Souptown Deli and The Remedy Room
When making your way down Tower Avenue, Superior’s brand-new speakeasy lounge, The Remedy Room, is easy to miss. This was done entirely by design.
“The exterior door just advertises Souptown Deli,” noted Jen Dalbec, who co-owns these two brand-new Superior businesses – which share one space – with her husband, Jason.
Like any speakeasy worth its salt, The Remedy Room is cloaked in mystique. You have to know where you’re going, or literally stumble upon it, to arrive. “It’s a lounge within a bar,” Dalbec said, referring to its proximity to Superior Tavern, its next-door neighbor, which is also owned by the Dalbecs.
This space, located at 1222 Tower Avenue, was home to VIP Pizza for many years. Now, it serves as a double-duty business. It offers soup and sandwiches by day, and wine and cocktails at night. The Remedy Room opened Dec. 4, and Souptown Deli on Feb. 5.
“I just think this is something Superior needed,” Dalbec said. “You can come in during the day for homemade soup and a sandwich, and return later for a drink in the lounge.”
History
The Dalbecs, who are lifelong Superior residents, purchased the former Capri Bar in 2022. After some renovations, they rebranded as Superior Tavern. Meanwhile, the space next door (the former VIP Pizza spot), which they also own, sat idle.
Now, just a few short years later, these two unique establishments, housed within one flexible space, are open for business. And, patrons are welcome to mosey between the venues, by way of a connected back doorway.
“Between Superior Tavern, Souptown Deli and The Remedy Room, it’s a one-stop shop,” Dalbec explained. “You can eat, have a drink, listen to live music or play ping pong, darts, board games or cornhole.”
The idea for these new businesses was dreamed up by Jen Dalbec and her niece, Ronda Dalbec, who handles payroll, accounting and a variety of other tasks for the businesses. “We visited a bunch of speakeasies, including Rathskeller and the Jade Fountain, to get ideas,” Jen noted.
“And, we know what we like. Comfortable seating, and a peaceful, relaxing environment.”
And, about those names? Jen shared her surprise that the moniker “Souptown” – a long-standing, clever nickname for the city of Superior – wasn’t already in use.
Serving soup, at a place named Souptown Deli, located in Souptown – just seemed too perfect to pass up. And after a long, hard day, many folks find unwinding with a cocktail to be the perfect remedy for all that ails us.
Vibe/Décor
The interior vibe and décor are upscale and classy. “I like simple, elegant and minimalist,” Jen noted. The color scheme is black and greenish-gray, with little pops of gold, and bright white tabletops.
The ceilings are open, exposing large, rough-hewn wood beams. There are several wall sections paneled in pretty, black and gold wallpaper. There is a small elevated stage in the front for live music. And there is lots of lively greenery, including fresh basil and mint growing in the windowsills; perfect additions for homemade cocktails, soups, and paninis.
Jen and Ronda did much of the renovations themselves. However, they also received some much-appreciated help from some of Superior Tavern’s “regulars.”
“A lot of our regulars helped us develop the space,” Ronda said. “They helped us put wheels on the bottom of the chairs, and they helped us make a custom bar up front, in the window.”
Food
When the space operates as Souptown Deli (Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.), the establishment serves homemade soups and crisp-on-the-outside, gooey-on-the-inside paninis. The menu offers a gourmet grilled cheese, a chicken, bacon, cheddar panini, an Italian panini, and many more options, to suit every palate. The Porchetta, corned beef, and all the soups are homemade. And, all the paninis are grilled up on delicious sourdough bread.
There are kid-friendly options, too, including a basic grilled cheese and a grilled PB&J; both served with a GoGurt and soda. The soup choices rotate by day, but include rich, savory selections like creamy tortellini and green enchilada chicken.
And, during its hours as The Remedy Room (Thursdays from 5 p.m. – 9 p.m., and Fridays/Saturdays from 4 p.m. – 10 p.m.), the menu includes upscale cocktails, wine and mocktails. There are also “shareable bites,” which include Bavarian pretzels served with homemade mustard and a generous portion of warm cheese, shrimp cocktail, and a decadent cheese-ball called “The Big Cheese” – served with crackers and fresh veggies.
Drinks
Interestingly, The Remedy Room has an exclusive partnership with Lucky Guys Distillery, out of Hudson, Wis. Cocktails such as the Lemon Drop, the Yellowjacket and the Lucky Old-Fashioned are all crafted using only Lucky Guys-brand spirits.
Many of the mixers, including the simple syrup, are homemade on-site at The Remedy Room. The cocktail menus were lovingly created by the folks at Lucky Guys, with plenty of input from the Dalbecs and their bartender. “We all really worked together to craft the cocktail menu,” Jen noted.
If cocktails aren’t your vibe, however, there are several selections of wine, plus mocktails, kombucha and soda. Liqueur and spirit “tasting flights,” along with boozy freeze pops, are other fun, unique options to try.
Client Base
While the businesses are new, both are already attracting all demographics. “We see a bit of everything,” Jen noted.
“We get the young people in their 20s, we see older people, and we get the professional crowd after work. It’s nice that people can co-mingle between locations, so they can enjoy both spaces, and even go play some ping pong or darts in the back.”
The business space also offers a place to host personal or professional gatherings in their off-hours. “We will open up for special events outside of normal hours for no extra charge,” Jen noted. Several local organizations, including the Rotary Club of Superior, Lake Superior Dragon Boat Festival and the Superior Business Improvement District, have taken advantage of this option, and have held meetings there.
Staffing
Right now, in addition to Jen, Jason and Ronda Dalbec, the business has a few other employees. Souptown Deli has two others – a cook and a server. And The Remedy Room currently has five staff members, who work as bartenders and servers.
Staffing is currently the main barrier to expanding the businesses’ hours. “We need to hire more staff in order to offer more hours,” Jen Dalbec noted. While this process is a bit slow-going, the Dalbecs hope it is temporary.
Jen and Ronda Dalbec share that their personal strengths – while different – are very complementary to the businesses. “I do a lot of the planning and organizing,” Ronda said. “And, I fly by the seat of my pants,” Jen added with a laugh.
Both skillsets are highly useful in the food and beverage industry. “We have learned that sometimes we just have to adjust on the fly,” Jen noted. “For instance, we just realized that Lent is coming up, so we will need to create some new menu items for Lent.”
Future Goals
In addition to dreams of expanded hours, the Dalbecs have big hopes for the future of these two new businesses. “In the future, we’d love to expand our menu to offer salads, smashed baked potatoes and cold sandwiches,” Jen said.
“And, we are working on bringing in a rotation of new musical acts. For instance, I contacted UWS’ Music Department, and they connected me with a talented student who will eventually come in and sing and play piano. Beyond that, we’d love to do something with the space upstairs, which remains unused.”
There will also be continued themed events throughout the year, such as “Galentine’s Day” and St. Patrick’s Day celebrations.
Love for “Souptown”
As lifelong residents of “Souptown,” the Dalbecs are pleased to offer another option for delicious food, refreshing beverages, and relaxation, right in their own hometown.
“I really like the fact that we can be part of the community,” Jen said. “I love offering family-friendly places for people to relax and enjoy.”
Andrea Busche is a Twin Ports-based freelance writer and small business owner.
