New riverfront restaurant will feature 'upscale, inviting atmosphere,' huge patio and seasonal ingredients
The new riverfront restaurant with a large patio coming to the River 1 work-live development in Milwaukee's Harbor District will be called The Bridgewater Modern Grill, Benson’s Restaurant Group announced Tuesday.
It's a joint project between Benson's Restaurant Group, which operates AJ Bombers, Onesto, Smoke Shack and Blue Bat Kitchen, and Becher Development, the Michels Corp.-led developer of the site at South First and West Becher streets, according to a previous Journal Sentinel report.
The Bridgewater is being constructed beneath recently completed apartments, called Tribute, on the east side of the River 1 campus.
The restaurant "will offer an experience unlike any other in the area" and have an "upscale, inviting atmosphere," David Marcus, CEO of Benson’s Restaurant Group, said in Tuesday's announcement.
In the kitchen, "carefully selected" seasonal ingredients will be prepared on a custom, oak-fed Jade grill and finished with modern touches, according to the restaurant group. The restaurant will boast a "robust" wine program as well.
The interior of the space will have seating for more than 165 people and offer a variety of seating options, including dining, bar and booths with visibility to the kitchen. There will also be a private dining area for events that can seat 30.
The restaurant's outdoor area overlooks the Kinnickinnic River and will feature a 245-foot-long riverside patio with soft seating, fire tables, cocktail service and a 1,300-square-foot lawn, the news release said. The space will be heated for three-season use, have an indoor/outdoor bar and seat 80.
There will be access to the public Riverwalk and 10 boat slips for drive-up service.
"With the combination of indoor/outdoor dining, there is space for everyone — whether celebrating an engagement or graduation, or just looking for a place to grab good food or a drink on the river," Marcus said in the news release.
The restaurant group is working with RINKA Architecture on the space's design to make it "the coolest spot on the river," the news release said.
The Bridgewater plans to make its debut in early fall.
The apartment building in which the restaurant will be located on the ground level still has more commercial space on the street level, according to a previous Journal Sentinel report. Initial plans also called for a café, but no plans for that have been announced. The development's plans also include a Marriott-branded hotel with about 100 rooms.
Contact Hannah Kirby at hannah.kirby@jrn.com. Follow her on Twitter at @HannahHopeKirby.
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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: The Bridgewater Modern Grill to be new Milwaukee riverfront restaurant
