As the saying goes: change is the only constant.
And that’s an apt description of the scene at Interval, the innovative cafe at 1600 N. Jackson St.
Effective this week, cafe owner Ryan Hoban and Chef Travis Cook have parted ways. And Hoban says that, after nearly a year of operation, he’s moving the cafe forward in accordance with his original vision.
"My original intention was to open a cafe which offered coffee service and some menu items during the day, cocktails during the evening hours and a variety of pop-up events on evenings and weekends," he says.
"While I enjoy restaurants and genuinely appreciate the efforts that go into those experiences, I never intended to own a restaurant. And, as I stepped back and looked at what Interval had become, it began to look more and more like that’s the direction we were headed. I felt like we had lost a bit of our original vision."
The decision wasn’t financial, Hoban notes. "We were filling the space every night and people were having a lot of fun. But we needed to make some changes to really bring things back into focus."
Hoban says that daytime cafe operations will continue as they always have. However, in the weeks ahead, they will make efforts to expand breakfast and lunch offerings.
"Travis [Cook] really helped us to curate an elevated daytime food menu," says Hoban. "And we’ll keep a portion of that; but we also expect to add some additional items more like what you’d traditionally find in a coffee shop or cafe."
In lieu of dinner service Wednesday through Saturday, Hoban says guests can look forward to a menu of cocktails and snacks, along with periodic pop-up events spear-headed by any number of area chefs.
"The pop-ups might be for one night, or an entire weekend," he says. "Or we might host someone for a slightly longer period of time. Either way, it will be all about giving people something new and surprising. What we really want to offer people are amazing, unique experiences that are beautiful and yet messy. Satisfying, yet temporary."
Travis Cook declined to comment on his immediate plans, but indicated that folks can follow him on Instagram at TravisCookMKE for updates.
Currently, Interval is open Sunday through Tuesday 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Wednesday through Saturday, 7 to 3 and 5 to 10 p.m.
Beginning Aug. 19, Hoban says the hours will be extended. New hours will be: Monday 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., Tuesday through Friday 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., Saturday 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Sunday 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
As a passionate champion of the local dining scene, Lori has reimagined the restaurant critic's role into that of a trusted dining concierge, guiding food lovers to delightful culinary discoveries and memorable experiences.
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 every dish. Lori is the author of two books: the "Wisconsin Field to Fork" cookbook and "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 planning for TV and radio spots, 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.
