Lisa Kaye Bistro, 3801 W. Vliet St. Photo taken July 22, 2024 by Sophie Bolich.

Lisa Kaye Catering has been an award-winning choice for birthdays, weddings and other special occasions for years, and soon a new location will make the company’s offerings accessible whenever the appetite strikes.

Head chef and owner Lisa McKay is bringing her talent to the Near West Side with plans to open a new bistro in the former location of Triciclo Peru.

The process is already well underway: In late July, workers will begin installing a sign for the Lisa Kaye Bistro at 3801 W. Vliet St.

McKay, who herself appears on an online cooking show, confirmed that the location will operate as a brick-and-mortar restaurant but was unavailable for further comment.

Her long list of accolades, however, speaks for itself. After graduating from Milwaukee Area Technical College with a degree in culinary arts in 2011, McKay joined the American Culinary Foundation (ACF). She continues to serve on the organization’s board of directors and directs the ACF’s Milwaukee Chef and Child Foundation.

McKay was the winner of the 2017 Rev-Up Milwaukee Small Business Competition. In addition to her catering business and future restaurant, the chef leads educational seminars and culinary summer camps to combat childhood obesity and teach young people about healthy eating.

Although her catering menus include a wide range of dishes, McKay is consistently “inspired by fresh herbs and peppers” that highlight the “unique flavors of Southwestern and Southern cuisine,” according to the catering company’s website.

A sample menu included with the company’s license application includes a selection of sandwiches and wraps, pies and daily specials such as Taco Tuesday, Wing Wednesday and Fish Fry on Friday.

For breakfast, the bistro offers avocado toast, breakfast tacos, breakfast bowls, pastries and fruit. A weekend brunch service includes grits, breakfast potatoes, waffles, Bananas Foster Pancakes, beef brisket, fruit salad and more.

McKay has no plans to serve alcohol in the restaurant, which will also serve as home to her catering business. In addition to welcoming guests throughout the day, McKay plans to use the 3,000-square-foot space for private events and offer karaoke, contests, live music and other entertainment.

Tom Straub owns the building on Vliet Street as well as numerous other properties in the area.

McKay has not yet announced an opening date for the restaurant, but those who want a sneak peek can do so at this weekend’s Wellness Rally, presented by the Harley-Davidson Foundation and Near West Side Partners.

Lisa Kaye Catering is a vendor for the event along with other food companies such as Pete’s Pops, Olympia Granola and others.

The Wellness Rally will be held on August 17th from 9 a.m. to noon at Davidson Park, 3725 W. Juneau Ave. For more information, visit the event website.

A license application for Lisa Kaye Bistro has been submitted to the Milwaukee City Council. The business’s planned hours of operation are Monday through Thursday from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m., Friday through Saturday from 6 a.m. to midnight, and Sunday from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.

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