Fast-casual restaurant Lucky’s Spitfire will begin the new year with a new location at the former Pabst complex in downtown Milwaukee.
Lucky’s Spitfire, which has an existing location in Muskego on Janesville Road, has moved into an 800-square-foot space at the food court inside the Eleven25 building in downtown Milwaukee, and plans to open by Jan. 11, said owner Andrew Jacobsen.
It’s the third Lucky’s Spitfire location Jacobsen has launched in the past two years. However, it will be one of two locations, including Muskego, open for business following the recent closure of its flagship location in Kenosha as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
“Closing Kenosha was a tough decision, but hoping to either reopen it in the spring or rebuild in the future in Kenosha,” Jacobsen said in an email. “The location was just tough, and without the Chicago-area catering it was even harder.”
Prior to the pandemic, the Kenosha location had become the business’ catering hub, landing several corporate catering gigs throughout the Milwaukee area, Madison and Chicago suburbs. Much of that business was lost when office buildings emptied this spring.
In a Facebook post announcing the closure, the business said the impact of the pandemic “created a logistical nightmare that we had to work through each day, and we realized that continuing to operate in that space was unsustainable.”
Jacobsen, who also owns Lucky’s at the Lodge bar-restaurant in Muskego, sees the Milwaukee location as a “strategic point” for catering business if and when downtown activity returns. The biggest draw, he said, was the expansive back kitchen, ideal for large orders.
“I can really support my catering business out of this kitchen without being too cramped,” he said. “It just all made a lot of sense, so I’m really excited about it and I’m really excited about being in Milwaukee, too.”
Lucky’s Spitfire serves a fusion of Mediterranean and Mexican cuisine, including bowls, tacos and nachos. Earlier this year, the restaurant added poke to its menu. The new Milwaukee location will offer delivery through Door Dash and Grub Hub.
