1300 E Brady St, Milwaukee, WI 53202
We love this one for an array of reasons. The Wisco Corn Empanada combines Wisconsin flavors of creamy sweet corn with authentic Latin American inspired cooking. The dipping sauces, particularly the Aji Amarillo Aioli, elevate this baby even further. Another awesome factor? La Masa may be one of the best affordable dinners in the city. For all these reasons, this beautiful bite makes it to the top of the list.
724 N Milwaukee St, Milwaukee, WI 53202
While everything we've tried at Third Coast Provisions has been next level good (read: lobster potholes full of garlic and butter), there's something about this dish that sticks in our mind and always has us coming back for more. While the type of white fish can vary, it's the tangy coconut sauce with palm sugar vinaigrette that makes this dish so addicting. It is complimented perfectly by farm vegetables and a deep fried crispy sticky rice.
938 W Layton Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53221
Stuffed chicken wings are a Vietnamese dish where they debone the chicken wing and stuff it with glass noodles, minced chicken, onion, and cilantro; then usually served with a spicy sauce. Anyone who tries this unique twist on a chicken wing for the first time is instantly in love, and generally just in shock that they had never seen this amazing app before. Wisconsin is lucky to be home to a large Hmong population, which is why we are lucky enough to have such a unique dish in our area.
4473 N Oakland Ave, Shorewood, WI 53211
Riley's may be the newest establishment on our list, and the moment we tried this beautiful medium-rare steak sandwich, we knew we had to try them all. The steak is premium quality, paired with a house made garlic spread, mushroom, red onion and cheese on a soft roll. Another perk? They are super dog (and people) friendly, and the owners model their business around it, making everyone feel welcome.
110 E Greenfield Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53204
Anyone who has been to a Chinatown neighborhood knows how delicious soup dumplings are, and the lengths people will go to get good ones. And before Momo Mee came around in 2018, Milwaukee was definitely lacking. Momo not only filled that void, but they did it well; offering the Xiao Long Bao, a dumpling made with fresh dough and hot delicious soup inside. It's important to note that this dish is made fresh daily and limited, and is available as dine-in only.
360 E Erie St, Milwaukee, WI 53202
We always love visiting DanDan, because every bite is enticing, and it's great for sharing with friends. And you can be sure that The General Tso's Cauliflower, made with chili oil, ginger and bok choy, will be ordered every time. We first discovered the dish awhile back when cauliflower was making a comeback across restaurants everywhere in deep-fried form. And while buffalo cauliflower is great, there's something so addictive about the sweet and tangy, crispy fried cauliflower that the two Dan's are serving up.
2663 S Kinnickinnic Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53207
Ok, we know listing two bites might be cheating a little, but Hungry Sumo has become a regular take-out option for us, and it's these two apps that have us coming back so regularly. The creamy Tom Kha is addictive and unlike any we've had, with just the right mixture of tang, spice and citrus flavors. And even with imitation crab, we'd argue that their crab rangoon is the best in the city. With a great crispy wonton to cream cheese ratio, Hungry Sumo never skimps on the delicious filling that is slightly sweet, slightly savory.
6732 W Fairview Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53213
So many people are lovers of oysters, but why is it that you never see grilled, buttery, cheesy oysters like those that can be found in the Big Easy? Well, if you can't make it to New Orleans anytime soon, Maxie's has got you covered with their Nola Grilled Oysters; oysters covered and drowned in rich parmesan butter, with french bread for dipping. We are convinced that these delicious little shellfish would impress even the biggest seafood skeptics.
430 S 2nd St, Milwaukee, WI 53204
This bite sounds so simple, that you may overlook it in search of something more unique or interesting. But a word of advice: don't. The quality ham is smoked in house and placed on a biscuit smothered in honey butter and raw honey, giving it that crystalized melt-in-your-mouth experience that leaves you very glad that you did not pass up on ordering this starter (or, hot tip: it can double as dessert).
2569 S Kinnickinnic Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53207
For our first sweet item on the list, we had to go with the heavenly banana cream pie from Honey Pie. The slightly salty, buttery crumble crust compliments the fresh banana cream flavor so well that we don't think we could ever get enough. And if you're not big on banana, they are always whipping up several other cream pie options, including a pie of the month.
741 N Milwaukee St, Milwaukee, WI 53202
This dish sky-rocketed Zarletti to the #2 spot on our Best Italian list, with a fresh pistachio-encrusted fish served up with a Door County cherry beurre blanc sauce that is to die for. Don't tell anyone, but we'd trade up this piece of fish for any fish fry, even on a Friday.
11102 W National Ave, West Allis, WI 53227
On such a large menu of tasty Chinese options, this dish at Sze Chuan in West Allis could easily be missed. These tender spare ribs are savory and flavorful, and can be ordered at your preferred level of spice. Regardless of how hot you go, you're sure to be left with the signature tingling sensation the szechuan peppercorns provide.
400 N Water St, Milwaukee, WI 53202
We haven't been to Boston yet, but we have to imagine this baby rivals even the most popular of lobster rolls from the North East coast (well, at least it's close). Stuffed to the brim with fresh lobster salad that's not too lemon forward, this sandwich is served on a perfect butter toasted brioche split top bun. It would not be uncommon to see an entire table at St. Paul's has ordered the same thing- and you better believe it's the lobster roll they all ordered.
Edit: We've been to Boston and Maine recently and
ate ALL of the lobster rolls. While we wish they had a warm butter
option, this holds up extremely well to the cold mayo based rolls we had
there.
207 E Buffalo St, Milwaukee, WI 53202
Classified as savory on their menu, this waffle alone explains the long lines that will always be found at the Press Waffle truck, regularly found at Milwaukee Farmers Markets and festivals. Press serves up authentic Belgian Liège waffles made with pearl sugar, and with just a honey goat cheese and candied bacon topping, it's a combination so simple, but so perfect that it really is hard to try anything new.
601 S 1st St, Milwaukee, WI 53204
We did a little poll among Milwaukee friends to see what they thought was the best bite in town, and an overwhelming favorite was this popular Indian dish from Cafe India. While Tikka Masala is a tasty dish in general, Cafe India serves up some seriously addictive Tikka at both their Walker's Point quick service location and their Bar & Grill in Bay View. We are partial to picking this up at the quick serve location, along with their tasty garlic naan for dipping.
5901 W National Ave, West Allis, WI 53214
With so many options in Milwaukee, Kegel's is our favorite fish fry in town. And while the fish is perfectly fried, it's their take on the potato pancake that has us head over heels for their version of Milwaukee's most popular German tradition. Kegel's pancake is perfectly seasoned and crispy, served with a cinnamon apple sauce that is not overly sweet, and really is comparable to none other that we've had. In the case of Kegel's, there is no other option when it comes to a side.
1234 E Brady St, Milwaukee, WI 53202
Pete's Pub is a no-frills sports bar, but they serve up some mean, delicious food. Most delicious is the breaded chicken thighs tossed in Korean BBQ sauce. Pete's uses fresh boneless chicken thighs that are hand-breaded, fried, and then chopped up and tossed in your choice of wing sauce. It is also always important to note the quality of the ranch when discussing pub food, and Pete's is definitely worth noting.
2273 S Howell Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53207
While there is some controversy whether Egg & Flour's pasta lives up to the hype that some bring, there is no question that their burrata caprese knocks it out of the park. Made with fresh burrata, tomato, pesto and crushed nuts, this caprese salad is rich yet refreshing. Topped with balsamic vinaigrette and parmesan, this is a very satisfying and unique take on a common Italian dish.
125 E National Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53204
It might seem crazy to say that a restaurant that serves up so many great dishes from around the world would have their best dish be the dessert- but in La Merenda's case, it's just a fact. After baking, the Tres Leches Cake is soaked in three types of milk: evaporated, sweetened condensed, and heavy cream, then topped with a whip cream and strawberry that makes this one heavenly bite.
434 S 2nd St, Milwaukee, WI 53204
To date, Camino has our favorite cheese curds in town and these are the ones we'd introduce any tourist to, even if they aren't asking for it. They're melty, airy, and crispy- everything you can ask for in a curd. But what really puts them over the top is the tangy Russian dressing that they are served with; a sauce option that perfectly compliments and makes these curds really stand out.