The eclectic make-up of North Milwaukee Street continues to grow with the appearance of giant pickles, edible orchids and homemade soups.

Throw in a few slices of grainy sandwich bread, thick spreads of veggie hummus and a signature dab of pesto and you've discovered Nectar, an espresso bar/cafe opened by brother-sister duo Mike and Lynn Wroblewski and Steve Klimczak in April 2001.

"We had eyed downtown as an ideal spot just because of the number of people," Mike Wroblewski said. He and his team opened Nectar (708 N. Milwaukee St.) last spring as an expansion project.

Six years ago, Lynn and Mike founded Fiddleheads, their first espresso bar/cafe in Thiensville. After gaining local notoriety for their stacked sandwiches, the brother/sister team looked to bank on their success.

Now located at the former site of Bear Brew Coffee, Mike Wroblewski said Nectar offers its customers more variety than the traditional coffeehouses. With as many as 25 homemade soup recipes served throughout the year and an extensive vegetarian menu, lunch-goers can expect to find plenty of options served in generous portions.

"Overall, we serve quality, healthy types of food," Mike Wroblewski said.

Nectar brings an element of style to its traditional sandwich platters. Customers can get a full sandwich and chips or a half-sandwich and cup of soup for $6.25, and each is complimented with an edible orchid and one seriously-sized pickle.