There’s delicious trouble brewing at the Central Waters Brewing Co. taproom at 1037 W. Juneau Ave.
Trouble Makers Cocina, the creative Mexican pop-up turned food truck which debuted last spring, will be taking over the kitchen at the popular brewpub in the coming weeks, offering up a menu of beer-friendly fare including street tacos and snacks.
Behind the concept are three industry veterans with ties to the brewing world: Martin Magaña, formerly of Tess and Frida; Arnie Gonzales, formerly of Good City Brewing; and Dillon Knight, whose career has included work at spots like Ugly’s Pub and Black Sheep. Together, the three cohorts have been stirring up trouble all over the city, serving up tacos, loaded fries and more at local beer gardens, breweries (including Central Waters) and various local events.
Gonzales says they’re currently waiting for approval from the city regarding licensing and inspections, but if all goes well they’d like to be open within the next four weeks.
“We’ve always wanted our brand to be tied in with great beer in Milwaukee, so we’re really excited for this new partnership,” he says. “And we can’t wait to start working with Brendan [Williamson] on some great beer pairings to go along with our food.”
Once open, guests can expect a menu of street tacos (with fillings like chicken tinga, carnitas and carne asada) along with loaded fries, esquites, beef birria egg rolls, quesadillas and other creative beer-friendly offerings.
“We’re definitely excited,” adds Knight. “Being a part of the beer scene has always been a goal, and it will be great to have a home base in the Historic Pabst district and be so close to Fiserv Forum.”
Trouble Makers will offer service at Central Waters seven days a week with tentative hours Monday through Wednesday from 3 to 8 p.m., Thursday from 3 to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
In addition to mobile service from their food truck, Trouble Makers Cocina offers full-service catering and drop-off services including taco bar set-ups for corporate and private clients.
More information, including their catering menu and contact info are available online. You can also follow them on Facebook and Instagram for updates on all the trouble they’re stirring up.
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.
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