The "open" sign at Zak’s Cafe, the breakfast and lunch restaurant at 231 S. 2nd St., went dark today after a busy Labor Day weekend.
A drive past the cafe this morning seems to verify information provided by a source late Friday indicating that the cafe would be closing permanently after the holiday weekend.
We did speak with owner Doug Konzak today at 11:45 a.m.; he stated that, at the time, he was unable to confirm whether the closure would be permanent.
In a conversation just before 4 p.m. this afternoon, Konzak clarified the information further, adding "We are temporarily closed for restructuring."
Zak’s Cafe opened its doors in early 2011, serving a full complement of breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner dishes. In 2016, the restaurant cut back its hours to focus on breakfast and lunch service.
Watch OnMilwaukee for additional 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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