North 48° MKE Crust & Craft, a pizza restaurant and tavern, is planned at 1716 N. Arlington Place on Milwaukee’s Lower East Side to replace the former wine bar Balzac, according to a license application filed with the city.
North 48° has two other locations in Oconomowoc at 102 N. Main St. and in Cedarburg at W62 N599 Washington Ave., both owned by Jordan Cole, who also owns the new Milwaukee location. The location is expected to open in May of 2025.
Balzac, which permanently closed in November of 2023, had been open for 18 years in its Brady Street location. The building, which also houses La Masa Empanada Bar, is owned by JWK Management LLC which owns several other buildings on Brady Street, according to city records.
The 2,500-square-foot space will undergo several updates including new flooring, lighting, and an extended bar, according to city documents. An outdoor seating section will also be available to guests similar to the previous layout at Balzac.
A variety of craft cocktails and several kinds of pizzas will be served at the restaurant.
