charred crust and puff from the high heat of their special oven. Two pizzas really stand out: the popular Proof Special with mozzarella cheese, sweet red peppers, sausage, cippolini onions and roasted garlic cloves; and the lasagna pizza with meatballs, ricotta, Romano cheese, fresh basil and parsley.
All pizzas are $10, including the pizza pockets: a folded-over pizza that is bursting with ingredients inside. You can customize with choices of sauce, cheese, meat and veggies or make one of their nine signature pizzas into a pocket. Proof also has Italian snacks served after 4 p.m. The Pizzette (fried pizza with wild mushrooms and Scamorza cheese), roasted brussels sprouts or Wisconsin burrata with tomato jam were some of my favorites ($8-$10). There are four fresh salad options, including a Tuscan tuna and bean salad and three traditional Italian desserts ($6).
On the second floor, Aria, an all-day café, serves American-style cuisine, locally inspired dishes and a seasonal menu. Breakfast items include blueberry granola pancakes and farm-fresh egg dishes like Benedict—traditional or with gin-cured salmon ($14), Croque Madame ($14) or the unique kitchen sink fried rice ($12). The latter is loaded with a variety of meat, a punch of umami from the wild mushrooms and tamari and topped with a fried egg. Lunch includes all your favorite American sandwiches like the classic Big Boy Burger ($15), lobster BLT and Reuben ($13-$15).
The “Mains” available for lunch and dinner include a tender and flavorful Waygu flat-iron steak with chimichurri ($31) and Amish chicken ($24) that is sweet, spicy and crispy and served with a fresh veggie slaw. The starters are all amazing ($7-$15), and it took a few trips to try them all, but I got the deviled eggs on every trip. There are fun cocktails and mocktails and desserts, including the warm upside-down cake, salted caramel brownie with toasted marshmallow and peanut butter icebox pie.
Fancy a little bubbly? Located across from Aria on the second floor, Giggly is a champagne and wine bar—comfortable, playful, relaxing and, ooh la la, the champagne and cocktails! Every detail just sings. The cocktails are whimsical and creative. There is also a small snack menu, but on our visits, we ordered items off the Aria menu, too. The caviar tin is lovely, as was the cheese and charcuterie; the petite lobster rolls were three lovely squares of griddled golden brioche mounded with lobster. Watching the bartender smoke, stir, pour and brand a lemon peel with the Saint Kate logo was like theater. Most of the cocktails are $13, and the bubbly list is quite extensive.
The fifth in the culinary line-up, TDR, should be open soon, and I’m so excited about this little restaurant tucked behind… Well, I don’t want to give you a spoiler alert, so feel free to ask any of the staff, and they will gleefully fill you in on the intimate (less than 30-seat) culinary experience. I’ll give you a hint: It is as mysterious as The Maltese Falcon or any Agatha Christie mystery on your bookshelf and has my total admiration.
At Saint Kate, two floors of exceptional art and culinary experiences are housed under a single roof. It will take more than one trip to soak it all in, so pace yourself at the Bar, relax at Aria and then get Giggly. This place is a real gem but don’t take it from me because, the “Proof” is in the pizza.
