What’s New in Milwaukee Dining?

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88Nine Radio Milwaukee (WYMS-88.9FM) studios in Walker’s Point will undergo a major $770,000 renovation and expansion for a new café and eatery. They’ll partner with Milwaukee chef and restaurateur Chad Meier to operate the new venture. Meier owned the fine-dining restaurant Meraki, which closed in August 2020. The new café will feature a full food and beverage menu, along with covered outdoor seating.  

Pat’s Ribs opened a second location Oct. 22 in the Milwaukee Public Market. Owners Lisha and Tydus Hayes opened Pat’s Rib Place in Waukesha in 2009. The new location will feature their signature smoked barbecue ribs, pulled pork, chicken wings, beef brisket, smoked pastrami, sauces and sides such as smoked baked beans, cornbread and potato salad. Their homemade sauces will also be available by the jar.

WürstBar, a contemporary German restaurant, opened Oct. 14 at 1239 E. Brady St. The menu features a unique mix of traditional German fare and modern street food. Look for German classics like spätzle (a noodle dish), German potato salad and sausages from Usinger’s and Bunzel’s Meat Market. The street food options include döner (meat) kebabs, schnitzel tenders and currywurst.

Better Together Café (1301 N. Chicago Ave.) opened in South Milwaukee. Better Together began as a food truck specializing in espresso, coffee and specialty shakes. Those are available at the café, along with hand pies, muffins and scones made by Hatched.

Canela Café (2621 N. Downer Ave.) is a new breakfast and lunch spot featuring breakfast and lunch bowls, crepes, French toast, salads, sandwiches and burgers. It’s owned by restaurant industry veterans Dina and Ray Awadalla.

3rd Street Market Hall, a food hall in the former Shops of Grand Avenue/Grand Avenue Mall (275 W. Wisconsin Ave.) is expected to open in early November. Food vendors include Green House, which will have healthy fare like sandwiches, soups and a salad bar; Make Waves smoothies and juices; Anytime Arepa, with Venezuelan food; and Dairyland Old Fashioned Frozen Custard & Hamburgers and its sister business, Mid-Way Bakery. Dairyland will also manage four hawker stalls that will be occupied by Amano Pan, Strega, Middle East Side and Hot Dish Pantry. (Watch for an upcoming Eat/Drink featuring 3rd Street Market Hall and its vendors.)

Reunion Restaurant will open Nov. 1 at 6610 W. Greenfield Ave. The two-story building, part of the former Allis Chalmers complex, will feature a restaurant with a full menu including pizza, burgers, appetizers and a Friday fish fry, along with a bar and outdoor patio on the first floor. An arcade and party room is on the second floor. The outdoor recreation area includes two sand volleyball courts, bag toss games, a fire pit and a stage.

The Milwaukee Winter Farmers Market is moving from the annex at the Mitchell Park Horticultural Conservatory, best known as The Domes, to Gather (333 W. Juneau Ave.), at Deer District for the 2021-22 market season. Gather is a 6,000 square-foot event space above Good City Brewing. The Winter Farmers Market had taken place at the annex for eight years.

Jennifer Casey, executive director of Fondy, the nonprofit that operates the market, stated in a press release that the annex was “no longer an option for us.”

Eldr+Rime (2300 N. Mayfair Road) is partnering with 1840 Brewing Company to offer a Beer Pairing Dinner Series, which kicks off Nov. 11 and runs through March. Each dinner will feature four microbrews paired with three courses curated by executive chef Gary Baca. At each dinner, Baca and 1840 Brewing Company owner and brewmaster Kyle Vetter will discuss pairing decisions and share the story of each beer.

Throughout October and November, The Bartolotta Restaurants will feature several epicurean events, including the Schramsberg Dinner at Bacchus–A Bartolotta Restaurant; Oysterfest at Harbor House; and new regional menus at Ristorante Bartolotta dal 1993. Bacchus–A Bartolotta Restaurant and Harbor House will feature seasonally inspired menus for autumn.

Love Triciclo Perú’s empanadas? The Milwaukee-based restaurant and food truck business will make it even easier to enjoy their Peruvian street food specialties at home. They plan to buy a West Vliet Street building from the city and create a commercial kitchen to expand their frozen empanada business.

Wisconsin-based Cousin’s Subs hopes to expand franchise locations in the Western and Central parts of the Badger State. They’re specifically looking for locations with high visibility and drive-through options, rather than new storefronts in strip malls.

Crumbl Cookies, a rapidly growing gourmet cookie delivery and takeout company, will open a new location February 2022 at Bayshore, at the south entrance on Silver Spring and Bayshore Drive. Their specialty cookies come in traditional flavors such as Milk Chocolate Chip, along with rotating specialty flavors like Muddy Buddy, Funfetti, Snickerdoodle, Coconut Lime, Oatmeal Chocolate Chip, Pumpkin Pie and Rocky Road, available for purchase in-store, takeout, curbside pickup or delivery. The franchise has several locations in Wisconsin, including one in Oak Creek.