One of Milwaukee’s most anticipated restaurants of 2026 will soon welcome guests for the first time.
Il Ponte, 814 E. Mason St., from Lupi & Iris owners Adam Siegel and Daria Aitken-Siegel, is set to open Sept. 15, the restaurant announced in an Aug. 13 news release.
The couple announced their new concept, a New York-style Italian restaurant, in June 2025. Designed by Eppstein Uhen Architects, the 7,000 square-foot space is located on the ground floor of Northwestern Mutual’s North Building, which is currently undergoing a $500 million renovation, projected to be completed in 2027.
Il Ponte, which translates to “the bridge” in Italian, will have a more relaxed atmosphere than its fine-dining sister restaurant, Lupi & Iris. When the project was announced, the restaurant promised “house-made pasta, red-sauce classics with a twist and a buzzing central bar.” The concept is inspired by New York native Aitken-Siegel, whose family has roots in Naples, Italy, the release said.
“We love Milwaukee and the people who live here. It’s why we want to bring them together and offer the best possible service and experience in the city,” she said in the release.
Bartlotta’s Lake Park Bistro chef Adam Siegel was a 2008 James Beard Award winner in the category of Best Chefs and a nominee in 2007. Siegel was photographed at his current restaurant, Lupi and Iris, on Feb. 5, 2023.
Siegel, who in 2008 won the James Beard Award for Best Chef: Midwest, has been offering a taste of Il Ponte’s potential menu at a series of sneak preview suppers. Dishes have included caprese salad, garlic bread, lasagna al forno, lobster ravioli, eggplant rollatini, shrimp fra diavola, chicken scarpariello, veal marsala, lemon-ricotta cheesecake and tiramisu.
Il Ponte will be open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Once open, breakfast is served 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. Monday to Friday, lunch from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday to Friday, and dinner from 5 to 8:30 p.m. Monday to Thursday and 5 to 9:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
Reservations are available online at exploretock.com/il-ponte-milwaukee.
Stay tuned for more details and what to expect when Il Ponte opens its doors.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Anticipated Italian restaurant Il Ponte sets opening date in Milwaukee
