GL Sports Eatery will open at 1110 N. Martin Luther King Jr Dr., in the space vacated by Third Street Tavern. The new sports lounge will offer pub fare like chicken wings, burgers, sandwiches and salads.
Tasty Flavors soul food restaurant will open at 3510 W. Villard Ave., in the space formerly occupied by Tony’s BBQ and Mom’s House of BBQ. Tasty Flavor’s menu will feature catfish, pork ribs, collard greens, sweet potatoes and more.
A new Mediterranean restaurant, āya, is planned to open in the Ascent MKE tower at 700 E. Kilbourne Ave. āya is the latest venture from New Land Enterprises and Fatima and Hanish Kumar, who own the Indian restaurant Saffron, with locations in the Third Ward neighborhood and Red Bank, New Jersey.
The menu will feature grilled entrées, sharable plates, and dishes with spices unique to the Middle East.
Photo via Midwest Sad - Facebook
Midwest Sad - Walker's Point
The interior of Midwest Sad's new Walker's Point location
Midwest Sad, known for its sweet and savory baked items, opened a second location at 601 S. Sixth St. The new all-day bakery/lunch spot/bar in Walker’s Point features their signature treats such as banana pudding, pesto monkey bread and carrot cake blondies, along with coffee and espresso. At the bar, customers can enjoy wine, beer, seltzers, cocktails and kombucha. Sandwiches and side salads will be available soon.
Owner Sam Sandrin began selling baked items at area restaurants before opening a spot in the 770 Building (770 N Jefferson St.), in 2024.
EsterEv (2165 S. Kinnickinnic Ave.) will reopen Nov. 5. The restaurant has been closed since May 3 due to a building flood caused by a malfunctioning radiator valve in an upstairs apartment. EsterEv, owned by chefs Dan Jacobs and Dan Van Rite, will offer a new à la carte menu, a pivot from the former coursed tasting menu. Tavern style cracker crust pizza will also be added soon.
Bars & Recreation opened Slingshot Bar (6325 W. National Ave., West Allis). The slingshot range allows guests to reserve 75-minute sessions. Walk-ins are also accommodated based on availability. Slingshot Bar serves beer, wine, craft cocktails and non-alcoholic options, along with pizza and snacks.
Toppers Pizza has returned to West Allis with a new location at 11047 W. National Ave. Franchise owners Mohammad Assad, Ahmad Assad and Raeid Assad closed their Toppers location on 108th Street in May. The grand reopening of the new Toppers location took place Oct. 27.
Taqueria y Chimichangas Ashley's Restaurant opened a second location Oct. 8 at 5965 S. Packard Ave, Cudahy, in the site of the former Arby's. The restaurant features burritos, enchiladas, tortillas, tacos and seafood specials, along with burgers and a kid’s menu.
The Milwaukee area again has a Polish restaurant—Wioletta’s Polish Kitchen opened in the former Applebee’s space at 7135 S. 13th St. in Oak Creek. Operated by the Bartoszek family, who also own Wioletta’s Polish Market (3955 S. Howell Ave.), the restaurant offers pierogi, goulash and other Polish comfort foods.
Yummy Bowl, a chain specializing in Mongolian stir-fry, ramen, sushi and Korean chicken, is planning its first Wisconsin location near Southridge Mall, in Greenfield. (This entity is separate from the locally owned southern comfort food business Yummy Bowl that operated in the 3rd Street Market Hall from 2023 – 2024.)
The Blind Horse Cellar opened at W63N674 Washington Ave., in Cedarburg. It is the second location for the Blind Horse Winery, in Kohler, Wis. The Cedarburg location recreates the Napa Valley-inspired wine experience signature to the principal property in Kohler on a petite “cellar” scale. Guests can enjoy a variety of wines including Super Tuscan, Black Gypsy, Roan Rider, Peach Chardonnay and Flirty Birdy. Non-alcoholic beverages will also be available for purchase. Food choices include cheese boards, smoked salmon spread, paninis and flatbreads.
This and That
Vegan Restaurant Week takes place Nov. 3 to 9. More than 25 local restaurants will feature vegan menu items, discounts and activities. For a complete list of participating restaurants, visit visitmilwaukee.org/event/milwaukee-vegan-restaurant-week/15329.
The restaurants at Potawatomi Casino Hotel (1721 W. Canal St.) will offer several Thanksgiving Day menus. A traditional Thanksgiving Buffet at Canal Street Café features herb-roasted turkey, slow-roasted New York strip, Red Cliff Fish Co. whitefish, classic sides and desserts from 12–6 p.m. Dream Dance will offer an elevated Thanksgiving Feast from 5–10 p.m. with ambrosia and Waldorf salads, turducken, holiday sides and pumpkin pie, paired with a cranberry maple old fashioned. Sportsbook will serve the Thanksgiving Burger, a turkey burger topped with mashed potatoes, stuffing, and cranberry aioli, with a side of sweet potato fries and marshmallow fluff. Sportsbook will open early at 10 a.m. for the Packers game at noon.
Also at Potawatomi, the Gobbler Sandwich will be available throughout November at Marketplace’s Gilded Cleaver. The Gobbler features carved roast turkey, cranberry chutney, stuffing and horseradish Dijon sauce, served with chips, a soda, and a side of gravy for dipping.
A print edition of Milwaukee Flavor: The Cookbook, a collection of over 90 recipes and personal stories from more than 55 local chefs, is now available for purchase at Boswell Book Company. The book, first introduced in May 2024 as a free digital collection, celebrates the city’s diverse culinary scene. The book is authored by Milwaukee Magazine dining critic Ann Christenson and photographed by Wisconsin native Kevin J. Miyazaki.
To celebrate the cookbook, Boswell will host Milwaukee Flavor: Chef Talk on Nov. 17 at 6:30 p.m. The four-chef panel, moderated by Boswell’s Daniel Goldin, includes Karen Bell of Bavette La Boucherie, Arielle Hawthorne of Twisted Plants, Stephanie Kegel of Kegel’s Inn and Tony Kora of Rice n Roll Bistro and Wauwatosa’s KIN by Rice n Roll. The discussion will be followed by a book signing. Capacity is limited to 250 guests and seating will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Closures
Heaven's Table BBQ (5507 W. North Ave.) has closed. The restaurant first opened in a vendor stall in the former Crossroads Collective in 2018 and moved into its brick-and-mortar space on North Avenue in 2021. The restaurant featured a menu of smoked meats including Texas-style brisket, ribs and chicken. Owner Jason Alston plans to redirect his time and talents toward teaching and community service.
Water Street staple AJ Bombers (1247 N. Water St.) will close Nov. 20. The restaurant, known for its burgers and eye-catching oversized Giant Chair outside the entrance, opened 16 years ago. Bombers fans are encouraged to share their favorite memories by posting throwback photos with #AJBombers, snapping one last picture in the Giant Chair, and signing their name on the walls.
Ouzo Cafe (776 N. Milwaukee St.) has closed after 21 years in business. The Greek restaurant was a favorite for specialties such as moussaka, keftedes meatballs and saganaki, a fried Greek cheese served with lemon. The business will continue its catering operation.
