The space on the corner of Lincoln and Howell will soon be home to Middle Eastern delights. Hello Falafel, the new restaurant by Odd Duck owners Ross Bachhuber and Melissa Buchholz, will be open soon, with a tentative plan to open mid-May.
The interior of the restaurant, which most recently held Lombardi’s Pizza, has been refreshed, and the exterior of the space – which has already been painted a brilliant blue hue – is scheduled to be finished this week, notes Buchholz.
The menu, which is nearing finalization, will feature vegetarian fare with a focus on falafel sandwiches featuring fresh local ingredients, housemade laffa bread and scratch-made accouterments including pickles, tahini-based sauces and hummus. Fresh salads, like tabbouleh and fatoush, will be available as both sides or main dishes. Carrot and saffron rice pilaf will fill in for breads to accommodate gluten free diners.
Freshly squeezed juices will also be a mainstay. The restaurant will start with four made-to-order options, expanding their selection over the course of the summer months. Housemade lemon and lime-ades will also be a feature, augmented with flavors like rosewater, basil and mint.
Once open, hours for Hello Falafel will be Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
To keep an eye on the restaurant's progress, follow Hello Falafel on Facebook and Instagram.
Also be sure to watch OnMilwaukee for more information as it becomes available.
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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