Get a taste of 3rd Street Market Hall at a pop-up this weekend and Waukesha benefit Dec. 22
Although the opening of downtown’s 3rd Street Market Hall has been pushed back again, two events coming up will let the public try the food and, in one case, see the hall itself.
At the first event, taking place this weekend, four of the food hall’s vendors will pop up with menu items on Milwaukee’s south side.
The second, on Dec. 22 at the food hall, is a fundraiser for victims of the Waukesha Christmas Parade tragedy and their families.
Pasta, pierogi and more
First up, for lunch Sunday:
Strega, maker of fresh pastas and desserts; Amano Pan, baker of sourdough breads and other items; Middle East Side, making Middle Eastern-style plates; and Hot Dish Pantry, serving traditional and modern pierogi and other comfort foods, will have menu items ready to eat from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Hawthorne Coffee Roasters, 4177 S. Howell Ave.
Customers can dine in the Hawthorne cafe, where ventilation was upgraded during the pandemic and tables are distanced. Hawthorne will be selling its coffee and cocktails during the event. Orders also can be taken to go.
Ordering for vendors’ menu items will be online through Hot Dish Pantry’s CashDrop account, cashdrop.biz/hotdishpantry, starting at 11:30 a.m. Sunday, but the menu can be previewed now.
Here's the lineup for Sunday:
Strega’s house-made spaghetti with dolce Parmesan "eazy mac" sauce ($12); squid ink spaghetti with tomato butter, fish sauce balsamic and chile crisp ($12); snickerdoodle cookie sandwich with maple Italian buttercream ($6); and chocolate olive oil cake with espresso whipped cream and toasted pistachios ($10).
Amano Pan will have picos — Nicaraguan pastries — with cotija cheese, sugar and cinnamon filling ($2.50), and rye shortbread cookies ($2 apiece).
Middle East Side is serving shish taouk ($9) — garlic-lemon chicken with hummus, fresh herbs and pickles — and pistachio-walnut baklava ($3).
Hot Dish Pantry will have two kinds of pierogi: crab rangoon with togarashi corn topping and sweet-sour dipping sauce ($7.50 for three pierogi), and loaded baked potato, with cheddar crisps and chive sour cream ($7.50 for three pierogi).
Those vendors will occupy the hawker stalls near Dairyland Old-Fashioned Hamburgers at 3rd Street Market Hall, 275 W. Wisconsin Ave. That’s the former Grand Avenue mall.
Preview at 3rd Street Market Hall
Next up: A preview of 3rd Street Market Hall takes place Dec. 22, with all of the proceeds from the $100-a-ticket event going to the United for Waukesha Community Fund.
Although the hall is host to some private events this month, “This event will actually be the first chance for the public to see the space,” said Omar Shaikh, a partner in the project.
The hall might open before the holidays, but no date has been set; the Topgolf simulators were being installed this week, and two vendors still were waiting for equipment to arrive, Shaikh said.
At least nine and up to 15 vendors will be at the Dec. 22 event to hand out samples of their menu items from 5 to 8 p.m., as will Carnevor, the downtown steakhouse. Besides food samples and two drinks from the bar, each ticketholder will receive a swag bag.
Tickets are available through 3rdstmarkethall.com and on eventbrite.com. Donations also are accepted through the hall's website.
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: 3rd Street Market Hall plans pop-up Dec. 5, Waukesha benefit Dec. 22
