Today Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele and Milwaukee County Parks announced that they’ve reached an agreement with a new food and beverage operator for Bradford Beach.
The partnership will be with CCH Management LLC (The Dock), a Chicago-based company which also operates a beachside restaurant at Montrose Beach in Chicago.
The agreement is contingent upon approval from the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors. However, if approved, The Dock will manage all food and beverage concessions, tiki rentals and events at Bradford Beach on a five-year contract, with three options to extend the term for an additional year.
The beachside menu is expected to include items like tempura fish tacos, yellowfin tuna steak and grass-fed burgers and a special kids menu. The Dock will also sell beer, wine and cocktails.
"Residents and tourists that come to Milwaukee County beaches will have a variety of options to dine and drink along the water this summer," noted Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele in a release about the partnership. "The Dock partnership at Bradford Beach will bring even more visitors and economic impact to the community, and I look forward to seeing what great options are in store for us this summer."
According to the release, the partnership will also include a profit-sharing agreement as well as the establishment of a Parks Improvement Fund that will be used to maintain and enhance the Bradford pavilion and beach. Enhancements proposed for 2019 and 2020 include additional seating, bar deck extensions, live music and European beer garden style shade umbrellas.
Joining The Dock, Volley Life has been named as the vendor who will organize volleyball leagues and tournaments at Bradford Beach.
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.
