Hall of Fame · Iconic

Iconic Dishes in Milwaukee

Milwaukee is practically defined by the iconic dishes it has to offer. Combined with our largely German heritage and the fact that we are the largest city in the Dairyland state, Milwaukee has specialized in several foods that no out-of-towner should miss. Dairy certainly does reign supreme here as this list makes apparent, but it’s not all Milwaukee has to offer and this list will help you find the best of the rest!

Updated March 12, 2021 11 picks
The Ranking
1 Cheese Curds

Cheese Curds

Until recently, most states hadn’t even heard of cheese curds, or if they had, they didn’t know where they could get any. Well, that has never been a problem in Wisconsin and Milwaukee is definitely proud to be home to some of the most amazing breaded and deep-fried curds. For the most tourist-like experience, some may recommend Lakefront Brewery which offers the best tour in town and serves up some delicious curds. But for us, the home to Milwaukee’s best curds belongs to Camino, which serves their curds with a tangy Russian dressing and are uber craveable. Explorium Brewpub which now has locations both in Greendale and in the Third Ward, is a close runner-up. For fresh, non-fried cheese curds Clockshadow Creamery in Walker’s Point should be your destination, though a visit to the West Allis Cheese Shoppe in the Public Market is also a great option, and might already be happening for any out-of-town visitor. The teller of a true fresh curd? It’s all in the squeak.

2 Custard

Custard

In Wisconsin, when you think of butter burgers, you think of custard. Most Wisconsinites would agree that custard is the superior form of ice cream (the secret ingredient is the pasteurized egg yolk that gives it that smooth and creamy texture). And how could we not, with options like Leon’s and Kopp’s Frozen Custard? At Kopp’s, we recommend the plain vanilla which comes with a thin and crispy vanilla wafer. Leon’s 1950’s style “drive-in” is delicious no matter how you order your custard, and might be best in the state (dare we say country?). It might be, and their own sign claims it is the best custard in the world. Allison’s favorite is the vanilla and marshmallow sundae. Eric prefers the butter pecan.

3 Fish Fry

Fish Fry

Milwaukee has a large population of people with German and Polish Catholic heritage, and have long honored the religious tradition of not eating meat on Fridays. That, plus proximity to a Great Lake makes the Friday night fish fry a popular tradition in Milwaukee, especially during lent. And even if you’re not religious, who doesn’t like a piece of fried fish with some delicious tartar sauce and a potato pancake? That kind of goodness totally deserves a designated day of the week. Oh, and you’ll need to order a Wisconsin old-fashioned as your drink of choice if you want the full-blown Wisconsin fish fry experience. Best fish fry is a tough one to choose, but we’d probably go with Kegel’s Inn, a traditional German restaurant in West Allis founded in 1924. Kegel’s serves the best potato pancake we’ve found. Oh, and the walleye and lake perch are also amazing. Many would also suggest the Lakefront Brewery fish fry experience, which includes a live Polka band on Friday’s. If you can combine that with their famous brewery tour, you’ve really had THE Milwaukee tourist experience. Honorable Mention fish fries: Steny’s Tavern, Merriment Social (that potato pancake!), and Swinging Door

4 Bloody Mary

Bloody Mary

One time when ordering a Bloody Mary in Florida, Allison forgot where she was and asked the bartender if they offered beer chasers with their bloodies. The bartender’s response? “You’re in dreamland honey!” Well in Milwaukee, the chaser is a reality and the dream is real. Milwaukee knows what people want on their Bloody Mary- which is an assortment of crazy and wild toppings, accompanied by a beer chaser (preferably from a local brewery). Most tourists in Milwaukee end up at Sobelman’s for the toppings alone, even offering the $60 “Bloody Beast” with a full fried chicken topper. While the toppings are really quite impressive at Sobelman’s, we usually recommend a Lowland’s Group restaurant Milwaukeean horseradish-infused bloody, or the bloody at Steny’s which is just a perfect example of a classic bloody mary with just enough kick. Honorable Mentions: Belfre Kitchen’s cucumber infused bloody mary, West Allis Cheese & Sausage Shoppe’s made with Lutz Bloody Mary mix, or the very Instagramable bloody mary at Wicked Hop with mozzarella whips

5 Brat / Sausages

Brat / Sausages

Europeans, and specifically Germans, love their sausages. So it’s no surprise that brats are highly popular in Milwaukee, whether it’s a stop at the Milwaukee Brat House or you’re grilling out in the backyard with friends. To have a true sausage experience with endless options, we recommend Vanguard in Bay View which offers 12 types of sausages with toppings by the city. For the true Wisconsin tourist experience, try the Milwaukeean, a sausage of your choice topped with 3 forms of cheese: cheese curds, cheese whiz and shredded Wisconsin cheddar. Order it with the cheddarwurst, because why not at that point?

6 Supper Clubs

Supper Clubs

Someone from out of state might wonder: what makes a restaurant “a supper club”? Are there membership fees to be a part of this club? Essentially, a supper club is an establishment that offers a relaxed and slow paced meal, often with a dark-lit interior. The relish tray and salad bar are key. And they probably couldn’t call themselves a supper club if they didn’t offer the classic fish fry and a prime rib at least one night of the week. Supper Clubs are popular across all of Wisconsin and there are some real hidden gems in Wisconsin’s small towns. But in Milwaukee, we suggest Five O’Clock Steakhouse, the oldest remaining Supper Club in Milwaukee dating back to 1946. And no, there are no fees required to be a part of this club.

7 Beer Cheese

Beer Cheese

Beer Cheese is a Milwaukeean’s favorite way to elevate cheese. Also a German tradition, there’s nothing better than a warm (sometimes cold) cheese dip or spread made with a perfectly paired ale. It is most often served with a pretzel, but also makes a great soup or mac and cheese option. For the pretzel option, we recommend the beer cheese from Steny’s or for a true German experience, Mader’s Restaurant. For something different, try the Cheese & Ale Dip at Explorium Brew Pub; it’s their own Doc Rae Scotch Ale, a blend of cheeses, roasted red peppers and served on toasted baguette slices. For soup, The Milwaukee Brat House serves a killer beer cheese soup that was featured in USA Today, made with Wisconsin cheddar, hickory smoked bacon, roasted red peppers, and Lakefront Brewery’s IPA.

8 Butter Burger

Butter Burger

Butter burgers are another thing many states may have never heard of until Culvers went national, but it has always been a true Wisconsin twist on a burger. In Milwaukee, butter burgers often pair with a delicious custard and Kopp’s is the stop not to miss. The burger is large, so we often just split one so we have room for their out of this world vanilla custard. If you want an authentic butter burger that is pure grease, check out Solly’s Grille, home of “the original butter burger”- a 100 percent sirloin patty topped with only butter and stewed onions. Be warned though, this burger is literally dripping in melted butter, which may not be for everyone!

9 Breweries

Breweries

Craft Beer has exploded in popularity in the past 10 years, but Milwaukee has been brewing beer long before that (think: Schlitz, Miller). What can we say, those German immigrants loved their beer! Today, Milwaukee is home to over 70 breweries, many which offer tours of their beer-making pad. For any first-timer, the obvious recommendation is to visit Lakefront Brewery and sign up for the tour. For only $10-12 you’ll receive a souvenir pint glass, 4 6 oz pours and a fun-filled hour of jokes and history. If you’re into brewery hopping like we are, we also recommend Eagle Park, Amorphic, Third Space, and Lion’s Tail though it really is impossible to list them all. Cheers!

10 Public Market

Public Market

Not many tourists visit Milwaukee without making a stop at our own Public Market in the Third Ward. There are a lot of fun food finds here, but narrowed down to one dish it would have to be the East Coast lobster roll at St Paul’s Fish Market. It’s huge, with tons of flavorful buttery lobster served on a satisfying buttery roll.

11 Food Trucks

Food Trucks

When the food truck craze swept the nation, many wondered if Milwaukee could keep up with the trend with the colder and longer winters we have in store. But food is our mission, and as a city, we were not about to miss out. Milwaukee offers an endless amount of taco trucks and is also home to the popular Zocalo Food Park in Walker’s Point which includes a courtyard for diners and a rotation of some of Milwaukee’s most popular food trucks. Some regulars include Mazorca Tacos, Anytime Arepa, Modern Maki, Dairyland Hamburgers and Ruby’s Bagels. For authentic tacos, our favorite food truck is Taqueria La Guelaguetzita Oaxaca usually located at Lapham and 13th.