Renovation

The Downtown Kitchen, previously known as the Galleria Cafe, is located at the Galleria level of the US Bank Center in downtown Milwaukee. The Downtown Kitchen is a meeting place unlike any in Milwaukee - a place where the speed of modern business merges with the warmth, craft, and professionalism of the Bartolotta Restaurant brand. This 15,000 square foot restaurant development by the Bartolotta Restaurant Group provides an upscale location for thousands of employees at the US Bank Center and surrounding downtown office building

The Downtown Kitchen (dk) is a reinvention of the corporate cafeteria. This addition meets the dining and catering needs of leading businesses in Milwaukee’s premier Class A corporate building, the US Bank Center. Bartolotta’s wanted to focus on the guest experience, with a variety of seating options to make the space inviting and comfortable for everyone. The space is flexible and open and offers intimate spaces where people can dine alone or work outside of the office.

An emphasis on the lighting was a key design feature in the space; not only for the aesthetic but also for the space's warmth. We needed to translate this warmth into the materials used to accentuate texture and quality. The existing ceiling was painted black to downplay the strong angular geometry and create drama, highlighting the food as center stage. A stark black and white palette keeps the aesthetic simple and classic, true to the Bartolotta Restaurants brand.