Portillo's opens in Greenfield, Wis., with special menu item: Badger brats

Oak Brook-based Portillo's opened its second Wisconsin restaurant with an exclusive local favorite: Badger brats.

Usinger's bratwurst with stone-ground German mustard and sauerkraut are exclusively featured at 8705 W. Sura Lane in Greenfield, Wisconsin, along with the Portillo's in Brookfield, Wisconsin, which opened last July. The Badger brat is named after the state's favorite mascot.

"We are excited at the opportunity to bring a second Portillo's to our neighbors to the north," Portillo's CEO Keith Kinsey said in a statement.

Portillo's now has 48 restaurants open in six states. It is expected to open one each in Champaign, Illinois, in May; Normal, Illinois, in August; and Woodbury, Minnesota, in July.

The company also is looking at potential sites in Indianapolis and Fishers, Indiana; Madison, Wisconsin; Tampa and Orlando, Florida and various towns in Arizona. Nothing is confirmed yet in these new markets, said spokesman Nick Scarpino.

The Greenfield, Wisconsin, location offers Portillo's classic menu items, including Chicago-style hot dogs, Italian beef sandwiches, chargrilled burgers, salads and chocolate cake.

The 9,000-square-foot restaurant in Greenfield features Prohibition-era decor with vintage memorabilia. It has seating for about 180 diners, with two drive-through lanes and a seasonal outdoor patio that can accommodate an additional 52 diners.