Weekend brunch is the newest offering at Taverne on Woodlake, the Destination Kohler restaurant which debuted last summer at 725E Woodlake Rd. in The Shops at Woodlake.
At the helm of the restaurant is a chef with deep connections to the Milwaukee dining scene. Chef Thomas Hauck, whose career includes work in France and at Washington D.C.’s famed Citronelle, earned a variety of accolades for his restaurant c.1880, including three James Beard Foundation semifinalist nominations for Best Chef Midwest. After closing his restaurants in 2018, he worked as culinary director for the Lowlands Restaurant Group before joining Destination Kohler in late 2020.
Hauck’s new brunch menu is available on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and includes a combination classic brunch dishes and playful variations.
“We are excited to go down a new path, to try different things in the kitchen,” says Hauck. “One of those new and exciting things is the launch of weekend brunch. We can offer exciting and fun dishes, guilty pleasures, as well as healthy options at Taverne on Woodlake, creating even more variety amongst Kohler restaurants.”
On the menu
The menu includes a variety of offerings from starters like mini doughnuts and crispy Korean cauliflower to breakfast sandwiches, pizzas, salads and egg dishes.
Menu standouts include chef Thomas’ signature beet and horseradish cured smoked salmon and potato pancakes, served with dill sour cream; blueberry pancakes topped with ginger mascarpone, candied lemon and blueberry syrup; and the “Elvis French Toast,” featuring caramelized bananas, crisp bacon, peanut butter, pecans and maple syrup. View the full menu online.
Chef Hauck says he also plans to make the most of the lakeside terrace at the Taverne.
“We are fortunate to be on the water and have a beautiful patio,” he says. “As the weather warms up, we are looking to activate that space and host fun culinary events for our neighbors and friends.”
An event program featuring al fresco holiday pig roast dinners and New-England-style clam bakes are currently in the works and are likely to be announced as summer approaches.
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.
