By Lori Fredrich Senior Food Writer, Dining Editor, Podcast Host Published Sep 26, 2022 at 12:21 PM Photography: Lori Fredrich

At a press event this morning, representatives from the Milwaukee Bucks, NCG Hospitality and Food Fight Restaurant Group announced the name and concept for a new Italian restaurant slated for The Trade, a Marriott Autograph Collection hotel which is forecasted to open in March of 2023.

“We are excited to bring this hotel to Milwaukee and build on the fabric of the city,” noted Andy Inman, VP of Development for North Central Group (NCG) Hospitality, Andy Inman. “The Trade is telling the story of how Milwaukee was made; the industries that built Milwaukee and that were such a vital part of the building of Milwaukee. But The Trade is also about celebrating how things are made, including food.”

The Trade, which is currently under construction at 420 W Juneau Ave., will not only bring a new luxury hotel to the Deer District, but also a new 9,000 square foot rooftop restaurant, which will be aptly named Il Cervo (The Deer in Italian). 

To cement the announcement, construction crews hoisted Il Cervo’s 4500 pound Wood Stone Fire Deck 8645 Stone Hearth Pizza Oven to the restaurant’s 9th floor quarters.

Oven being hoisted to 9th floorX

Caitlin Suemnicht, Chief Executive Officer for the Madison-based Food Fight Restaurant Group noted that the group is thrilled to be opening their very first concept in the Cream City.

“It will be a place where guests can gather for drinks and a pizza,” she notes, adding that Il Cervo will also cater to diners who are looking for a multi-course dining experience.

Guests can expect a menu featuring hand-stretched sourdough pizza, fresh pasta, grilled whole fish, butter poached lobster and dry aged steaks along with mozzarella and burrata cheeses made fresh in house on a daily basis.

“Il Cervo will also feature a draft list which will celebrate the long history of brewing in Milwaukee,” Suemnicht notes.

Additional information about the restaurant is expected to be released later this week.

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.