New Northside restaurant Goosetown Breakfast & Bar gets the gang back together again

They’re ba-a-a-a-ck!

Former Motley Cow Cafe manager Peter Kessler and chef/owner David Wieseneck have confirmed plans to work together once again. Less than a year after the iconic Northside eatery closed, the pair plans to collaborate on Kessler’s new venture, the yet-to-open Goosetown Breakfast & Bar in the former Northside Bistro location at 203 N Linn St.

“I have spent many years as both a resident and worker on the Northside,” said Kessler. “I wanted to choose a name that would be representative of the neighborhood and its people.”

Since the closing of Motley Cow Cafe in June 2017, both Kessler and Wieseneck have continued to flex their service muscles, remaining an active part of Iowa City’s culinary scene. Kessler spent time deepening his knowledge of wine at John’s Grocery’s wine room, pointing customers towards new favorites. Wieseneck found a new kitchen to call home in the interim, working at Maggie’s Farm Wood-Fired Pizza. Most recently, the duo came together earlier this week alongside fellow Motley Cow Cafe alum and creative muse Courtenay Bouvier to produce “A More Perfect Union: A Journey into Food, Art and Reflection,” a dinner and performance event presented as part of Mission Creek Festival.

Details of the menu and restaurant will be finalized in the coming months, but eager foodies can expect daily breakfast and lunch service coupled with weekend dinner and bar service. Offering a variety of classic American breakfast dishes, as well as adventurous fare for vegetarians, Goosetown will aim for a well-rounded, accessible menu and an environment that’s right for all occasions, harnessing the local culture, community and energy. Kessler hopes to have the newest addition to the Northside dining scene up and running by early June.