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If you stopped over at Rustico for lunch or dinner on Monday, you may have noticed a closed sign in the window. That’s because the restaurant is getting a bit of a facelift.
Changes start with a brand new menu, which rolled out on Tuesday, Oct. 21.
Thanks to Chef Andrew Miller, executive at Salotto Zarletti in Mequon, Rustico’s menu has undergone a complete overhaul, including a format change which adds both small and large plates, as well as pizza.
"The menu will change frequently," says Miller, "Both to reflect seasonality and customer feedback. People can expect Italian-inspired shareable comfort food."
Small plates, served for both lunch and dinner, will include items like fresh Castelvetrano olives with house sausage stuffing and pecorino ($7), arancini (risotto balls) stuffed with pork shoulder, smoked mozzarella and ragu ($9) housemade burrata with grilled bread ($11) and meatballs with ragu and pecorino ($9).
New lunch items include pappardelle with ragu ($16) and spaghetti all’amatriciana with pomodoro, pancetta and chili flakes ($17) as well as sandwiches including shortribs with pepperonata, taleggio and shaved red onion on brioche ($15), a grilled Scottish salmon PLT with pancetta, tomato and arugula on focaccia ($14) and a chicken sandwich with onions, mushrooms, arugula, tomatoes and pesto mayo on focaccia ($13).
Dinner entrees include stozzapretti with pesto Genovese, red peppers, mushrooms, arugula, red onion and Pecorino crema ($16), spaghetti pescatore with calamari, shrimp, salmon, chili flakes and pomodoro ($21) as well as braised shortribs with garlic, red wine, crispy fingerling potatoes and red onions ($23) and pan-roasted Scottish salmon with crispy fingerlings, salsa verde, arugula and red onion ($22).
The pizza menu includes favorites like the margherita ($12/20), rustica – upgrade to include sopressata ($14/23) and Toscana ($14/22).
However, the new menu also includes offerings like the spicy Diavola which sports hot Sopressata sausage, chili flakes, fresh mozzarella and basil ($15/23) and the aglio olio with fresh mozzarella, pecorino, Calabrian chile, garlic and parsley ($13/21). Seasonal pies include the butternut squash with smoked mozzarella, mushrooms and pancetta ($15/23).
A number of the dishes offered are suitable for vegetarians, as well as gluten-free and dairy-free diners.
Miller says he will be dividing his time between Rustico and Salotto Zarletti to ensure the highest level of quality in dishes at both restaurants.
He’s also indicated that more changes are on the way. Stay tuned to OnMilwaukee.com for more 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.
