New Alterra, BelAir Cantina Open Their Doors

If you love food and exploring new places to eat, or want to find out what eateries are coming and going, we have latest restaurant and other "foodie" news from throughout the Milwaukee area. Here's a look at what's new on the local food, restaurant and bar scene.

New Alterra in Tosa Serves More Than Coffee

Alterra Coffee Roasters has opened its second cafe in Wauwatosa, at North 68th Street and West Wells. The shop, which opened Sunday morning, features freshly brewed Alterra coffee, Letterbox Fine Teas, and espresso drinks, plus homemade baked goods. The menu focuses on locally sourced ingredients and includes homemade soups, salads, breakfast burritos, wraps and more. And if you'd like something a bit stronger than coffee with your meal, Alterra is offering  two custom-brewed beers to its lineup of offerings. In fact, this is the first Alterra in the Milwaukee area to serve beer. It also is Alterra's first free-standing cafe, and the building features a custom fireplace indoors and an outdoor patio fire pit.

BelAir Cantina Opens on Wauwatosa's East Side

About a half-mile north of the new Alterra, on 68th Street and North Avene, the new BelAir Cantina Tosa opened for business last week. Serving Cali-Mex fare, BelAir Tosa is the second such cantina for Mojofuco Restaurant Group, the first being on North Water Street in Milwaukee. BelAir is famous for its tacos – including eclectic fusion offerings such as Korean beef tacos – and for its selection of tequilas. For more on the restaurant, visit Wauwatosa Patch.

Chicago Rib/Steak Restaurant Makes Milwaukee Debut

Carson’s, a popular steak and rib place in the Chicago area, is now open in downtown Milwaukee. The restaurant, takes up the first floor of the Moderene, a 30-story apartment/condo building at West Juneau Avenue and North Old World 3rd St. The Journal Sentinel reports that the menus for lunch/late night and dinner are similar to those of the Chicago restaurants, including 16-ounce Angus New York strip ($29) and bone-in prime rib ($39). Steak & Cake adds a lump crab cake to a 10-ounce filet ($42). Read more at JSOnline.

Good Things Happening at The Bay

Whitefish Bay's hottest new dining spot — The Bay Restaurant — is expanding its hours and offering patio seating. The restaurant is now offering lunch on the weekends. expanded its hours about two weeks ago for weekend lunch. It also added more patio furniture to allow additional outdoor dining. The Bay's menu features classic but unique entrees like burgers, salmon, andouille-encrusted cod and hanger steak and fries. Sandwiches include buffalo chicken, blue cheese and roast beef and a roast veggie sandwich. Read more on Whitefish Bay Patch.

Bravo! Cucina Italiana Shuts Down at Bayshore

Bravo! Cucina Italiana has closed its Bayshore Town Center location. The restaurant will be replaced by a Sprecher's Restaurant and Pub, which expects to open in the fall. Fans of Bravo! can continue to patronize the store at Brookfield Square Mall.

Popular Chinese Restaurant Closes in Greenfield

Tam's Chop Suey at 68th and Layton Avenue, which had been in businesses for at least two decades, has closed its doors for good. Located at 6725 W. Layton, Tam’s rarely had dine-in customers, but served some of the best takeout Chinese food in the city. In fact, it was the winner of Greenfield Patch’s Reader’s Choice Award last summer. Read more on Greenfield Patch.

A Bounty of Brats at Piggly Wiggly

If you want to fry up a little something different on the grill this summer, you may want to head to Malicki's Piggly Wiggly in Racine, which features 30 different flavors of brats. Some of the funky flavors include Door County cherry, chicken hot wings, jalapeno, and mushroom and cheese. For more on the variety of flavors, check out the story on Mount Pleasant-Sturtevant Patch. And you've like some grilling tips from an expert, here's a video from Patch.