Chef Terrell Turner and Suzanne Pham-Banh, the folks behind Hot Box Pizza at Zocalo Food Truck Park, will be leveling up their mobile pizza operation to include a brick and mortar restaurant at 2509 E. Oklahoma Ave.
The couple has signed a lease on the property, owned by Scott Genke of SG Property Development + Management, with the hope of opening a brand new restaurant concept in the space by late summer.
The new concept, doh’p Wood-fired Fare, will make full use of both the interior and exterior of the former home of Swift Roofing, offering both indoor and outdoor seating, plus a menu of wood-fired pizza and other dishes coaxed to life via the magic of live fire.
Turner, who says he’s driven past the property for years, always thought it would be the perfect spot to launch a small restaurant. But it wasn’t until recently that the building became available.
“The availability of the space really pushed us to expand,” notes Pham-Bahn, who says they weren’t yet looking for a brick and mortar restaurant. But when the property became available, things just came together for us.”
Turner agrees.
“Right now, the whole project seems really surreal,” he says. “But I’m excited. Milwaukee has really taken to what I have to give, so I’m really looking forward to giving people even more.”
A look at the plans
Much like Hot Box Pizza, which conjures polysemous meanings, doh’p Wood-fired Fare will make full use of the homonym “doh'p,” which conjures various meanings including its colloquial use to mean “great” or “excellent.”
And something excellent is precisely what Turner and Pham-Banh hope to bring to the residential area in Bay View.
Inside the 1100 square foot building, guests will find a small restaurant with a modern industrial chic aesthetic that builds on a foundation of black and white with pops of green from both living plants and an Instagram wall set off with artificial grass and neon signage.
Pham-Banh says they’d also like to work in a display of art for sale in the space from local artist. “This is our community,” she says, “And we want to support local artists and showcase what they do.”
Seating will be available at a few two top tables, but the focal point of the space will be the open kitchen, equipped with a custom built wood-fired oven and fryer, surrounded by an interactive counter space and bar seating.
Two operational garage doors will allow open air dining during the clement months and a seamless transition between the indoor portion of the restaurant and its outdoor patio which will make efficient use of the near 7,000 square feet of paved space surrounding the building.
Turner says the initial plan for the patio will include some basic picnic tables; but phase two of the patio’s evolution will expand the outdoor area to include a covered dining area, among other amenities (we’ll be sure to share the dope on that plan as it develops).
On the menu
Guests familiar with the menu at Hot Box Pizza will find similarities between the food truck concept and doh'p, with the largest overlap centering on the restaurant’s wood-fired pizza.
However, Turner says that – while the menu will continue to include Hot Box staples – it will also be expanded to include a rotating selection of pizzas which showcase local, seasonal produce from area farms as well as Wisconsin cheeses and meats from local producers.
“It’s something we’ve been wanting to do for a while,” he says. “And it’s a way to elevate the concept all around while supporting the local farmers and makers here in Wisconsin.”
A rotating cast of dishes, including Caesar and panzanella salads, appetizers, pasta and vegetable dishes will also showcase both local ingredients and the unique flavors and textures created by cooking with live fire.
Guests can also look forward to a selection of sweet treats, including their popular doughnuts and soft serve ice cream.
Turner says they also hope to obtain licensure to sell both wine and beer. The hope is to curate a selection that focuses on local brands as much as possible.
Once open, doh’p Wood-fired Fare is expected to offer both lunch and dinner service six days a week.
For now, guests can continue to support the Hot Box Pizza MKE food truck at Zocalo Food Truck Park, as well as local catering gigs and events throughout Milwaukee.
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.
