If you’ve had one of the many culinary creations from Riley’s Sandwich Co. in Shorewood (4473 N. Oakland Ave.), you’ll know that both canines and sandwiches are a dual focus of the almost 1-year-old business.
Owners John and Jess Ludwig named the business after their dog Riley, and pooches are welcome to visit the dog-themed shop with their humans. And the sandwiches, well … the couple started with eight massive handhelds and now are almost up to 25 different varieties, including the MKE Philly – Giannis Style, the buffalo chicken and the Wannabe Banh Mi. You might also know that these sandwiches are not what I’d call petite, though the Ludwigs recently launched a smaller size sandwich option as well (25% smaller than the original).
Later this year, Riley’s will expand its footprint to the Third Ward – an area its owners have long loved – with the opening of a second location (at 411 E. Menomonee St.). The spot with incorporate two spaces – a small, counter-service sandwich shop and an adjacent dog-friendly bar called Riley’s Social House. The bar will have six seats, according to the Ludwigs, and offer 24 draft beer lines, as well as cocktails and wine. Due to the small size of the kitchen in the sandwich shop portion of the space, the couple will offer a somewhat scaled back menu from their Shorewood shop. “We’ll maybe have 18 [sandwiches],” says John. “We’ll also push salad-style offerings, and bring in wings [as well],” which Riley’s has offered as a special in Shorewood.
Customers will be able to place their food order at the sandwich shop or online. They’ll get a text when the order’s ready and will either be able to take their order to-go or eat it at the adjacent bar. The Ludwigs hope to open the Third Ward digs by this summer.
If you need another reason to try a Riley’s sandwich, read about the CBR (chicken, bacon, ranch) sammie, featured in our September 2021 Dish of the Month.
