Cozy eateries that vibe on communal energy are among the trends for 2025, and it looks like Bay View could be next in line for one of these unique dining experiences.
Radish is the name of the new 350-square-foot market and eatery slated for the tiny retail space located at 2986 S. Kinnickinnick Ave., next door to the Wiggle Room listening lounge.
Micaela Erickson and her colleague Joe Sutter are behind the concept, which builds on their collective experience in the restaurant industry and – most recently – their work together offering personalized chef services under the Radish moniker.
“There’s a lot to work out yet at this point,” notes Erickson. “But what we do know is that we have this amazing small space and the goal is to make it as intimate and special as possible.”
The space, expected to accommodate counter seating for 10-12, will likely serve multiple purposes. Erickson says she foresees a quaint marketplace that will be open during the first few days of the week (and likely Saturdays), offering guests cups of coffee and bakery along with the chance to peruse retail shelves filled with a combination of unique, hard-to-find specialty items, some housemade gluten-free sourdough breads and gluten-free seedy crackers and potentially a limited wine selection.
“It will be a special place,” she says. “...the kind of place where we know the stories behind the makers and we can share those with our guests. I want people to come into the shop and really feel good about it.”
Meanwhile, on Thursdays and Fridays, Radish will be open for guests to stop by and enjoy a small, curated menu. Erickson envisions five or six plates that can be enjoyed by a single person or shared with a small group. Guests would have the option of pairing their plates up with selections from a curated list of beer and wine.
As the concept moves forward, Erickson says that another goal is to create a patio in the space between Wiggle Room and Radish to accommodate outdoor dining.
The story of Radish
Erickson’s career began with the pursuit of a business degree. While she went to school, she found herself working in restaurants.
She didn’t expect her “side gig” to ignite her passionate side, but it did. The seed was planted when she began working for Peter Sandroni of La Merenda and watching as he cultivated relationships with gardeners and farmers. Work in a restaurant took on a different tenor when it was connected to the land and the local food.
She stuck with La Merenda and helped Sandroni to open Engine Company No. 3 before moving on to work at Bavette La Boucherie. There she met colleagues like Caitlin Cullen and Joe Sutter and she was able to continue growing her craft under the tutelage of Chef Karen Bell.
During her time at Bavette, she began casually taking on clients for her personal chef service. Here and there, she’d host small events and she’d ask Cullen and Sutter to help out.
In 2019, after assisting her good friends Zak and Sarah Baker in opening Ca’Lucchenzo, Erickson made the move to formalize her personal chef business, Radish. Sutter, who’d she’d been working with more and more over the years, became an official part of her team.
More recently, when her friend and building owner Dion Roldan, offered her the small retail space on Kinnickinnick to use as a brick-and-mortar shop, she found it a tough offer to turn down. It was in the South Side neighborhood near where both she and Sutter had grown up, and it felt like the stars had aligned.
“I’ve never wanted to own my own restaurant,” says Erickson. “And then I look around at how folks like Zak Baker work, it’s 100% a labor of love. I’ve known for a while that I needed to find my passion project, and when I looked around at Milwaukee, and what the city didn’t already have, I realized that I was headed in the right direction.”
As for the name, Radish, it's an homage to her sister.
“When we were kids, my mom had vegetable names for all of us. Mine was ‘Tomato,’ but it never stuck. Meanwhile, sister Ashley’s name was ‘Radish,’ and it stuck for a long time. She was the sibling I was closest to while we were growing up, and she was the one who never stopped encouraging me to pursue my passion for food.”
Watch OnMilwaukee for updates as they become available. And, in the meantime, give @Radish_MKE a follow on Instagram!
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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