Tall Grass takes root
Tall Grass will open on the ground floor of the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art later this spring or in the early summer.
It will feature local foods and is led by executive chef Elena Terry, a member of the Ho-Chunk Nation who is a butcher and wild game specialist.
Terry is also the founder of the nonprofit Wild Bearies, dedicated to the preservation of ancestral foodways, and is a leader in the Indigenous food sovereignty movement.
Tall Grass will take up the museum’s former gift shop space at 227 State St.
Esquire Supper Club closes
The Esquire Supper Club in Madison has closed after the death of owner John P. Kavanaugh II.
“There is no way to replace the man that made the Esquire feel like home to so many,” a statement on social media said.
Kavanaugh died Jan. 13. The business at 1025 N. Sherman Ave. opened in 1947.
Cozy Ba Lao opens
Led by chefs and co- owners Jamie and Chuckie Brown-Soukaseume, Ba Lao, the sister restaurant of Ahan, is now open at 811 Williamson St.
Ba Lao means “Lao bar” in Lao, and the new spot is offering snacks like chicken wings and Lao bratwurst, in addition to drinks.
A bagel boom
Sunset Yarn is closing after five years of business, and Barrett’s Bagels, the popular Monroe Street Farmers’ Market bagel stand will move into its location.
Barrett’s Bagels is buying the building at 3742 Speedway Road and is planning a fall opening.
“Unbelievably excited, nervous and optimistic about what’s ahead,” Barrett’s Bagels said on social media.
Pizza! Pizza!
Ian’s Pizza is aiming to open its new Verona location at 303 W. Verona Ave. before midsummer in the Mill District.
It will be the seventh Ian’s location in Wisconsin, with three in Madison, three in Milwaukee, and one in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
The property feeds into a new Verona park, will have a patio and eventually plans to add rooftop seating.
Outdoor seating will be available during the warmer months. There is an indoor seating capacity of about 150 in the 8,000-square-foot space.
Calliope Ice Cream, under Ian’s family of businesses, will be sold there, as will alcohol, including liquor for the first time.
Ian’s is known for New-York style pizza, often rotating creative specialty pies like ones made to taste like pho or Thanksgiving dinner.
The great cheese curtain advances
The Middleton Culver’s at 2906 Parmenter St. may move to nearby 112 Parmenter St. in the old Fitzgerald’s Supper Club, which closed in 2017.
The price co-founder Craig Culver is offering is $4 million, twice the property’s market rate, the Wisconsin State Journal reported.
The site was chosen due to better accessibility and traffic flow. The fast-food chain has proposed a dual drive-thru.
To operate, the proposed Culver’s will have to go through a site plan review, which will take about two months, and Culver’s will need a conditional use permit for the drive-thru. The city of Middleton has also begun a traffic impact analysis for the site plan.
Teasider ends in-house seating
Teasider discontinued in-house seating and service on Feb. 1.
“This change will free up the necessary time and resources needed to focus on tea tastings, further expand our retail offerings and to explore new creative collaborations,” the company said in a statement.
Teasider opened in 2007, and said it has changed a lot in its 1,000-square-foot space, but this move should be “the most sustainable path forward.”
Tea to-go will still be served at its location at 823 E. Johnson St. as the business owners figure out next steps.
Alimentari returns to the near east side
Alimentari, which closed its near east side location a year ago, is coming back to the neighborhood.
This time, the Italian deli and sandwich shop will be located at 940 Williamson St., where A Pig in a Fur Coat was located. Dan Bonanno, owner of Alimentari, also owned A Pig in a Fur Coat before closing it in September.
Alimentari has a location on Madison’s west side at 2623 Monroe St. The WIlliamson Street location is expected to open this summer.
Kanto Fiesta opens at Global Market
Kanto Fiesta opened its new permanent residence at the Global Market at 2161 Zeier Road.
The Filipino establishment started out as a pop-up food vendor in south Madison.
It became popular serving Filipino BBQ, roasted pig, sizzling pork belly and fried spring rolls called lumpia.
Eno Vino West closes
Eno Vino West closed up shop on Jan. 31 after 21 years in business.
“As with all meaningful chapters, there comes a moment when it feels right to turn the page — and that moment has arrived for us,” co-owners Sara and Jose Luis Granados said in a statement.
The restaurant at 601 Junction Road cited lower alcohol sales, where restaurants usually make most of their money, as a main reason.
Eno Vino Downtown, which opened in 2017, is doing well and will continue to operate as usual.
Ohio Tavern to reopen in March
After nearly a decade of slinging tacos, the Ohio Tavern closed and is preparing to reopen under new owners in March.
Owner Josh Swentzel sold the tavern, located at 224 Ohio Ave., on Madison’s east side.
There are four new owners, according to the Cap Times. Mike McDonald, Stuart Pataska, Preston Brown and Jeremiah Kath plan to keep the bar’s popular tacos as well as its karaoke nights.
Baked Lab opens on Atwood
Another bakery has debuted on Madison’s east side. The Baked Lab opened at 2044 Atwood Ave. on Feb. 21. The retail spot offers rotating desserts, coffee and wine.
