Funviralpark Met co-owner Evan Hughes. He and another co-owner, Pat McQueen, started in the Walkers Point tasting room, he said. They shared space with the Milwaukee Brewing Company. They wanted to increase tourism in Milwaukee and bring more people to the city. The Kitchen and Craft Distillery opened a year and a half ago.
The building was originally built in 1874. He is one of the oldest buildings in downtown Milwaukee. It used to be a leather company that made shoe soles and horse reins.
Evan took us through the entire building. Upon first entering the building, he notices bright cream colored city brick walls. They saved the ropes and gear from the original elevator to create a door behind the dining area, which Evan said was powered by a water pipe located underground.
The building has several floors. The basement is called the Founder’s Room. There is a very long table made of ash wood that used to be in front of Pabst House.
We also have a 100 gallon pot still that produces all the spirits served and sold on the premises. Behind the table are some barrels used to age the spirits.
The ground floor is the main dining area with a full cocktail bar. They also have an area that has lots of all the different craft spirit merchandise and bottles they make for purchase.
The second floor is called The Mix.
Named after famed Milwaukee architect Edward Townshend Mix. He built his building in 1874. The space is used for private events.
You can book a room by visiting their website.
My favorite is the rooftop. When they first started renovating the building, so many seagulls lived there that it’s called The Aviary.
The restaurant serves brunch, lunch and dinner. I was happy to try food from the brunch menu. I ordered the Central Standard Hash.
Includes herbed potatoes, two poached eggs, braised beef, and arugula. Topped with Hooke’s famous Swiss cheese and hollandaise sauce. It is very filling and very delicious. A perfect combination of breakfast and lunch in a bowl. It was delicious.
My mom ordered the Churro French Toast, which is Texas toast dusted with cinnamon sugar and topped with Red Cabin Bourbon Butter.
My mom thought French toast was a great combination of flavors that really made the dish pop.
We both had the Horchata Zero Proof Cocktail.
It’s made with milk, cinnamon, jasmine rice, vanilla, and simple syrup. It tasted very sweet and creamy.
The extensive cocktail menu includes bourbon, whiskey, vodka, gin and more. It takes about seven days to make a spirit in a distiller and many years to age it in barrels. Their most popular spirit is Red Cabin Bourbon.
With a friendly and fun atmosphere, great food and drink, and beautiful historic architecture, we highly recommend checking out Central Standard Crafthouse & Kitchen & Craft Distillery. you won’t be disappointed. Can’t wait to come back for lunch and dinner.
Plenty of street parking around the building and in the public market car park just south of the building.
Thank you to Evan Hughes, Pat McQuillan, Chef Adam Zimdars and the rest of the crew for a wonderful brunch. It was a lot of fun.
