There’s a brand new spot Downtown where you can pick up smoothies, breakfast items or lunch dishes. Even better, you’ll also be supporting the work of aspiring women and minority entrepreneurs.
The Diverse Dining Market, which officially made its debut in July at 250 Wisconsin Ave., is headed up by Emerald Mills, founder of Diverse Dining and Turning Tables, an initiative that aspires to both literally and figuratively turn the tables on inequality in food entrepreneurship in Milwaukee.
The entrepreneurial incubator got its start as Turning Tables Eatery & Tavern at Turner Hall. But, after two years, Mills relocated the business to the Two Fifty, opening the Diverse Dining Market in the space that formerly housed Freshii.
The new venue operates with the same mission: to function as a public food market for local entrepreneurs, a catering and teaching kitchen and a headquarters for Diverse Dining experiences and corporate training.
The counter service market, which is currently open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., employs a variety of aspiring entrepreneurs who hope to find gainful employment in the restaurant industry. It features a core menu of breakfast offerings (sandwiches, breakfast bowls and fruit and yogurt bowls) and lunch items including salads, bowls, wraps and sandwiches along with a variety of smoothies and sides.
It also features dishes from entrepreneurs who are further along in the program and actively introducing their products to the public.
Currently, on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., guests will find macaroni and cheese bowls, pulled pork or chicken sandwiches and hearty smoked pork or chicken dinners from pitmaster Jervel Williams of Mister Bar-B-Que.
On Wednesdays and Fridays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., the Market features Alicia Thee Chef's housemade lasagna in variations like classic, veggie and chicken spinach alfredo.
Guests will also find products from small local businesses including beverages from Soul Brew Kombucha, Delta Boy Sea Moss and a variety of freshly baked desserts from Tisha’s Delectable Delights.
A delicious mission
During Turning Tables’ tenure at Turner Hall, 16 local food entrepreneurs completed Diverse Dining’s 10-week IKEP (Incubator Kitchen Entrepreneur Program) with funding from The Business Council (TBC). The initiative also supported a variety of small woman and minority-owned businesses by using their services and recommending them to other small businesses. But Mills says that, while they met with some success, the location wasn’t a fit.
“Ultimately, the work of managing such a large restaurant operation, especially during the pandemic, was too much,” she says. “It took time and energy away from the vision we’d built for the business. Our goal was never to operate our own restaurant, rather, it was to create a collaborative space that provided support for food entrepreneurs.”
The Diverse Dining Market provides enough space to showcase food from participating entrepreneurs. It’s located in a part of Downtown with consistent foot traffic, so business is more consistent. It also allows for catering services – a key for both entrepreneur training and business income – available both on-premise in the Market’s 60-person conference space or off-premise. Options include party platters, lunch boxes and taco, potato or salad bars.
“Our goal is to shift our focus back to our mission,” says Mills. “We want to assist people in getting past the barriers that prevent them from finding success in the restaurant business.”
More to come
Moving forward, Mills says, she hopes to attract additional entrepreneurs, allowing expansion of both the hours and offerings for the market and catering services.
Guests can also anticipate the return of Diverse Dining gatherings and corporate events beginning in the fall. Sign up for the Diverse Dining mailing list
For more information about the market, including catering or opportunities to participate as an entrepreneur, visit 4diversedining.com. You can also follow Diverse Dining Market on Facebook and Instagram.
The Diverse Dining Market is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Parking is available in the Two Fifty’s parking garage on Broadway. Stop in for breakfast or lunch and the Market will validate your ticket for one hour of free parking.
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.
