If a highlight of your summer is enjoying pizza, pasta or weekend brunch on the Rustico patio in the Third Ward, now is the time to get your final fix.
The restaurant, which has been a fixture on Water Street since 2008, will be observing its last day of service on Saturday, July 2.
Owner Brian Zarletti has confirmed the closing, noting that he'll be taking time to focus on the other two Zarletti concepts.
"We've had a great nine-year run," he says. "And that's no small feat. It's not without sadness that we're giving this up. However, it's time to refocus our energy."
But the space won't be vacant for long. Joshua Janis, owner of Refuge Cafes, will be opening Rivalry, a dual-level sports-themed bar described as "comfortable and trendy with the best food and drink from both Illinois and Wisconsin."
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.
.jpeg)
