By Lori Fredrich Senior Food Writer, Dining Editor, Podcast Host Published Jan 31, 2023 at 11:02 AM

Starting this weekend there will be even more to love about The Bridgewater Modern Grill at 2011 S. 1st St.

That’s because, beginning Saturday, Feb. 4, The Bridgewater will offer weekend brunch service on both Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The menu, which will feature a range of dishes from Executive Chef Steve Gustafson, will showcase innovative twists on traditional brunch fare priced in the $15-$22 range, along with accompanying brunch-worthy cocktails including a house-made bloody mary, various mimosas and a selection of equally compelling zero-proof options.

Menu items feature Jade wood-fired grill enhanced dishes like avocado toast featuring local sourdough bread topped with oak-fired mushrooms, goat cheese and a poached egg and the “patty melt” featuring a housemade sausage patty topped with fontina, brie, coal roasted shallots, garlic aioli and a local egg. That’s served on rye bread with fingerling potatoes. 

Guests can also indulge in a crab cake benedict topped with béarnaise sauce or buttermilk-brined fried chicken served with waffles, hot honey, vanilla-infused honey butter and barrel aged maple syrup. A shareable smoked salmon board will also be available, complete with all the fixin’s including cream cheese, red onion, caper berries, and toasted rye.

Those selections will mingle with traditional favorites including seasonal quiche, Belgian waffles, blueberry pancakes and lunch-friendly dishes including The Bridgewater’s popular oak-fired beet salad, caesar salad, artichoke dip and flat iron steak.

“We can’t thank the community enough for the warm welcome we’ve seen in the past few months since opening our doors,” Gustafson notes. “Employees, neighbors and customers alike have been eagerly awaiting a brunch addition, and after perfecting a delicious menu, we’re thrilled to introduce weekend brunch beginning this weekend.”

Starting Feb. 4, brunch service will be offered on both Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Reservations are recommended and can be made at bridgewatermke.com.

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. In 2024, Lori was honored with a "Top 20 Women in Hospitality to Watch" award by the Wisconsin Restaurant Association.

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.