A food crawl on Farwell Avenue offers a robust eating experience that’s not too heavy on the wallet. This tour has options from all over the world that reflects on Milwaukee’s immigrant history.
If you’re feeling something fulfilling check out Von Trier with it’s German fare and beer, or if bulgogi is more your style head over to Back Street BBQ Hotpot. Either way theres something for everyone on this street. If you need other budget-friendly options check out our frugal foodie guide.
Blue Star Café
This star on any street, let alone Farwell, is a casual, counter-service homage to the owners’ East African heritage. I love their sambusa, a variant of a samosa using a lighter, flaky pastry. The chicken suqaar is my dream entrée – a sauté whose trademark is the meat’s warming xawaash seasoning (black pepper, cumin, coriander, turmeric). $8-$12, 1619 N. Farwell Ave.
Zaffiro’s
A cracker-thin king, this joint does the kind of pizza crust that’s barely there but also like bedrock. The menu is more than pizza, but I never get anything but a Zaffiro’s salad, a pep and sausage pie and maybe a glass of Lambrusco – because this is that kind of place. $11-$29, 1724 N. Farwell Ave.
Celebrate this year’s winners of the Betty Awards!
EE-Sane Thai Lao Cuisine
A Farwell fixture since 1992, EE-Sane is responsible for some of my best – and hottest – Thai cuisine memories in Milwaukee. A renovation last year made the space warmer, brighter and altogether modern. The food is still really good. Tradition (or just me) says a meal here should include Thai tea (made tableside), spicy papaya salad, crispy duck and the richest massaman curry. $7-$30, 1806 N. Farwell Ave.
Ethiopian Cottage Restaurant
In Ethiopian cuisine, rich stews called wat are placed directly on injera, a large, circular crepe made of fermented teff. It’s customary to tear off pieces of the injera and use them as an eating utensil. Order a sampler that mixes the best meat and vegetarian stews, including key wat (beef cooked in a pepper-onion sauce), doro wat (spicy, with chicken drumstick and hard-boiled egg) and atkilt wat (curried vegetables). $20-$30, 1824 N. Farwell Ave.
Rice N Roll Bistro
Though only 11 years old, this Thai/Japanese establishment feels East Side institutional. Some of the things I like here, in no specific order – moo ping (Thai marinated pork skewers), crunchy avocado, Weeping Tiger (Thai-style grilled beef) and panang curry. Have you ever had a deep-fried spicy crab roll? It’s here and it’s so good – they call it I Want S’More. And I always do. $6-$30, 1952 N. Farwell Ave.
Comet Café
I like this more-diner-than-cafe for breakfast (cannot resist the pancakes) and lunch/dinner, which would likely be the Foghorn pulled chicken sandwich with creamy tomato soup as my side. Comet’s in the Honeypie family, so there are always a few pies in the case for a dessert slice. $12-$19, 1947 N. Farwell Ave.
Allie Boy’s Bagelry & Luncheonette
The second location of this quasi-Jewish deli often has a line on weekend mornings (it’s open only Thurs-Sat). Big fan here of both the Japanese tamago egg salad and the whitefish salad on an onion bagel. Allie Boy’s also has been doing more weekly specials, like breakfast quiche and a croque madame (double yum!). Love the house-made schmears, too. Bagels $2.50-$3, sandwiches $10.50-$14, 2100 N. Farwell Ave.
Temple Goddess
This spot at the busy East Lafayette Place intersection offers vegan with a strong Mediterranean undercurrent (themes seen in two of the space’s previous occupants, Abu’s Jerusalem of the Gold and Celesta). I’ll tell you what I want on repeat: the veggie samosas and falafel sandwich on a crepe-like flatbread. $5.75-$18, 1978 N. Farwell Ave.
Back Street BBQ Hotpot
This block of Farwell flies quickly by when you’re following the (lead-footed) flow of traffic. But this all-you-can-eat Korean BBQ and hotpot restaurant, is worth slowing down for. The tables have built-in burners and grills, so cooking your own meal with friends is a big part of the experience. For the BBQ: try the bulgogi and pork belly. For hotpot, the bone soup base is my favorite. Hotpot and BBQ $27 per person (lunch), $37 per person (dinner), 2116 N. Farwell Ave.
Von Trier
Super cool murals, beer steins and a Cyril Colnik antler chandelier are the amuse bouche. Loosen your belt for the main course. This German bar makes a good currywurst and half-pound cheeseburger. I’m waiting for a fall-like day to order the kaesespaetzle – egg noodles in cheese sauce topped with bacon and melted Emmental. $14-$20, 2235 N. Farwell Ave.
