By Lori Fredrich Senior Food Writer, Dining Editor, Podcast Host Published Apr 26, 2021 at 12:08 PM Photography: Lori Fredrich

Decked out burgers, fried chicken and more craft brews are on their way to East Tosa.

Crafty Cow, the inventive family-owned burger destination, is slated to to open in the former Hue Restaurant space at 6519 W. North Ave. (Hue announced that they would be closing their Wauwatosa location earlier this month)

With a licensing hearing coming up this week, co-owner Devin Eichler says they will take occupancy of the space on June 1. If all goes well, they hope to open the restaurant this summer.

“We’re excited,” he says. “We’ve been looking at spaces in the Wauwatosa area for a while now, and we love how engaged the community is around events and support of local businesses.

"We feel like the audience in Tosa is similar to the ones we have in Oconomowoc and Bay View, and with other businesses like Wauwatiki and Camp Bar in the area, I think we’ll really be able to play off of one another really well. Overall, I think we can bring a lot to the area.”

What to expect

Guests can expect the restaurant to possess a similar look and feel to Crafty Cow’s Bay View and Oconomowoc locations, with a welcoming vibe and rustic look and feel. Eichler says they will be making mostly cosmetic changes to the space and will make full use of the dining room, bar and outdoor patio (located behind the restaurant).

As for the menu, he says it will include offerings similar to those at the Bay View location, including a core selection of burgers and sides, as well as fried chicken. He says that they will also be rolling out a number of new creatively topped burgers and unique appetizers for the Wauwatosa location. 

Crafty Cow opened its first location in Oconomowoc in 2014. They expanded with a location in Bay View in 2016.

Stay tuned for more information as it becomes available.

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.