Milwaukee restaurant closings: Mina at Crossroads and Betty's Burgers on Brady

Carol Deptolla, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
·2 min read
European-influenced small plates by Mina, served at Crossroads Collective. The vendor's last day at the east side food hall is Nov. 30.
European-influenced small plates by Mina, served at Crossroads Collective. The vendor's last day at the east side food hall is Nov. 30.

Milwaukee has two restaurant closings to mark: Mina, the vendor with a European-influenced menu at Crossroads Collective, and Betty's Burgers & Custard on Brady, but the owners of both have plans to continue.

Mina's last day at the east side food hall is Nov. 30; it was ending its time at 2238 N. Farwell Ave. with a multicourse chef's dinner at its counter in the evening.

Mina, however, will continue its heat-at-home meals, according to the social media posts announcing its closing at the food hall; menus and details about ordering will be posted on Mina's Facebook and Instagram pages.

Ryan Hoffman, who worked at Balzac before the pandemic hit, and Patrice Gentile opened Mina in July 2020. The menu, which changed frequently, offered small plates such as polenta with mushroom ragu, Spanish potatoes and bagna cauda ricotta spread on toast.

But it also served sandwiches such as perch schnitzel and a double smash burger that stood with the best in town.

RELATED: Mina opens July 1 with European small plates at Crossroads Collective on Milwaukee's east side

RELATED: Brookfield's Jose's Blue Sombrero, Original Pancake House in Milwaukee, Mequon's Anodyne Coffee among restaurants permanently closed in 2021

Another maker of a notable Milwaukee smash burger, Betty's, closed at 1233 E. Brady St. just before Thanksgiving. It, too, was opened in summer 2020, by brothers James and Anthony Roufus.

It sold butter burgers, sausages, fries with toppings and custard from its Brady Street shop.

James Roufus said he is in talks to buy a bar, which he declined to identify until the deal closes; if all goes as planned, cousins of his who operate a Puerto Rican fusion food truck called Honcho would sell food outside the bar, he said.

A double cheeseburger with the works (caramelized onion, mustard and ketchup) from Betty's Burgers and Custard, which operated at 1233 E. Brady St. from summer 2020 until Nov. 24, 2021.
A double cheeseburger with the works (caramelized onion, mustard and ketchup) from Betty's Burgers and Custard, which operated at 1233 E. Brady St. from summer 2020 until Nov. 24, 2021.

RELATED: At least 2020 gave us these great new burgers in and around Milwaukee

Contact dining critic Carol Deptolla at carol.deptolla@jrn.com or (414) 224-2841, or through the Journal Sentinel Food & Home page on Facebook. Follow her on Twitter at @mkediner or Instagram at @mke_diner.

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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee restaurant closings: Mina at Crossroads and Betty's Burgers