BestDishMKE
There's something extra special about brunch as a meal. It's delicious breakfast food that can be enjoyed at lunch hours. It's a sign that the weekend is here. It's an excuse to get together and indulge in drinks that you wouldn't drink at any other hour; namely a bubbly mimosa and Milwaukee's favorite, the bloody mary.

And Milwaukee knows brunch. So with so many options to choose from, please enjoy our list of favorite brunch establishments and our favorite dishes.

1/13/24

Best Brunch in Milwaukee

1. Uncle Wolfie's Breakfast Tavern



234 E Vine St, Milwaukee, WI 53212

It took us a while to dine at Uncle Wolfies, partly due to its lengthy closure during the pandemic. When we finally had the chance to go, we could definitely see what the hype was all about. You can be confident that no matter what you order, it is going to be crafted with quality and oodles of flavor. When we tend to avoid omelets out of fear of blandness, this would be the place that we'd head if the craving does occur.

The Bloody: Wolfie's bloody is simple, with a dash of bitters and paired with a Fred Smith shorty.

Best Dish: Whatever omelet is available (or on special)

2. Belfre Kitchen



606 N Genesee St, Delafield, WI 53018

There's something about the idea of a small old church being transformed into a different type of congregation: a congregation of food. And I'll admit, the look of this place is what prompted the 30 minute drive out to Delafield. Now that I've experienced it, all I have to say is that as far as brunch places go, this place has it all. Want a good mimosa? They have mimosa flights with 16 flavors to choose from. And they're not the mimosas that have you questioning whether there's even champagne in them, oh no. These are the real deal. Feeling like a bloody instead? The cucumber infused vodka is refreshing, and the bloody light but delicious. Perfect for when you're about to over order because the menu just looks too good.

The Bloody: Mentioned above. Delicious.

Best Dish: Allison would say the Crab Cake Benedict, while Eric leaned towards the Garam Masala drop donuts as best dish

3. Story Hill BKC



5100 W Bluemound Rd, Milwaukee, WI 53208

The first time we walked into Story Hill BKC, we immediately loved the atmosphere, complete with a little shop and wine tasting corner. But it was the food that really blew us away.

The Bloody: You'll need to like yours heated

The Best Dish: Crêp-urrito - Two Local Scrambled Eggs, Saxony Alpine Cheese, Jalapen~o Mayo, Cumin-Spiced Tomato Sauce, Roasted Marble Potatoes

4. Harbor House



550 N Harbor Dr, Milwaukee, WI 53202

Harbor House is known for being in possession of the best real estate in town: nestled between the art museum and Discovery World, you'll have a great view of Lake Michigan no matter where you are sitting. In the past, Harbor House was a restaurant named Pieces of Eight, and they hosted a wildly popular brunch including all-you-can eat crab legs. Fast forward to today, and the brunch is still our favorite of their offerings (even if it doesn't include endless crab). Harbor House brunch is offered on Sundays and includes a 3 course menu where you can choose your app, entree and dessert. And the good news is, there are still many ways to order the crab.

The Bloody: They offer a fully loaded bloody which includes a crab leg, but we opted for the simpler, less filling option, which was still delicous.

Best Dish: Salmon Rillettes

5. Brunch



714 N Milwaukee St, Milwaukee, WI 53202

The name Brunch might be a little obvious, but it also indicates that Brunch knows their brunch food; because well, it's the only thing they do. We tried a little bit of everything: breakfast eggrolls with a spicy maple chili sauce, a four flavor bloody flight, a tequila sunrise mimosa, and for something sweet, a lemonberry pancake with fresh blueberries.

The Bloody: Brunch offers the novelty option of a Bloody Flight where you choose from 4 of 6 flavors. Unfortunately, none of those flavors really stood out for us.

Best Dish: It was a tough choice, but overall best dish went to the biscuits and gravy benedict which was a twist on a classic eggs benedict with a sausage patty and chive oil sausage gravy.

6. Lowlands Group



Various Locations

Any Milwaukeean who loves brunch has been to at least one if not all of The Lowlands Groups' restaurants for brunch. While they each have their staple items in common such as the Milwaukeean bloody, each has their own charm and specialty items backing a stop at each worth it on your sacred Saturday morning.

Cafe Hollander: Hollander is the most accessible with so many locations, and probably our favorite of the Lowlands group with stand out brunch options. Eric would say best dish is the Door County Cherry waffle (a seasonal item), while Allison was partial to the Brew City Benedict, a House-made cheddar-chive biscuit, house-recipe breakfast sausage patties, poached eggs topped with house hollandaise

Cafe Benelux: Most people know Benelux in the Third Ward because of it's prime location, with a balcony that gives brunchers the perfect view of city, including The Public Market.

Centraal Grand Cafe & Tappery (previously known as Cafe Centraal): Brunch available every day in Bay View, with arguably the best beer list in the area (except for Burnhearts, or local breweries- you have a separate place in our heart).

Buckatabon Tavern and Supper Club: Ever since this place changed over from Lowland's former restaurant, Cafe Bavaria, it has leaned more supper club than brunch. Now, Buckatabon is a blast from the past with retro Midwestern vibes that just feel nostalgic. We recommend the Up North & On the Lamb dish for a unique brunch option with saffron rice and braised lamb shank. There are less fancy blood options here, but at least a couple of good ones.

The Bloody: The Milwaukeean has just the right unique flavor with a horseradish-infused vodka, and the thick-cut bacon and white cheddar curd toppings are the perfect appetizer while waiting for your meal.

The Dipping Sauce: Any place that carries more than just ketchup to go with the fries should be given credit where credit is due. Therefore, Lowlands restaurants get extra credit for offering more than a handful of flavor options to go with your fries or breakfast potatoes. Personal favorites are the basil and garlic aiolis.

7. Honey Butter



7221 S 76th St, Franklin, WI 53132

From the outside, Honey Butter may look like any old dinner, but when you walk in you are pleasantly surprised by the well thought out decor, golden honey bee wallpaper and a trendy seating area ready for the perfect photo op. This place is especially recommended for brunchers with a sweet tooth.

The Bloody: Literally called the Fancy Schmancy, our favorite part of this bloody was the mini grilled cheese garnish

Best Dish: Cookies and Cream Loukoumades, fresh made, light and airy honey puffs with white and milk chocolate and a Oreo cookie crumble

8. Tupelo Honey Cafe



511 N Broadway, Milwaukee, WI 53202

Not many chains usually make our lists, but we had to make an exception for Tupelo Honey. Even with the insane amount of brunch options our city has to offer, Tupelo Honey was a welcome recent addition and gave Milwaukeeans a unique Southern-twist brunch option with a trendy restaurant, bar and patio located near The Public Market. If you are craving Chicken and Waffles, Tupelo is your spot.

The Bloody: Keeping with the Southern theme, Tupelo's bloodys come with pickled okra and apple cider bacon. There's a regular option and a 'make it spicy" version made with Dixie black pepper vodka.

Best Dish: Mac-N-Cheese Waffles with Asheville Hot Fried Chicken

9. Toast



231 S 2nd St, Milwaukee, WI 53204

Our favorite dish @toastrestaurantmilwaukee was...the toast! To be more specific, it was a pretzel pecan French toast with hot buttered rum sauce, bacon pieces and candied pecans. The light pretzel bread may not have made for a pretty dish but worked surprisingly well to make a delicious and buttery French toast. Combine this with some awesome 1970s disco ball decor, a yummy South-Wisco skillet and a tequila cocktail and you've got yourself a groovy brunch.

The Bloody: We like the Weed Wacker made with cucumber vodka.

Best Dish: Corned Beef Hash with the Challah bread

10. Merriment Social



240 E Pittsburgh Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53204

As you might expect from the name, the brunch scene at Merriment Social is a sea of endless mimosas and bloodies, but the food is also delicious and inventive. When Merriment used to specialize more in fusion dumplings on their dinner menu, they can now only be found at brunch when they offer the breakfast sausage and maple syrup potsticker. The vibe at Merriment is also always a plus, with their open-floor garage concept that provides plenty of sunlight and space.

Best Dish: The Spinach and Artichoke Toad in the Hole, made with leeks and cheddar butter on top of a buttery croissant

11. Sabrosa Cafe & Gallery



3216 S Howell Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53207

Sabrosa is your spot if you are seeking brunch with a latin flair, offering items like chilaquiles and huevos rancheros among other classic brunch and lunch items. At Sabrosa's, you are bound to enjoy the ambiance whether dining on their covered patio or indoors, where there is an exquisite collection of art and decor (hence the gallery reference).

Best Dish: Smothered Ham Biscuits: Cheddar buttermilk biscuits covered in sausage gravy and off the bone ham

12. Sweetdiner



239 E Chicago St #103, Milwaukee, WI 53202

Sweetdiner is a modern and spacious breakfast and lunch venue that offers a large menu of both savory and sweet options. Most notable for us was actually the Sweetdiner Bloody, which was delicious regarding both the house-made mix and toppings. The key is the addictive candied spiced bacon topper. If you're looking for something sweet, we suggest the Creme Brulee French toast with a crackled sugar crust and seasonal berries, syrup and whip cream.

The Bloody: The blood mary may have been our favorite thing here, mostly due to the delicious full candied bacon that comes as a topper.

Best Dish: Creme Brulee French Toast

13. Black Sheep



216 S 2nd St, Milwaukee, WI 53204

Black Sheep has an especially heavy brunch, and you may want to keep this in mind when ordering a bloody (that has lotsa garnish) and two meals. However, it would be a shame to pass up on the delicious, but super rich breakfast risotto.

Best Dish: Pancake Battered Cheese Curds

14. Cafe at the Plaza



1007 N Cass St, Milwaukee, WI 53202

Cafe at the Plaza comes to mind when I think of beautiful, sunny Milwaukee summer. Remember that? It's a small but charming cafe with diner vibes, but the real magic is it's ivy-covered courtyard nestled between two buildings. The food is a simple and satisfying diner breakfast.

Best Dish: The lemon seed poppy pancakes come with toasted almonds, served with a ginger blueberry syrup.

15. Don's TV & Repair: Neighborhood Speakeasy



1100 S 1st St, Milwaukee, WI 53204

Feel like appealing to your nerdy side? Visiting Don's will do the trick, with their quirky 50's diner decor mixed with everything Star Wars, Stranger Things, and more. But don't forget to visit the Grocery & Liquor first and let them know that you'd like an ice cold 7-Up. A lot of times for brunch, we decide to settle on one savory, one sweet option. With Don's, you may even get away with the sweet as your third option by getting a half baker's dozen of their super fresh made donuts coated in cinnamon sugar.

The Bloody: The "Back to Life" bloody comes in a tiki-esque Frankenstein glass. So that's cool.

Best Dish: The burgers are good, but for brunch we'd go with the Breakfast melt for its cheesy ooey goodness, with a horseradish potato pancake on the side.