The Lowlands Group, of Milwaukee, will introduce its second restaurant to downtown Wauwatosa today with the opening of Café Bavaria, a German-style venue intended to bring patrons together in a casual setting and inspire camaraderie among friends and strangers alike.
The restaurant, located at 7700 Harwood Ave. just across from the Lowlands Group’s Café Hollander, will feature a full menu of German offerings, including rotisserie chicken, schnitzel, house-made sausages, a jumbo Angus frankfurter, and pretzels flown in from Munich.
It will also have a full beer menu with mostly German varieties.
The restaurant provides space for about 100 with a bar as well as upstairs and downstairs dining. Additional seating will be available on an attached patio during warmer weather months. The restaurant’s interior, completed by 360 Degrees LLC, is marked by natural wood, wrought iron, lots of lighting and custom architectural features, according to Jessica Sobojinski, a member of the Lowlands Group’s marketing team.
“It (has) a really neat, modern, updated feeling,” Sobojinski said.
Café Bavaria distinguishes itself from other German venues in southeastern Wisconsin with its modern flair, according to Sobojinski. The restaurant does not plan to play polka music or have its employees wear traditional German lederhosen as other German restaurants do in greater Milwaukee.
However, the German tradition of “gemütlichkeit,” which translates to congeniality and friendliness, will still be part of the restaurant’s theme, particularly with its communal seating in the dining area, Sobojinski said.
Meal prices will range from mid-range to higher end.
“It’s just something a little more casual while still being classy,” Sobojinski said of the venue.
Café Bavaria is celebrating its soft opening today with a grand opening planned for Sunday.
