A Year to Celebrate

This new year signifies the 75th anniversary of our beloved cafe and the 100th year of operations for our Plaza Hotel. Opening its doors in 1900, our Plaza Hotel has been a staple of the Central East Side for a century. We’ve been so honored and proud to serve the Milwaukee community all these years.

Even though we’ve been around for 100 big ones, there may be some things you don’t know about us! Originally built in 1925, the hotel was designed by architect George W. Adams and initially consisted of two buildings. With only two owners in its history, the Plaza has remained a timeless gem, reflecting both antiquity and charm as an homage to the roaring ’20s era in which it was born and the European “pied-à-terre” atmosphere it evokes.

Did you know that before the Cafe at the Plaza existed, The Plaza Hotel had a charming tea room? With plush, crushed pink velvet furnishings, it served as an elegant space where lady residents entertained guests for decades. In 1950, the Cafe’s iconic wraparound lunch counter took its place as the centerpiece of the newly opened cafe and would kick off 75 years of serving the best brunch in Milwaukee.

We have many exciting things lined up this year, including specially branded mugs to commemorate the occasion, and we can’t wait to share it all with you. Keep an eye out for all the special ways we’ll be marking both of our anniversaries on your visits to us throughout the year. We wholeheartedly thank you for including us in your journey. We look forward to celebrating with you all year long!