THE BARTOLOTTA RESTAURANTS PARTNERS WITH DAVID HERRO AND JAY FRANKE, TO OPEN THE COMMODORE – A BARTOLOTTA RESTAURANT

MILWAUKEE, Wisc. – The Bartolotta Restaurants, the premier restaurant and catering group in the Greater Milwaukee region, is set to expand its award-winning dining portfolio with The Commodore – A Bartolotta Restaurant, a fine dining restaurant and elevated catering venue on Nagawicka Lake. Developed in partnership with David Herro and Jay Franke of HF Hospitality Group, a closely held hospitality design and investment group, The Commodore – A Bartolotta Restaurant is expected to open in the summer of 2023 and will revitalize the historic waterfront property that has most recently been the Seven Seas restaurant and once served as Hasslinger’s Pleasant View Hotel & Resort when it opened in 1905.

“This 117-year-old building is a living time capsule of Nagawicka Lake and the Lake Country community surrounding it, and The Commodore – A Bartolotta Restaurant will serve as the bridge between the past we preserve and the future memories we will make,” says The Bartolotta Restaurants Owner and Co-Founder Chef Paul Bartolotta. “Together with our partners, David and Jay, we will bring new life to this building and create a dining experience that is truly unique to Lake Country and the Greater Milwaukee area.”

Perched above the lake, with picturesque views of the water and sunsets, The Commodore – A Bartolotta Restaurant will be a multi-level destination, with an elegant main level dining room setting inspired by the yacht clubs of the 1920s, while embracing modern Lake Country and its inviting, comfortable, and celebratory atmosphere.

“We are thrilled to partner with Bartolotta, given their reputation for innovative and high- quality dining experiences. It's our plan to passionately rejuvenate this property, reflecting its legacy and importance in the community,” says Mr. Herro and Mr. Franke

The Commodore – A Bartolotta Restaurant’s coveted location and design also makes it the ideal destination for large groups and gatherings on the upper level. The Commodore – A Bartolotta Restaurant joins a portfolio of Bartolotta catering venues that includes Discovery World on Lake Michigan, The Italian Community Center, The Grain Exchange, and more.

The Commodore name itself is taken from classic yacht clubs, where the leader is known as the commodore. The name addresses both current and past commodores in recognition of the time and effort it takes to achieve this rank. As the saying goes, “Once a commodore, always a commodore.” In its history, the property that will become The Commodore – A Bartolotta Restaurant has changed hands more than 15 times in the past century, serving as, among other things, a hotel, a discotheque, a girl’s camp, a school.

“The Commodore – A Bartolotta Restaurant is a segue from that old, nostalgic, magical quality of the property to a modern experience for the contemporary guest,” Chef Bartolotta adds. “Everything we do is a fresh, new idea inspired by the transcendent men and women that came before us.”

Redesign and restoration work has already begun at the site of The Commodore – A Bartolotta Restaurant, and it will become the first Bartolotta location in the Lake Country region to open since Mr. B’s – A Bartolotta Steakhouse opened in Brookfield in 1999.

More information about The Bartolotta Restaurants and its menus can be found at bartolottas.com.

About The Bartolotta Restaurants

The Bartolotta Restaurants is a nationally recognized restaurant and catering organization co-founded by four-time nominated and two-time James Beard Award-winning Chef Paul Bartolotta and his late brother, Joe Bartolotta. Since the opening of its flagship restaurant, Ristorante Bartolotta dal 1993, The Bartolotta Restaurants group has grown to become the premier culinary brand in the Greater Milwaukee region, offering first-class service and cuisine across a portfolio of 17 one-of-a-kind restaurants and catering facilities, including fine dining, upscale casual, upscale food hall, and quick- casual concepts. More information can be found at bartolottas.com.

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