When Chef Adam Siegel describes the menu at Il Ponte, the “New York-style Italian restaurant he’ll be launching in 2026 alongside his wife and co-owner Daria Aitken-Siegel, he notes that there will be “a good amount of red sauce.”

That’s just one of the details shared on Friday at a press event explicating additional details for the restaurant, which will be located inside Northwestern Mutual’s North Building at 818 E. Mason St., just steps to the East of Lupi & Iris. With construction on the building running on time, the aim is for Il Ponte to open in the fall of 2026.

Siegel says the menu, which is still under development, will feature a variety of pastas, largely handmade. “But the menu won’t be overwhelmed with spaghetti and meatballs,” he notes. “In fact, we’re planning to introduce quite a few dishes that aren’t being served currently in Milwaukee. We’re excited for that.” 

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The new eatery is also aiming for a more casual vibe than Lupi & Iris, though it will aspire to offer the same level of hospitality. 

“The concept will be more casual with approachable food,” Aitken-Siegel says. “But it will still maintain all the finer points of service. At Lupi, we call ourselves ‘fine dining without the pretense.’ We’re a place that strives to foster relationships with our guests.”

Siegel agrees. “We want [guests] to feel relaxed," he notes. "We don’t want them to feel like they have to be prim and proper at every moment. We want them to feel like they’re having a good time."

And that’s what the couple will strive for at Il Ponte, which Aitken-Siegel says is much like the television show, “Cheers,” where everybody knows your name. The name Il Ponte, is part of that equation.

The word, which means “the bridge” in Italian, is a nod to the skywalk that connects the North Building with its 32-story neighbor. But it’s also a reference to the connection it will create between people, cultures and flavors.

“Food brings people together,” says Aitken-Siegel. “Meals are shared, stories are told. It brings together families, colleagues and community.” 

A peek at the design

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Designed by Eppstein Uhen Architects, Il Ponte’s focal point will be its large, convivial bar, which is designed to intersect with the dining area, creating a “bustling” vibe that accommodates people to stop in for a quick bite. 

Like Lupi & Iris, the design will also incorporate a creatively designed acoustic ceiling to minimize noise. 

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The main dining area will be located adjacent to the bar and will allow diners a view into the open kitchen.

Overall the restaurant will seat about 150 people, with 30 at the bar and the remainder divided among the main dining room and two smaller, flexible private event spaces. 

There will also be a raised patio to accommodate diners during the clement months of the year.

Finer details of the concept – which is intended, in part, to foster connection between the community and the renovated Northwestern Mutual building – are still under development. But based on the impact seen by Siegel’s two decades of work with the Bartolotta Restaurants as well as the past three years with Lupi & Iris, there’s reason to be excited for what’s to come. 

“Adam has carved a niche in this city and has helped to grow and build the dining scene,” notes Aitken-Siegel. “He’s worked with and trained a variety of chefs. And our team is a testament to that. It feels like a family here, and they part of what makes this possible.”