James Beard Award-winning chef Adam Siegel with his wife, Daria Aitken-Siegel, will open a new restaurant on the ground floor of Northwestern Mutual’s North Building, which is currently undergoing a $500 million total makeover.
The yet-to-be-named concept will serve New York-style Italian cuisine in a “relaxed, yet still refined” environment and is slated to open in late 2026, according to an announcement Monday. It will be located in a tenant space on East Mason Street.
Siegel’s latest endeavor follows the success of his debut concept, Lupi & Iris, which opened in May 2022 on the ground floor of Northwestern Mutual’s nearby 7Seventy7 luxury apartment building at 777 N. Van Buren St. The two restaurants will be located less than a block from each other.
Construction work on NM’s North Building began in November 2023. The Milwaukee-based financial services company is overhauling the 18-story building at 818 E. Mason St. into a smaller version of its neighboring 32-story Tower and Commons. The project is expected to wrap up by early 2027 and will allow the company to move about 2,000 workers to downtown Milwaukee from its campus in Franklin.
“We congratulate the Siegels and their restaurant team on the third anniversary of Lupi & Iris, and we are pleased to welcome their newest restaurant to the Northwestern Mutual North Building in 2026,” said Cal Schattschneider, vice president of campus and event experiences at Northwestern Mutual. “Having an inviting local restaurant be part of our new building reflects our vision of a vibrant campus that brings together our workforce, the local community and bustling energy in downtown Milwaukee.”
Since its opening, Lupi & Iris has earned recognition as a James Beard Award finalist for Best New Restaurant in 2023, one of Yelp’s “Best New Restaurants of 2023” and on Eater’s “Where to Eat 2024” list. The restaurant, with a menu inspired by the French and Italian Rivieras, also served as a filming site for last year’s season of Bravo’s “Top Chef,” which was filmed in Wisconsin, with Siegel appearing as a guest judge.
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- Lupi & Iris’ 84-seat dining room features a chef’s counter facing the expansive open-concept kitchen. Credit: Lupi & Iris
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- Lupi & Iris is located inside the 7Seventy7 building at 777 N. Van Buren St.
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- The restaurant’s temperature-controlled walk-in wine vault holds 200 bottles.
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- A scene from episode one’s cooking competition at Lupi & Iris. The panel of judges includes Milwaukee’s James Beard Award winning chefs Adam Siegel and Paul Bartolotta as guest judges, with host Kristen Kish, head judge Tom Colicchio and perennial judge Gail Simmons. Credit: David Moir/Bravo
Prior to opening Lupi & Iris, Siegel spent 21 years with The Bartolotta Restaurants, initially as executive chef at Lake Park Bistro before heading up culinary operations for the entire organization. Siegel was named Best Chef Midwest by the James Beard Foundation in 2008 while at Lake Park Bistro.
“We are thrilled to bring a New York Italian dining experience to Milwaukee,” said Aitken-Siegel. “It’s an honor to participate in the continued efforts of Northwestern Mutual’s North Office Building Modernization Project and the City of Milwaukee’s goal to energize and foster growth in the downtown area.”
Bruce Westling of Newmark Group Inc.’s Milwaukee Office advised both parties in the real estate lease transaction, while Eppstein Uhen Architects of Milwaukee is handling design work for the project. Additional details about the new restaurant will be released in coming months.
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- A rendering showing the revamped North Office Building on Northwestern Mutual’s downtown campus as seen from the south. The Tower and Commons building is in the foreground.
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- A rendering showing the Milwaukee skyline with updates to the north building on Northwestern Mutual’s campus in downtown. Rendering from Pickard Chilton / Kendall Heaton Associates
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- Proposed streetscape. Rendering: Pickard Chilton
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- Public terrace. Rendering: Pickard Chilton
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- Site overview. Rendering: Pickard Chilton
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- Glass is being installed on Northwestern Mutual’s North Office Building.
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- The seventh floor of the North Office building
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- The lobby of Northwestern Mutual’s North Office building
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- Interior finishes of the 18th floor of the North Office building have been removed.
