Meat on the Street is the new cafe operator for the Milwaukee Public Museum

Meat on the Street started in 2014 as a single food truck serving up Filipino-style cuisine. Known for their signature dishes such as kabobs, egg rolls and lumpia, Meat on the Street grew to a brick and mortar location in the Eleven25 building in 2016 and also added catering.

Their growth continues now as the new cafe operator at the Milwaukee Public Museum. The announcement was made in February and Meat on the Street has settled into their new home, expanded their food menu and also operates the museum’s coffee kiosk.

It's an opportunity that Meat on the Street co-founder and co-owner Alexa Alfaro has been waiting on for a while. They had long outgrown their previous 500-square-foot kitchen and needed a bigger space to continue their growth.

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Meat on the Street now has a 2,000 square foot kitchen space, three food stalls and a coffee kiosk to operate at the Milwaukee Public Museum.

Image courtesy of Meat on the Street

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Alexa Alfaro (center, posing with a peace sign) and her brother Matt Alfaro (far left), along with their Meat on the Street team at their new kitchen space at the Milwaukee Public Museum.

Image courtesy of Meat on the Street

After seeing the museum's space and having some informal conversations, Alfaro and her team decided that the move was necessary and committed to landing it.

"This past year was just like pedal to the metal, [we] grew over one hundred percent, and it was just like we need a bigger space if we want to continue growing at this rate. And that was the goal — we were so determined to get it that there was no Plan B," she says.

They now have 2,000 square feet of kitchen space with an additional 2,000 square feet of storage space, three food stalls and a coffee kiosk to operate out of. They've also made some additions to their menu to include some more traditional American foods like chicken tenders, French fries and sliders along with some child-centered foods like mini pancakes, peanut butter sandwiches and grilled sandwiches.

Alfaro credits the hard work of her "killer team" for how fast they were able to transition from Eleven25 to the museum and open with an expanded menu. "We can throw them into something, we can move, prep, set up, whatever in under six days and they will be good to go," she notes.

Patrons don't need to purchase a museum ticket to eat at the new location. Meat on the Street's contract with the museum is for the next three and a half years. Alfaro also stresses she does not know whether their establishment will carry over into the new Milwaukee Public Museum — that facility has not broken ground yet and is expected to open in 2026.

MPM Café hours are 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Wednesday-Monday
MPM Coffee Kiosk hours are 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., Wednesday-Monday

Editor's Note: On May 2, 2023 Meat on the Street announced the closure of its operations effective as of May 1, 2023.