Milwaukee-based Melthouse Bistro was designed by the architecture firm Kahler Slater. Elements of the restaurant include the use of barn board reclaimed from a more-than-100-year-old Wisconsin granary owned by Susan Davis’ father. Features also include wood-covered walls and the distressed look of the restaurant’s logo.

The name Melthouse Bistro was created to convey "comfort food," "passion for cheese" and "approachable culinary." Walls covered in clean, white beadboard and distressed barn wood are alongside those painted in barn red and charcoal grey.

The marble-like look of the counter where customers place their orders is suggestive of an artisan cheeseboard. Antique-style light fixtures in the dining area contrast with a sleek stainless steel backsplash behind the counter.

Menu items include The Biloxi, featuring Wisconsin Fontina, pulled barbecue pork, pickles and coleslaw on Buttertop White. The restaurant also suggests its Ale Asylum Contorter Porter or Block Nine 2010 Pinot Noir with this dish.

The Buffalo Bill includes Wisconsin Blue Cheese and Monterey Jack complemented by hand-battered fried chicken and buffalo wing sauce with sport peppers, sweet pepper bruschetta, and lettuce on sourdough bread.

The Melthouse Bistro menu provides a description of each sandwich. The Dominique combines Wisconsin gorgonzola, parmesan, dried cranberries and grilled chicken breast smothered in walnut pesto on ciabatta bread.

Melthouse Bistro’s menu was modeled after the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board's Grilled Cheese Academy website. The Lil’ Kahuna is four morsels of Wisconsin Pepper Jack, pineapple, sautéed bell peppers and smoked ham on a Country Buttertop Bun.