Beginning this week, employees at and near the U.S. Bank Center in Downtown Milwaukee, are a happier bunch.

That’s because, thanks to a new partnership between The Bartolotta Restaurants, operators of Downtown Kitchen, and Hospitality Democracy, owners of Holey Moley Doughnuts, they have freshly made Holey Moley doughnuts available to them right outside their office doors on the Galleria level.

Holey Moley offers a variety of scratch-made doughnuts in a range of styles including cake, raised-yeast, filled, gluten-free and vegan. Flavors will include selections including old fashioned lemon, chocolate cake with vanilla glaze, holiday peppermint chocolate, cinnamon sugar, vanilla cake, apple pear cinnamon fritter and maple pecan yeast doughnut and the infamous Peanut Butter Chocolate (PBC) or Peanut Butter Chocolate Bacon (PBCB). Pricing will be the same as at Holey Moley’s shop on Milwaukee Street.

The freshly made doughnuts in the bright green box will be sold beginning at 6:30 a.m. every weekday and will be available until they run out.

The partnership between the two restaurant moguls began thanks to a fortuitous dinner at Bacchus restaurant, says Joe Sorge, president of Hospitality Democracy.

"We’d chosen a bottle of Silver Oak wine as part of dinner at Bacchus, and Angie took a picture of it," Sorge says. "Jennifer Bartolotta saw the photo, noticed that we were enjoying the wine and invited us to the Silver Oak winemaker dinner. It was the first time we really had an opportunity to spend quality time together and chat."

And that’s where the discussion of including Holey Moley among the Downtown Kitchen vendors began. Sorge says he toured the space the very next day.

"We were effectively overwhelmed," says Sorge. "It’s a really unique opportunity to reach a lot of customers and form a really unique relationship between The Bartolotta’s and Hospitality Democracy."

Joe Bartolotta agrees.

"Joe Sorge and I have always had a friendly relationship and a mutual admiration and respect for one another," said Bartolotta, president and co-owner of The Bartolotta Restaurants. "At Downtown Kitchen, we’re trying to partner with as many top local vendors as we can, and when it comes to doughnuts, Holey Moley is the way to go."

Bartolotta says he built out the space that now inhabits Holey Moley, not knowing quite what it would become. But, when the connection was made with Sorge, he knew it would be a good fit.

"It's a win-win for both of us," Bartolotta notes. "Our goal with this space is to continue to evolve, and bringing in new local vendors is part of that.  It's great. I see these green boxes being carried up and down the hallway and everywhere now."

Downtown Kitchen, Operated by The Bartolotta Restaurants, opened in the U.S. Bank Center in September. The space, which serves the 4500 tenants of the building, as well as the general public, offers a warm, urban environment to enjoy breakfast, lunch or grab-and-go snacks.

In addition to Northpoint Custard burgers and Pizzeria Piccola pizza, breakfast and lunch items include a wide variety of items including sushi, salads, deli-style and artisan sandwiches and entrees, including world-inspired cuisine and pasta. A large salad bar offers customers the opportunity to build their own salads, or partake in four or five different hot soups.

Offerings from other local partners include Valentine Coffee, Hissho Sushi, Outpost Natural Foods, Rocket Baby Bakery, Indulgence Chocolate, Sprecher and Milwaukee Pretzel Company.

Downtown Kitchen is open Monday through Friday and serves breakfast: 6:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. and Lunch from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Grab ‘n’ Go and Northpoint Custard are open until 4 p.m. The space is also available for rental for special events after hours and on weekends.