State Street Pizza Pub is slated to open in mid- to late-May at 322 W. State St., a space which most recently housed Point Burger Bar Express.
Building owners Jake Dehne and Seth Dehne will open the sports bar concept with co-owner Jimmy Manke and operating partner James Sanchez, an industry veteran whose career has included work at venues like Umami Moto and Miller Time Pub.
The menu, which is being developed in consultation with Chef Adam Pawlak of Egg & Flour Pasta Bar and E&F Pizza, will focus on personal pizzas, which can be built, baked and served in less than 10 minutes.
Other items are expected to include appetizers, including wings, along with salads and wraps.
“The goal is to get people in and out quickly,,” says Dehne, noting the venue’s location, which is in close proximity to the Panther Arena, Turner Hall and Fiserv Forum.
Of course, guests are welcome to linger and watch the game at the new sports bar, which will feature a modern atmosphere, complete with 16 60-inch televisions for game viewing.
The bar, Dehne says, will focus on hard seltzers, with an entire cooler dedicated to a variety of the popular beverages. But there will also be 16 taps to accommodate craft beer and a full bar showcasing craft cocktails.
“It will have a cool vibe to it… a cool feel,” he says, noting that – in many ways – the atmosphere will resemble a more modern version of Upper 90 Sports Pub, a Dehnes’ operated concept which was housed in the space from 2011 to 2017.
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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