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Stella Van Buren, the new modern Italian restaurant located inside the Westin Hotel at 550 N. Van Buren St., is now serving brunch on weekends.
The new offerings, which accommodate both early-risers and leisurely afternoon brunch-goers, are available from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday.
The menu runs the gamut between sweet and savory items, including lighter dishes like avocado bruschetta with lemon, extra virgin olive oil, pine nuts and a poached egg ($10, pictured below) and twists on classics like the Prosciutto Benedict with heirloom tomato, marinated artichoke, basil pesto, ciabatta and hollandaise ($13).
There’s also Usinger’s Italian Sausage Hash, featuring roasted bell peppers, caramelized onions, vodka cream marinara, smoked mozzarella and a sunny-side up egg ($13) and a brunch burger with fried egg, fontina, tomato jam, balsamic onion, aioli and crispy parmesan potatoes ($16).
A few plates also showcase Stella’s Italian flair, including a country-style chicken parmesan with smoked mozzarella, Italian sausage gravy and a fried egg, as well as cacio e pepe featuring housemade spaghetti tossed with pecorino and parmesan cheeses, toasted black pepper and a poached egg (both $15).
On the sweet side, there are pastries like brown sugar crumb cake ($3), a whiskey caramel roll with salted pecans ($5), tender fried zeppoles served alongside creamy Nutella spread ($4), and pecan praline french toast, topped with Buffalo Trace bourbon maple syrup and vanilla whipped cream.
Beverage options include fresh juices like the Ginger Sunrise featuring carrot, golden beet, orange ginger and turmeric and the Lean Green with kale, apple, spinach, cucumber and lemon ($7 each), as well as variety of brunch cocktails like a specialty Bloody Mary that features Nueske’s bacon washed Wheatley vodka, housemade serrano bloody mix, chili lime-infused sea salt served with a Miller High Life pony chaser ($8), the Cello-mosa with housemade limoncello, citrus and bubbly ($6) and the East Side Spritz with Wheatley vodka, bubbles and house-made raspberry limoncello ($12, pictured above).
Complimentary valet parking is available for Stella Van Buren guests. For more information or to make a reservation, visit stellavanburen.com/brunch.
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.
