March Restaurant News

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Eat/Drink

Fiyahside Jamaican Restaurant will open a second location at 7434 W. Capitol Drive, in the space currently occupied by Stella J.’s Soul Food. (Stella J’s owner Rosie Jackson will close that restaurant at a yet-to-be-determined date and return to the nursing profession.) Fiyahside owner Lascelles Rattray, upon taking over the space, will expand the menu of the current takeout location at 3709 W. Villard Ave. with specialties like Jamaican stew peas and jerk pork.

Heirloom MKE, a food truck specializing in farm-to-table fare, will open their brick-and-mortar restaurant at 2378 S. Howell Ave., in the space that’s currently occupied by Lazy Susan. (Chef A.J. Dixon will close Lazy Susan in April after nearly a decade in business.) Heirloom MKE is expected to open this summer.

Drive-thru coffee concept 7 Brew announced the brand’s expansion into Wisconsin with a site at 1010 S. Moorland Rd., Brookfield. 7 Brew offers thousands of drink combinations such as the Blondie, a caramel and vanilla breve (a rich, creamy spin on an Italian latte), along with smoothies, shakes and teas.

Yummy Bowl is the latest to join the vendors at the 3rd Street Market Hall, 275 W. Wisconsin Ave. Yummy Bowl, which launched June 2022 at the Whitefish Bay Farmers Market, will feature breakfast options, chicken and waffles, Cajun-style entrées, macaroni and cheese and a Friday fish fry.

Juan Pablo Vallejo Martinez has rejoined the food and beverage team as executive chef at the historic Ambassador Hotel Milwaukee, Trademark Collection by Wyndham, 2308 W. Wisconsin Ave. The move has enabled the hotel to re-open The Fitz, Gin Rickey and Deco Café, which have been closed since the start of the pandemic. Deco Café and Gin Rickey reopened mid-March, while The Fitz will reopen for dinner starting May 4. The hotel also added a catering division, Deco Catering Co.

Benson’s Restaurant Group will open its fourth restaurant, The Edison, at 322 N. Broadway St. in the Third Ward neighborhood. The Edison will have a neighborhood grill concept and feature coal-fired butcher’s cuts, seafood and other classic dishes. A speakeasy-inspired bar will highlight a curated selection of distilled spirits, nostalgic cocktails, local draft beers and wine. Benson’s Restaurant Group (formerly known as Hospitality Democracy) currently operates The Bridgewater Modern Grill, Onesto, Blue Bat Kitchen & Tequilaria, Smoke Shack and AJ Bombers.

The Milwaukee Public Museum has partnered with the Filipino-inspired restaurant/food truck/catering company Meat on the Street to manage the Museum’s cafe and coffee kiosk. The menu includes Filipino favorites, along with American and Mexican food.  

J. Leinenkugel’s Barrel Yard (formerly the Restaurant to Be Named Later), at American Family Field, will be unveiled for the Milwaukee Brewers home opener on April 3. Look for Sconnie and ballpark favorites like cheese curds and soft pretzels, along with Tavern Chicken Wings, Big Eddy Burger and the Best of the Wurst sausage platter.

The Fatty Patty food truck, which features jumbo halal burgers, gyros and chicken sandwiches, will open a brick-and-mortar location at 1119 S. 108th St., in West Allis.

This and That

Lowlands Group will celebrate Easter weekend with brunch specials all weekend long at each of Lowlands’ restaurant locations. The Good Friday fish and seafood specials run each Friday through April 7.

The Bartolotta Restaurants celebrated 30 years in business on March 23, 2023. The group was founded by chef Paul Bartolotta and his late brother, Joe. The brothers opened their first restaurant, Ristorante Bartolotta dal 1993, on March 23, 1993. The Bartolotta Restaurants has since expanded to 17 restaurants and catering facilities throughout the Milwaukee area. Their newest venture, The Commodore – A Bartolotta Restaurant, is set to open this year on Nagawicka Lake.

Mason Street Grill will host a Cooper Cane Wine Dinner on April 5 at 6:30 p.m. Guests can enjoy a six-course meal created and prepared by Executive Chef Heskeith Flavien. The menu features Poached South African Lobster and Coca Marinated Lamb Loin, paired with select pours from Cooper Cane Wines & Provisions.

Del-Bar, (800 W. Wisconsin Dells Parkway) an iconic Wisconsin Dells area supper club, turns 80 on June 1. A weeklong celebration takes place May 29–June 4 and will feature throwback menu items like 80 cent oysters and a Ruby Jubilee martini, along with the debut of new dishes. Customers can also find classic menu items like schnitzel and walleye.

Vienna Beef will be the new official hot dog partner at American Family Field for all Milwaukee Brewers games. In addition, Vienna Beef will increase retail distribution, so their premium hot dogs and jumbo dogs will be available at Pick ‘n Save and Metro Market locations.

And with the Milwaukee Brewers Opening Day approaching, Betting.comranked American Family Field among the top two sports stadiums for food in the U.S. (betting.com/mlb/top-us-sports-stadiums-for-food). The home of the Brew Crew came in second behind Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Betting.com analyzed more than 100,000 reviews for all major U.S. sports stadiums to create a guide of venues that offer the best-reviewed food. Another Wisconsin institution, Lambeau Field, ranked 11th.

Closings:

Albanese's Roadhouse (2301 W. Bluemound Road, Waukesha) known for Italian fare, fish fry and a friendly, neighborhood vibe, will close March 31. Various members of the Albanese family had owned different locations of the restaurant over the years.

Sisu Cafe (2121 S. Kinnickinnic Ave.), known for Nordic-inspired dishes, closed in February. Sisu was the second restaurant opened by Francisco “Frankie” Sanchez and Ruben Piirainen, owners of the popular Sabrosa Café & Gallery on Howell Avenue, in Bay View. Popular Sisu items like Danish cauliflower pancakes and korvpuusti (Finnish cinnamon rolls) will be on Sabrosa's menu.

Smoke Creek (10166 S. 27th St., Oak Creek), a barbecue restaurant that featured a custom-made wood-burning smoker, closed Feb. 24. The restaurant operated in the space for two years.