Aperitivo owners to open new Mexican restaurant in the Pritzlaff Building

Las Gardenias, a new Mexican restaurant concept from the owners of Aperitivo, is slated to open at the Pritzlaff Building at 305 N. Plankinton Ave. near Milwaukee’s Historic Third Ward.

The 2,000-square-foot space just south of Aperitivo will have seating for roughly 70 people and will feature an 800-square-foot outdoor patio with room for another 20 people.

Kendall Breunig, principal at Franklin-based Sunset Investors, and Richard Kerhin, owners of Aperitivo, will manage the restaurant with Kerhin’s wife Patricia Barrera-Kerhin. The space is 95% complete in its construction and is expected to open in March, Kerhin said.

Las Gardenias will hire 20 people including a head chef to operate the restaurant. The menu will include recipes created by Barrera-Kerhin, which feature traditional “homestyle cooking that’s a bit elevated,” Kerhin said.

Mexican-style food like tacos, burritos, fajitas and margaritas will be served with inspiration from Barrera-Kerhin’s roots in Guadalajara. The restaurant will also serve a selection of Mexican wines.

Las Gardenias will partner with Madison-based tortilla wholesaler Tortilleria Zepeda.

Breunig has owned the space in the Pritzlaff Building since 2006 when it served as a loading dock before becoming a self-storage business. Since 2020 when Breunig sold the self-storage business, the space has been vacant.

“It’s going to be a ton of work,” Kerhin said. “But in the end, I think we’ll put something together that fills a gap in the dining scene for Mexican food in the city.”