The Bradley Center may be one of the oldest venues in the NBA, but at least its concessions will receive a facelift this season. Bradley Center President and CEO Steve Costello introduced a new food partnership with Chicago's Levy Restaurants Tuesday, and hungry fans will notice the difference right away.
"We couldn't be more excited about the upcoming season and what fans will experience," said Costello at a media tasting event at The Bradley Center. "We think the fans will embrace the new menu."
Levy Restaurants, which already lists the Midwest Airlines Center, The Milwaukee Theater and The U.S. Cellular Arena among its clients, will develop a slew of new menu items for the Bradley Center at new concession stands like "Grill 71," "6th Street Sausages" and "Zipza."
In Chicago, Levy runs Spiaggia and Bistro 110. Overall, they manage 95 locations nationwide.
According to Executive Chef David Picou, some of the new menu items were created especially for Milwaukee.
The Bradley Burger, for example, is a double-decker sandwich, with a bratwurst and a hamburger patty, topped with caramelized onions and American cheese. The Brew City Dawg is a 1/3 pound, foot-long hot dog covered with chili, cheese and onions. Their two new paninis will be grilled "right in the stands," said Picou.
Levy Restaurants will also offer favorites from Chicago, like Italian beef and the Windy City Dawg, as well as healthier options, like chopped salads.
"It's all about the food for us," said Picou.
Unlike the Friday's Front Row Sports Grill at Miller Park, Bradley Center officials said they don't plan on opening a sit-down restaurant at the venue. But the new food options are certainly a step up from the arena's somewhat non-descript fare fans have come to expect.
"It's going to be really good for all of us," said Picou.
The new selections will be in place for the Bucks season opener on Sat., Nov. 5.
Andy is the president, publisher and founder of OnMilwaukee. He returned to Milwaukee in 1996 after living on the East Coast for nine years, where he wrote for The Dallas Morning News Washington Bureau and worked in the White House Office of Communications. He was also Associate Editor of The GW Hatchet, his college newspaper at The George Washington University.
Before launching OnMilwaukee.com in 1998 at age 23, he worked in public relations for two Milwaukee firms, most of the time daydreaming about starting his own publication.
Hobbies include running when he finds the time, fixing the rust on his '75 MGB, mowing the lawn at his cottage in the Northwoods, and making an annual pilgrimage to Phoenix for Brewers Spring Training.
