Italian-Style Coffee Bar Planned For Wauwatosa Village

WAUWATOSA, WI — A new Italian-style coffee bar plans to open in Wauwatosa Village.

Bill Haley, Tommy Orlando and Tommy Orlando Jr. plan to open Vendetta Coffee Bar at 7613 W. State St. in place of Del Monte Bar.

The bar will serve Italian-style espressos and cappuccinos along with a homemade blend espresso that Orlando built. Wine and local beers on tap will be served as well. Haley said that the caffeine drink formulas will stay close to traditional Italian style and that patrons can stand at the bar to drink their coffee.

One American style exception is allowing to-go cups, which are still in European sizes.

"It's an Italian blend espresso," Haley said of Orlando's homemade espresso. "It's exciting to bring our own."

Haley said that Orlando had wanted to build his own cafe for a decade. The two have made multiple trips to northern Italy where they gathered inspiration for the menu and the interior experience.

The owners wanted to purchase a property in Bay View, but were invited to see the State Street property by DeRosa Restaurants. They decided to settle in Wauwatosa instead after seeing the huge wood bar built in 1906, cream city brick and stained glass on one of the walls.

Planned hours are from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. from Monday to Thursday and 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. from Friday to Saturday. The bar will be closed on Sundays.

A license application is pending before the Wauwatosa Common Council.

Haley said he didn't see a lot of Italian-style cafes in Milwaukee and that he hoped the new bar would fit in with the European styles of the Wauwatosa village area.