Humming along Highway 18, as rain pelts the car, all I can think about is the soothing effect of cheese on my palate. I’m about to check into a former cheese factory – now an eight-room boutique hotel, two restaurants and a micro-dairy plant – and poke around the shops and galleries in the tiny, artsy town of Paoli (pronounced pay-OH-lie).
A soft glow greets me in the lobby of Seven Acre Dairy Company (6858 Paoli Rd.) thanks to a chandelier crafted from vintage glass milk bottles by Milwaukee’s own Scathain. A framed timeline of the factory-turned-hotel’s 135-year history serves as a mini museum, along with photos and other paper relics. The on-site dairy makes ice cream, served in the casual counter-service cafe, from locally sourced milk. And the award-winning Landmark Creamery (6895 Paoli Rd.), a block away, makes and exclusively sells Seven Acre butter, which has whey folded into it. Landmark cheeses are staples at both Seven Acre restaurants.
It’s time to pick your Milwaukee favorites for the year!
In this two-block hamlet 20 minutes south of Madison, I find a surprising amount of art and culture. But first things first: dinner. My husband and I duck into the Paoli Schoolhouse American Bistro (6857 Paoli Rd.) – the structure was built back in 1864 – where I’m delighted to enjoy Landmark Creamery’s nutty, firm pecora cheese served with scallops from the seasonal menu. My husband raves about his pappardelle. Time your dinner right and you’ll also get live music. I’m already thinking about the next morning’s fuel – chilaquiles or tres leches French toast? – before a hike on the 7.5-mile Montrose Segment of the Ice Age Trail, which has no user fees.
This town is known for artisan makers of all kinds, some of them housed in or near The Mill (6890 Paoli Rd.), a stone building also dating back to 1864. A few shops I discover here would make great finds even in a larger city. My Tipsy Gypsy carries some of the coolest cocktail gadgets I’ve ever seen, and the vignettes of home decor at Lily’s Mercantile & Makery (6896 Paoli Rd.) are so artfully done I send photos to my flea-market-loving friend.
Before leaving The Mill, I check out The Hop Garden Brewery (6889 Canal St.), which pours beers brewed from hops grown at the owner’s nearby farm. The owners also have a greenhouse where they grow produce for their on-site Mexican taqueria and for sale at the Sunday Paoli Farmers Market (6890 Paoli Rd.), starting in June. This area will be, ahem, hopping, in summer – free outdoor concerts are held select Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights in Paoli Mill Park.
After leaving Seven Acre Dairy, I’m already planning my return. Firepits will crackle, as I kick back on the patio with one of former Nostrano pastry chef Sam Kincaid’s ice cream creations. (I’ve been told there may be “choco tacos.”) Or maybe I’ll rent a kayak from Sugar River Outfitters, which opens in May, and float down the river below, doing my best to soak up the small-town pace.
