A new restaurant, Artisan 179, opens today in Pewaukee, taking over the spot of the former Lakefront Grille and previously Piano Blu. The new restaurant – located at 179 W. Wisconsin Ave. in Pewaukee – will serve up "modern global cuisine," according to Chef Richard Sweed.

"I'm pulling from basically all of the genres I've cooked over my career," Sweed said.

The menu will run the gambit from sandwiches – including Philly cheesesteaks and Cubans – to bar snacks – such as truffled popcorn – to foodie-esque dishes like a crispy pork belly with parsnip puree and shaved apple salad. New South dishes, Italian food and ramen were also listed by Sweed as menu items for the "about 99 percent scratch" restaurant.

"We buy all proteins that are on never-ever programs – like grass-fed pork and beef and free-range chicken," Sweed said. "Really pushing the focus of the quality of ingredients and the artisan way of making things from the bottom up is really our goal."

The menu will also feature a new wine list and new craft cocktails, including a smoked blood orange Manhattan with in-house made smoked blood orange simple syrup. 

Artisan 179 also aims to live up to its tagline – "Where artistry and food unite" – by featuring local art hanging on the walls of its dining room, live local music performed every Friday and Saturday night and an upstairs space that will host cooking classes, wine dinners, dance lessons and similar events. 

After its soft opening last night, Artisan 179 – still owned by Lakefront Grille owners Carrie and Dale Boehm, as well as Ted Anderson, formerly of Bacchus – officially opens tonight for dinner starting at 4 until 9 p.m. The restaurant's regular hours will be Tuesday through Thursday from 11 a.m. until 9 p.m., and then staying open until 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.