The Madison Alcohol License Review Committee will meet Wednesday, April 24, at 5:30 p.m. As detailed in its agenda (PDF), here are some of the new establishments seeking licenses and other key orders of business.
The Fountain is requesting permission to expand to the second floor space above the current restaurant, to "allow us to meet growing requests for banquets and other events," according to documents filed with the city. To clarify, this 118-seat space would be above the Fountain's rear restaurant area that opens onto West Dayton, not the narrower restaurant area that is on State Street.
Blair Street Brew & BBQ is requesting additional seating in an outdoor patio area; the document also mentions the possibility of live acoustic music being performed there.
Back on the agenda after having been referred from the last meeting is a proposed license for East Side Catering and Hall in the former Talula space at 802 Atlas Ave. Despite the name, the business is intended to be a "full service restaurant" as well as "full service catering and special event hall," according to the documents filed with the city. Operators Joseph Reinhart and Jason Wells are formerly associated with the My Buddies restaurant and bar near East Towne, against which the city proposed license revocation procedures at last month's ALRC meeting. (Reinhart and Wells along with other partners are listed in those documents as having defaulted on their lease, according to building owner Capitol JFK III. The license was surrendered voluntarily in late March.) The menu submitted with the East Side Catering application is a copy of the My Buddies menu.
Next Door Brewing Company, to be located at 2439 Atwood Ave., is seeking a license for a "brewpub -- a restaurant with a nanobrewery." There's likely to be controversy with this item as a number of neighbors have filed their support and opposition with the city.
The Spot, 827 E. Johnson St., is going in to the former Mildred's Sandwich Shop space. The Spot will be a full service restaurant with 70% of sales coming from food, 30% from alcohol, according to documents filed with the city.
Black Olive, a Mediterranean, Greek and Italian restaurant from Thomas Paras, is headed for 751 N. High Point Rd. Paras is the former longtime owner of Amy's Cafe on West Gilman Street. Estimated opening date is listed as July 15.
Grampa's Pizzeria seeks a license at 1374 Williamson St., where a new "artisan style pizza" shop will take the place of Grampa's Gun Shop. There will be no separate bar area and 80% of revenue is expected to come from food sales.
The Heritage Fox, a new restaurant from Dan Fox and Chad Vogel (which has also been called Fox and Bird in previous media coverage), is slated for 131 E. Mifflin St. It's described as "farm-to-table dining with an innovative cocktail and beverage program in a classic old world tavern setting."
