By Lori Fredrich Senior Food Writer, Dining Editor, Podcast Host Published Sep 14, 2016 at 9:01 AM

They say good things come to those who wait. And such promises to be the case with Bumstead Provisions, which will make its Bay View debut on Monday, Sept. 19.

The venture, which incorporates a provisions shop and deli alongside a full-service bar and restaurant, will contain a visual feast of old- and new-school elements, including original cream city brick, punched metal ceilings and repurposed hardware store drawers.

Altogether, it’s an intriguing concept. And maybe most notable of all is the food, which encompasses a playful juxtaposition between high and low-end fare that aims to appeal to a jovial crowd who really appreciates great food and drink.

The provisions shop

Occupying the space that once housed Strehlow’s True Value, the provisions shop is part deli, part craft beer and beverage shop, and part grocer.

"We look forward to being a neighborhood place," says Eichler "The building last housed a hardware and retail shop, both places that served people well. And we’re hoping to do the same with the deli and grocery element."

The deli will feature three cold cases stocked with meats, cheeses and charcuterie, all of which will be available for individual purchase or on prepared deli sandwiches. There will also be specialty items for sale including artisan jams, duck eggs, mushrooms, microgreens and a small selection of produce and dairy items.

Metro Deli all natural meats will be sliced to order and will include options like deep-fried turkey breast, Cuban roasted pork, fire roasted ham, roasted turkey, chicken, pastrami and corned beef.

Cheeses will have a heavy focus on Wisconsin favorites, along with other domestic and international selections. Meanwhile, charcuterie offerings will focus on primarily Midwestern makers including Smoking Goose, ‘Nduja Artisans, Creminelli and Fabrique Delice.

Prepared sandwiches will also be available for take-out, including basics like bologna, ham and cheese, and tuna salad (priced at $3-4), along with signature offerings priced $8-14.

Among signature creations, the "South Shore Farmers Market" is comprised of grilled eggplant, roasted red peppers, artichoke hearts, pesto and buttermilk bleu on toasted ciabatta, while the "Cuban Seasoned Roast Pork" features ciabatta piled high with Cuban roasted pork, balsamic and sage browned butter, sweet potato puree, Swiss cheese and arugula.

Meanwhile, the "Deep Fried Turkey" will feature sliced deep-fried turkey with leeks and chili pepper blackberry jam on white bread, and the "Fire roasted ham banh mi" includes sliced fire roasted ham, pork pate, sauteed oyster mushrooms, carrots, cucumbers and cilantro piled on a baguette.

On the beverage side, the shop will carry a selection of about 150 bottled American craft beers along with a smaller selection of wines and craft spirits.

Amid the impressive selection of artisan goods, you’ll also find a carefully curated collection of beloved items chosen by the staff and owners including boxed Velveeta shells and cheese, boxes of individual-sized cereals and sweet treats, including bags of Sour Patch Kids.

The restaurant

Just a few steps away from the provisions shop, the full-service restaurant and bar will feature a vibrant atmosphere decorated in light wood with a tin-sided bar and tables featuring tops made from recycled hardware drawers.

The menu for the restaurant is laid out traditionally – divided into appetizers, bar snacks, boards and entrees.

Appetizers include an avocado half stuffed with burrata cheese, pork belly "cinnamon buns" featuring pork belly rolled in cinnamon sugar and cooked in butter, and carne asada fries with truffle oil, sliced tenderloin steak, guacamole, bacon dust sour cream, black olives, diced tomatoes and shredded lettuce.

Meanwhile, bar snacks take a stroll beyond the ordinary with selections like foie gras doughnuts, a one-pound "meatball of the day" and a rotating selection of flavored popcorn.

Boards will include local meat and cheese selections, smoked and prepared seafood and special "Chef's Board" featuring a curated selection of "amusing foods."

When you're done snacking, you can sample entrees like Thai chicken and dumplings; rack of lamb served with corn and fava bean succotash, mushroom chips and dehydrated beet sour cream; and "Triple Duck Hash," with fingerling potatoes, duck bacon, sliced duck and cilantro sausage and a sunny-side up duck egg.

A special offering will be the "½ Pigs Head" (including succulent pork cheek, crispy ear and the whole nine yards) smoked by Iron Grate BBQ Co. and served up with pickled vegetables. But get there early. It will only be available Thursday through Saturday after 4 p.m., while supplies last.

If you've got a little guy or gal in tow, you'll be happy to note there's also a kids' menu. It will feature accessible options like pasta shells and cheese, a grilled cheese sandwich and the "Bumstead lunchable," featuring a variety of cheeses and meats.

The bar

Bumstead isn’t skimping on the bar menu. Fifteen tap lines will showcase a rotating selection of craft beers, along with Anodyne cold brew nitro ("So you can have a shot of coffee in your stout," notes Eichler). There will also be an 18-bottle wine list, including selections from the U.S. and beyond.

On the cocktail side, you’ll find classics and creative riffs, including a duck fat old fashioned using fat-washed whiskey; the "Farmer’s Market Tonic" with gin and muddled cucumber, tomato and radish; and the "Vodka Water" with chamomile-infused Twisted Path Vodka, lime, muddled strawberries and melon water.

Meanwhile, boilermakers feature tallboys served alongside mini-cocktails. Take the Schlitz tallboy served with a mini Old Fashioned, for instance. Or how about the Miller High Life tallboy served alongside a combination of whiskey, pickle juice and lime?

If you're tea-totaling, there are also housemade Italian sodas and a selection of non-alcoholic coffee cocktails including the Atomic Tonic with cold brew, lime, honey, mint and tonic.

The Sunday Spectacular

Some people call it brunch. Bumstead calls it the Sunday Spectacular.

Sunday mornings from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., you’ll be able to indulge in an all-you-can-eat brunch. But it won’t be served up buffet style.

Instead, for $16.99, you can help yourself to one item at a time from a menu which includes steak and eggs, baked maple bacon with toast and jalapeno jam, a Benedict featuring guacamole, spinach, tomato and hollandaise over an easy egg, and the "Loco Moco" featuring sticky rice, spam, nori, bonito flakes and grilled pineapple with an over-easy egg.

Roving wait staff will also bring you piles of fresh berries along with piping hot mini doughnuts from Happy Dough Lucky. And for just $5 more, you can add endless pours of sparkling wine and High Life shorties.

Among brunch cocktails, there’s a Tom Yum Bloody Mary with soy, sesame, fish sauce and togarashi garnished with hard-boiled egg, shrimp and pickled baby corn (or a larger quart-sized version with even more goodies like potstickers, crab rangoon and other tidbits).

If a michelada is more your style, you can order one served up with a spiced fruit popsicle that will both cool your beer and add flavor as it melts.

"We’re going to make sure that your table is an aesthetic masterpiece," says co-owner Mike Bodow. "The whole point is going to be sensory overload – from the music to the food to the interactions with servers."

Upon opening, Bumstead Provisions will be open daily from 11 a.m. to midnight. The deli will open at 9 a.m.

Lori Fredrich Senior Food Writer, Dining Editor, Podcast Host

Lori is an avid cook whose accrual of condiments and spices is rivaled only by her cookbook collection. Her passion for the culinary industry was birthed while balancing A&W root beer mugs as a teenage carhop, fed by insatiable curiosity and fueled by the people whose stories entwine with each and every dish. She’s had the privilege of chronicling these tales via numerous media, including OnMilwaukee and in her book “Milwaukee Food.” Her work has garnered journalism awards from entities including the Milwaukee Press Club. 

When she’s not eating, photographing food, writing or recording the FoodCrush podcast, you’ll find Lori seeking out adventures with her husband Paul, traveling, cooking, reading, learning, snuggling with her cats and looking for ways to make a difference.