Wolf Peach restaurant site sold

The new owner plans to expand its hillside patio for a future restaurant.

The former home of Wolf Peach restaurant in Milwaukee’s Brewers Hill neighborhood has been sold, with the new owner planning to expand its hillside patio for a future restaurant — eliminating a well-known produce garden.

The two-story, 6,900-square-foot building, 1818 N. Hubbard St., was sold to investors group 1818 Ventures LLC for $1.1 million, according to state real estate records posted Wednesday.

The new ownership group is led by Carl Tomich, president of Waukesha based homebuilder Westridge Builders Inc. The building was sold by Dixon 1818 LLC, led by Tim Dixon, who developed the building.

Tomich couldn’t be reached for information about his plans.

But the future restaurant will not include the large outdoor produce garden that was a trademark of Wolf Peach and its predecessor, Roots. Both restaurants featured produce and other items from local vendors.

The restaurant’s hillside garden, where chefs grew ingredients such as tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, cherries, herbs, hops and edible flowers, will be replaced by an expanded outdoor patio, according to plans Tomich has filed with the city.

The expanded patio will have a new level below its current main level.

And that main patio level will expand and add a partial roof to keep some ta-

bles out of the weather, according to plans filed with the Department of Neighborhood Services.

Also, the department issued an excavation permit allowing Tomich to remove “all existing landscaping” from the hillside site, as well as the garden’s pergola.

Meanwhile, Tomich is seeking Common Council permission to vacate an undeveloped portion of East Vine Street, between North Hubbard and North Commerce streets, to allow the patio to be expanded to land previously used for the garden.

Wolf Peach, which is in the Journal Sentinel’s annual Top 30 restaurants feature, closed in March. It was known for its views of the downtown skyline and its seasonal food.

Restaurant owner Gina Gruenewald said she closed Wolf Peach after Tomich outbid her for the building.

Wolf Peach opened in November 2012. It replaced landmark farm-to-table restaurant Roots, which chef John Raymond opened in 2004.

MICHAEL SEARS / MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL The outdoor produce garden at the former Wolf Peach restaurant is being replaced by an expanded patio by the building’s new owner.

CITY OF MILWAUKEE The new owner of the former Wolf Peach restaurant plans to expand its outdoor patio for a future restaurant, eliminating the trademark outdoor produce garden.