UPDATE: Per the Journal Sentinel, Pastiche will be moving into Hotel Metro once they close their Bay View location this coming August. An opening date of Sept. 1 has been set for the new Downtown location.
There’s lots on tap in the New Year for Bay View’s popular French bistro, Pastiche, which will bid adieu to Bay View and open two new locations in 2016.
Brown Deer
The first restaurant, which is expected to open in February, will be located at the former site of the River Lane Inn, 4313 W River Ln.
The popular seafood restaurant, which closed Dec. 23, is in the process of being remodeled to reflect its new identity as a French restaurant, reminiscent of those found on the countryside in Lyon.
According to owner Michael Engel, the Brown Deer restaurant will also be named "Pastiche," and it will feature a good number of the beloved French favorites for which Pastiche has become known.
Downtown
But that's not the only news for the popular French restaurant, which opened its Bay View location in 2010.
Later this year, the restaurant will be leaving behind its current location at 3001 S. Kinnickinnic Ave. in favor of a new location in Downtown Milwaukee. Since the original posting of this article, we have since learned that the new location will be inside the Hotel Metro at 411 E. Mason St.
Engel confirmed his plans today by phone, indicating that he has known for a good portion of the past year that he would be unable to remain in his current building in Bay View. As he began scouting for new locations, he serendipitously ended up with two (Brown Deer and Downtown).
Engel says that the Downtown location is expected to accommodate about twice as many diners as the Bay View location and will also offer up an opportunity for the restaurant to serve both breakfast and lunch.
In terms of cuisine, the Downtown location will closely resemble the current Bay View location, serving up classic French bistro fare, including frog’s legs, escargot, coq au vin and cassoulet.
"Overall, Downtown will be more of a Paris-style bistro," notes Engel. "And we’ll be able to serve the growing population there with both lunch and dinner options."
The Downtown location, which will be co-owned by long-time Pastiche chef Rachael Karr, is expected to open in September. At that point, Engel says, he will close the Bay View location.
"I’ve always loved Downtown," says Engel. "I’ve worked there before, and I’ve really enjoyed it. And I’m excited by the prospect of being able to serve the ever growing population there for both lunch and dinner."
Stay tuned to OnMilwaukee for more details about both locations as they develop.
As a passionate champion of the local dining scene, Lori has reimagined the restaurant critic's role into that of a trusted dining concierge, guiding food lovers to delightful culinary discoveries and memorable experiences.
Lori is an avid cook whose accrual of condiments and spices is rivaled only by her cookbook collection. Her passion for the culinary industry was birthed while balancing A&W root beer mugs as a teenage carhop, fed by insatiable curiosity and fueled by the people whose stories entwine with every dish. Lori is the author of two books: the "Wisconsin Field to Fork" cookbook and "Milwaukee Food". Her work has garnered journalism awards from entities including the Milwaukee Press Club. In 2024, Lori was honored with a "Top 20 Women in Hospitality to Watch" award by the Wisconsin Restaurant Association.
When she’s not eating, photographing food, writing or planning for TV and radio spots, you’ll find Lori seeking out adventures with her husband Paul, traveling, cooking, reading, learning, snuggling with her cats and looking for ways to make a difference.
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