A funeral service has been planned for Joe Bartolotta, president and co-founder of the Bartolotta Restaurant Group, who passed away this week at the age of 60.
The service will be held on Saturday, April 27 beginning at 10 a.m. at the Riverside Theater, 116 W. Wisconsin Ave.
In homage to Bartolotta's bright disposition, the family has requested that guests avoid black attire for the service.
In an effort to minimize distractions at the funeral, the family requests that no photography, videotaping or recording of any kind on any device (including cell phones) take place inside The Riverside Theater.
The entire event will be live streamed through The Bartolotta Restaurants’ Facebook page: https://www.facebook.
In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that donations be made to The Italian Community Center, Discovery World or the Wisconsin Humane Society.
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.
