Like savory smells wafting in from a kitchen, details are emerging about the chef-driven restaurant and bar at The Oxbow Hotel, a space currently undergoing a massive remodel in downtown Eau Claire. Just announced this week, the public venue has been named The Lakely, and it will get cooking this summer inside the new boutique hotel formerly known as the Green Tree Inn, and before that the Edwards Hotel, at 516 Galloway Street.

The Lakely’s kitchen will be overseen by acclaimed chef Nathan Berg – former proprietor of Native Bay outside Chippewa Falls, who’s lately been hosting special event dinners and classes at Forage, a flexible kitchen and dining space at Banbury Place. Berg’s previous culinary efforts have been highly praised in publications including Relish Magazine, Star Tribune, Capital Times, Minnesota Monthly, Chef Magazine, and more.

The Lakely will be a showcase of local talent, local ingredients, and local culture: Berg wants diners to experience a uniquely Upper Midwestern cuisine. You might expect high quality Wisco staples like beef and cheese, but also think wild rice, cranberries, maple syrup, even venison. “To me that means this amalgamation of the foods of the Native American people … but also some of the heritage that comes from our area, whether it be big Scandinavian, German and Polish populations,” he said.

Because the restaurant won’t open until later in the summer, the menu is still in development, but diners can expect a Midwest modern take on classic comfort foods, freshwater fish, and seasonal sandwiches. The menu will also be full of the hallmarks of Berg’s past efforts: locally sourced produce, meats, cheeses, and more from the farms and forests around us. At Native Bay, he explained, he would often find himself reprinting menus on the fly just before the dinner hour because a farmer had just delivered a particularly inspiring ingredient. Likewise, The Lakely will feature a small but flexible menu that will include creative spins on dishes familiar to Midwesterners. “It keeps things fresh and a little bit different,” Berg said. “The more adventurous diners can come in and get something new every time.”

Left: Chef Nathan Berg / Right: A top-secret offering under development.

The Lakely will also feature a bar serving up specially designed craft cocktails and Wisconsin craft beers, plus a signature stage designed by Eaux Claires Festival creative director Michael Brown that will feature live jazz, vinyl theme nights, and more. Outside, seating nearly doubles with a courtyard patio with tables, couches, a pair of fire pits and a grassy area for kubb and other lawn games.

Overall, Berg’s goal is nothing less than fostering “a style of cuisine that represents the Upper Midwest for all its biological, environmental, and cultural diversity.” More and more American cities are developing their own independent dining scenes, a trend that Berg believes the Chippewa Valley may finally be emulating. “Speaking as a diner and not just as a chef, I’d love to have more diverse options when I go out,” he said, explaining there is room at the table for multiple new restaurants. “There are a lot more adventurous diners out here than the market is currently reflecting.” 

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Full disclosure: The Oxbow’s ownership group includes Volume One publisher Nick Meyer.