Step inside the doors at Waking Daisy, 20340 W. Lord St. in Brookfield, and you’ll be greeted by bright colors, a warm friendly vibe and the smell of buttery goodness sizzling on the flat-top grill.
This all-day brunch café, created by Freshfin owners Nate Arkush and Andrew Foster, is built on the belief that the simplest moments often leave the most lasting impression. Whether it’s a perfectly brewed latte, a stack of golden daisy cakes or a seat at the counter where someone remembers your name, you’ll find an element that will make even the simplest morning special.
And it will be opening its doors at The Corners of Brookfield with a public soft launch on Friday, July 18, from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Everything’s sunny-side up
There’s so very little to frown at inside the space, which is filled with a palette of colors with names like prosecco, daybreak, cardinal and moss and evergreen.
There are lively stripes on the banquettes along the walls and green and white checkered tops on the tables, which can be arranged in a variety of configurations to accommodate intimate groups of two to four or large families of eight or more.
The vibe, with its retro soundtrack of Motown and Soul music is calming and nostalgic and the restaurant’s four-seat bar is much fancier than most home bars, yet it still conjures the spirit of a midcentury bar nook.
Meanwhile, blind contour drawings depicting various people and animals by artist Kat Russo hang between patterned art prints depicting little bursts of trumpet-like “pops” that sync with the Waking Daisy logo.
The design of the restaurant is the work of local design and build firm THREE SIXTY and B&Co. Hospitality Branding, both of which worked closely with Waking Daisy owners Arkush and Foster to ensure consistency in every element, from ambiance to customer experience.
“They did a great job of delivering a modern, familiar atmosphere that connects to a wide variety of people, regardless of which generation they’re from,” says Arkush. “There’s a bit of nostalgia in every element, along with a touch of modern.”
Who’s Daisy? She might be the girl in the logo blowing her trumpet or the sketch of the basset hound on the wall. She could be a flashback to the 1870’s when “daisy” was something excellent or first-rate. Or maybe the name is just a simple reminder that every day is the opportunity for a new beginning.
“We want everyone to come in and create their own definition for what it means.” says Arkush. “A daisy is something good. It’s a feeling.”
Fresh takes & familiar faves
As for the menu at Waking Daisy, it’s a combination of research, brainstorming and expertise gleaned from a chef consultant who assisted Arkush and Foster in creating a menu of both modern and classic brunch dishes that took the Freshfin ethos of reliance on high-quality ingredients and expanded upon it.
“We spent time conducting research and development in other large cities to get inspiration for the menu,” says Arkush, “including items like deli and katsu sandwiches, Brooklyn chopped cheese and lox and bagels. We also came back with a concept for a unique pancake – which we’re calling the Daisy Cake – that has a bouncy, pillowy texture and a velvety maple butter sauce that’s enhanced with a bit of savory miso flavor.”
The signature pancake is available both as a 7-inch pancake that can be shared by the table ($8); as a full stack topped with honey maple butter, lemon zest and berry compote ($16); or topped with crispy chicken katsu, apricot gochujang and honey maple butter ($21).
To assist them with everyday operations, they hired Chef Michael Solovey, a 28-year industry veteran and graduate of Le Cordon Bleu in Scottsdale, Arizona. His career has included various projects, including operating a restaurant in Shanghai, China called Bloc, which included dishes from countries that were part of the Warsaw Pact. Most recently, Solovey operated the Sage Harvest Cooking School on Brady Street.
“I love brunch and I feel that many people in Milwaukee do,” says Solovey. “What drew me to this position was Nate and Andrew. It’s the way they operate their business. I’ve been teaching for 12 years and I said I’d never go back into restaurants. But I felt really drawn to work with them. This concept made a lot of sense and I wanted to be part of it.”
The more the team told me about Waking Daisy, the more it felt like something special.
The menu is filled with items that are made from scratch and created with particular attention to detail. Take the biscuits and gravy, which are made with Grandma Broadbent dry-cured hickory-smoked sausage from Kentucky. Or the breakfast potatoes that are tossed in fresh garlic and herbs and then fried in beef tallow for that beautiful depth of classic flavor (vegetarian guests can request vegetarian preparation).
There’s house-smoked pastrami in the Pastrami Hash (with diced potatoes, onions, peppers, fried eggs, paprika aioli and petite greens, $19); in the Pastrami on Rye (featuring marble rye bread and spicy brown mustard, $22); and on the Brooklyn Chopped Cheese (with Cooper’s Sharp cheese, bodega sauce, lettuce and tomato on a toasted hero roll, $20).
The menu is also personal. Dishes like Rose’s Breakfast Bowl (beet chorizo; farro, quinoa and rice blend; poached egg; sweet potato; avocado and paprika aioli) are named for real people. In this case, it's health-conscious Great Grandmother Rose.
Keep looking and you’ll find more homages to folks like Grandfather Ed (who loved a good gin fizz), Grandfather Pat (who was from Ireland), Rita (who adored a good classic). There are also Daisy’s bagels and cold smoked salmon lox named in homage to Barry, Nate’s father who passed away last year.
Waking Daisy also offers a signature burger. It’s a smash burger, in case you didn’t already guess, made with custom-blended beef, Cooper’s Sharp cheese, Edwidene’s special sauce and lettuce, pickle and onion on a potato bun ($17; add bacon or egg for +$3 each).
Brunchworthy sips
In addition to a menu featuring staples like orange juice, various teas and Anodyne Coffee, Waking Daisy also offers a full bar featuring craft beer, wine and a variety of cocktails designed in collaboration with Badger Liquor.
That includes offerings like an espresso martini featuring vodka, Anodyne coffee, espresso syrup and a splash of cream; a Wisconsin Old Fashioned made with Central Standard North Brandy; and Daisy’s Spritz, a take on the Aperol Sprits featuring Peychaud’s Aperitivo, Avissi Prosecco and soda.
Guests can also order fun cocktails like the Paloma or the Egg, a Paloma made with Tres Agaves Teqila, lime and grapefruit soda and garnished with a citrus melon egg made with lemon lime coconut sorbet and a fresh melon yolk.
In the spirit of brunch, Waking Daisy will also serve up the usual drinks: a house Bloody Mary with a High Life Chaser; Mimosas and Mimosa Flights featuring a full bottle of French sparkling wine and three shot glasses filled with seasonal juices that can be mixed and mingled as guests desire.
A place to slow down or fill up
Head over to Waking Daisy for a relaxing breakfast with friends. Make a reservation and use their waitlist technology on Tock to run a few errands at The Corners or do a bit of window shopping. You can take advantage of friendly full-service from Waking Daisy servers. But, if you’d prefer, there are QR codes on the tables for ordering drinks or paying the bill at the end of your meal.
Too busy to take a seat for breakfast or lunch? Hop on the app and order a uniquely delicious breakfast sandwich to go. It will be ready for you at the grab-and-go station inside the restaurant.
“It’s very similar to Freshfin that way,” notes Foster. “The idea is to provide guests with something thoughtful and high quality with the option for technology and convenience.”
Whether you're looking for a quick breakfast on the go or a leisurely brunch near Milwaukee, Waking Daisy offers something for every kind of morning.
One last bite
As for any soft opening, now is the time for patience and grace as Waking Daisy’s brand new staff gets used to the pace at the restaurant. So, feel free to head over and try it out, but understand that this is their practice run!
If you’d prefer, you can stop in for Waking Daisy’s grand opening on Saturday, July 26 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. There will be complimentary passed bites (no regular menu that day), $5 mimosas, free Waking Daisy coffee mugs for the first 300 guests and a coupon for a free order of Daisy Cakes with the purchase of a future entree.
As Waking Daisy finds its stride, the all-day cafe will also be expanding its hours to include dinner service Thursday through Sunday evenings (including the opportunity for breakfast for dinner). The space will also become an active, community driven space for chefs’ pop-ups and private parties.
Beginning Friday, July 18, Waking Daisy will be open seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
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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