Café Benelux reopens after renovations; features new "Map Room" dining area

MILWAUKEE -- Milwaukee's Café Benelux has reopened after renovations.

The Third Ward restaurant reopened on Thursday, March 16th after it was closed for 10 days for work which included the addition of a new “Map Room” dining area, refinishing the floors throughout, updating the bar area, expanding the number of draught lines from 30 to 36—including a ‘nitro’ line—as well as numerous additional aesthetic and mechanical updates.

According to a statement, the renovation features the reuse of materials, including old wood bleacher seats from Slinger Elementary School that have been reimagined as planter boxes that surround the large atrium. The materials have also been made into shelving in the café’s new Map Room.

According to that statement, the name “Benelux” comes from the first two or three letters of Belgium, Netherlands and Luxembourg—the region behind the café’s inspiration. When the rooftop patio reopens, the flags of the three countries will be on display along the rooftop of the café, as well as the new “People’s Flag of Milwaukee.” The flag was designed by Robert Lenz, who won a recent competition to give the city a new symbol of hope, pride and unity.

In addition to flying the new Milwaukee flag, the Lowlands Group also partnered with local bike company Fyxation, which crafted a custom Milwaukee flag bike. It features a unique blue, white and yellow paint-job that pays tribute to Lenz’s “Sunrise Over the Lake” flag design. The bike is currently on display at Café Benelux in efforts to promote awareness of the new flag.