Ginger Tapas Bar at 235 S. 2nd St. in Walker's Point is closed.
The Journal Sentinel broke the news earlier today, indicating that the closure was precipitated by the pending sale of the restaurant. Neither of the owners were available for comment at the time of this article.
According to an application for liquor licensure filed with the City of Milwaukee today, the owners of the new restaurant are Adriel and Kamonte McFarlane, who filed under the name Likkle Jamayka, LLC.
Adriel McFarlane confirmed intentions to take over the Ginger space this afternoon, indicating that the proposed restaurant would serve Caribbean food. However, she declined to provide further details at this time.
The license application does indicate the desire to host live entertainment in the venue (instrumental musicians, bands and DJs). It also lists hours that would be consistent with both lunch and dinner service.
Ginger, which opened in 2008, was owned and operated by Rose Billingsley and Julia LaLoggia, who also operated Stonefly Brewing Company in Riverwest. Former tenants of the space included Barossa, a restaurant LaLoggia operated with partner Deanne Wecker, and the Dish night club.
Watch OnMilwaukee for details as they develop.
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.