Best Rediscovery
Thai-namite
Sometimes a restaurant you enjoy falls out of your regular rotation for no particular reason. Such was the case for me with Thai-namite. But a few months back, I stopped in for lunch and ordered my usual, holy basil with chicken ($15). It was so flavorful and satisfying, I went back again. And again. And again. Thank you, Thai-namite, for delicious meals that don’t break the bank. thai-namite.com – Carole Nicksin
Best Reset
Elsa’s on the Park
It’s been a turbulent couple of years for Elsa’s. It closed for renovations for quite a few months, then reopened in late 2024 with an odd new menu that was conspicuously short on the selection of burgers that made Elsa’s famous. But by mid-2025, the burgers were back – and served until 11 P.M. every day of the week, making it my go-to for (semi-) late-night dining in this early-to-bed city. 833 N. Jefferson St. – CN
Best Goat Cheese
Blakesville Creamery
These Port Washington-made goat and sheep’s milk creations are incredible. Outstanding among Blakesville’s 15 varieties are the spreadable fresh chèvre; nutty, semi-firm, medium-aged St. Germain; and Artze, a newly decorated soft-ripened cheese with a bumpy, pepper-flecked rind. Find select cheeses at Outpost, Village Cheese Shop and Hill Valley Dairy. – Ann Christenson
Best New International Market
Pan-Asia Supermarket
More than just one-stop shopping for world foods, it’s also a great place to try new things – because you will find something unfamiliar that you’ll want to try. Highlights are the fresh produce selection, the daunting lineup of canned and packaged foods, the baked goods (yummy buns!) and the food court. 6910 W. Greenfield Ave., West Allis – AC
Eat These Wings Now!
The Vanguard, known for its house-made sausages and great curds, has a secret. The 12-year-old joint has spent half of its tenure quietly dishing out a Monday night special you need to make time for: Smitty Wings. The recipe, which originated in South Buffalo at the now shuttered Smitty Bar, skips the Frank’s RedHot sauce and opts for a deeply savory spiced butter sauce. It’s presented as almost more of a dry rub – think nutmeg, celery salt, mild cayenne and even little bit of cinnamon. The wings ($14 for 10, $25 for 20) are meaty and perfectly cooked with just a hint of heat. And it would be a sin not to mention the accompanying ultra-thick housemade blue cheese dip. Add some fries so you can scrape every drop out of that little cup. I hope you’re reading this on a Monday! 2659 S. Kinnickinnic Ave.
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Best Pancake
Comet Cafe’s Bacon Pancake
Opinions about pancakes are a very personal thing. One person’s heaven is another’s Hades. But … there are undeniable truths in the world of pancakes, and one is that bacon cooked inside a pancake is awesome. And Comet’s fluffy, plate-size pancakes with pockets of crisp, smoky bacon are inarguably that. 1947 N. Farwell Ave. – AC
Best Experiential Dining Trend
Korean BBQ
Fueled by the popular, affordable KPot national chain (of which we have locations in Tosa and Greenfield), these all-you-can-eat concepts offer an interactive experience in which diners pick their meats, seafood, and veg and grill them right at the table. Backstreet BBQ & Hotpot on the East Side is a local example. It’s fun and tasty – and $32-$40-ish for an AYCE dinner is tough to beat. – AC
Best Return of a Classic
Glorioso’s
Nothing positive can be said about Glorioso’s October 2025 fire – except that when the classic, beloved Italian grocer and deli finally reopened after repairs in January, it was met with a renewed and much- deserved appreciation. What a beautifully old-fashioned collection of delicious food and drink – and man, that muffaletta. Thank goodness it’s back! 1011 E. Brady St. – Archer Parquette
Best Artisanal Bread on Two Wheels
The Bread Pedalers
Started as a bread club in 2020, followed two years later by a brick-and-mortar, The Bread Pedalers makes great sourdough bread (in flavors like feta dill and rosemary sea salt) and sandwiches from a menu that changes seasonally. It’s also a very friendly little space (with a cool rooftop patio), run by sisters – and pro cycling competitors – Sam and Skylar Schneider. 1436 S. 92nd St., West Allis –AC
Best Casual Dining Trend
The Golden Age of Burgers
The issue is not that Milwaukee is suddenly a burger town (it’s always been!); it’s our scene’s unprecedented prowess: thick duck fat burgers (Wild Roots), jagged-edged smash burgers (Riley’s), high-end restaurant Wagyu beef burgers (Bacchus), Happy Hour deal-o-ramas (Third Coast Provisions). Such a great time to be alive! – AC
Best Bar Resurrection
Your Office
When a dive bar is remodeled, it’s kind of like your wild single friend getting married and settling down. You’re happy for them, of course, but … they’re just not the same (and they get mad when you spill beer on the floor now). However, in the case of My Office, a longtime Downtown dive, the refresh by new owners last year was actually pretty great. The newly renamed Your Office is still affordable, still fun, still casual – all the makings of a great local bar. (Even if it’s not quite a dive anymore.) 763 N. Milwaukee St. – AP
Let’s Dish
Nine menu items our staff just can’t live without:
Lamb Malabar at Cafe India (Bay View)
An elegant balance of spice and acid that must be eaten with the hands to feel decadence in its purest form. – Jonathan Joseph
Hot Marmot at Wy’East Pizza
Spicy pickled peppers steal the show, but they’d be nothing without the signature charred, pillowy crust. – Evan Musil
Boricua Box at Las Virellas
The crisp, salty twice-fried plantain slices are my favorite part of this belt-stressing assortment of Puerto Rican must-tries. – AP
Cumin Beef Slap Noodles at DanDan
The bold flavor of these wide, chewy noodles has my mouth watering at the thought of them. They’re tossed with ultra-tender spiced beef, red onion, chilies, celery, cabbage and cilantro. – CM
Sumo Pork Bun at Hungry Sumo
It’s the homemade special sauce that has me ordering this simple but downright irresistible dish on repeat. – Sophie Yufa
Churro at El Rey
A freshly baked indulgence that satisfies with every bite, the softness inside pairing perfectly with the sugary crisp shell. – Bianca Cabral
Tiramisu at San Giorgio Pizzeria Napoletana
This scratch-made traditional treat stands out because it perfectly balances creamy texture and rich flavors. There is just enough bitterness against the sweet. – Katy Woods
Trout With Vin Blanc at Cassis
I’m loving this versatile dish that’s light enough for summer dining but also satisfying enough for the dark days of winter. – CN
House Special Banh Mi at Xankia
This symphony of complementary flavors and textures is the rare sandwich where the meat isn’t the center of attention. – Chris Drosner
Best Third Space Trend
Middle Eastern Coffeehouses
The Middle East’s vibrant café culture – celebrating traditions that date back hundreds of years – really resonates here. The characteristically comfortable gathering spots typically stay open late and offer great specialty coffee drinks (pistachio and cardamom are common flavors) and lovely desserts such as honeycomb – a filled sweet bread in a hexagonal shape. Just in the last two years, seven Yemeni-style cafes have opened in the area, from Qahwah House in Oak Creek to Safadi in Franklin to Haraz on the East Side. – AC
Best Jitter-Free Coffee
Control Freak
Stone Creek launched this less-wired brand in 2025, and it’s the best thing to happen to coffee since half-and-half. You choose the caffeine level – 0%, 25%, 50%, 75% or 100%. My jam is Balanced (50%), which satisfies my need for a bold-flavored brew and open eyes without the caffeine shakes. – AC
Best Date Night: Doing Bay View
Two staffers thought they had the best itinerary for a night out with your sweetie (or soon-to-be). Who did it best?
Chelsea Mamerow:
Start with dinner at Goodkind; try to get a spot at the bar to squeeze up nice and close to your hunny. Order at least one cocktail, and don’t sleep on the crispy chickpeas – they’re a perfect pre-dinner finger food to accompany flirty conversation. You’re walking (hand in hand) to your next spot, but on the way, meander over to the South Shore Park playground to take in the horizon and city skyline. Wipe the lipstick off him and take Rusk Avenue to KK to The Wiggle Room and its curated vinyl corner bar vibe. Before last call, hop across the street to Blackbird Bar for a High Life and a quick session in the photo booth, a perfect memento of your best date.
Chris Drosner:
Settle into your sumptuous green velvet seat at Room Service, where you’re in for a feast for every one of the senses. This food is beautiful – the purple royal flower dumplings and the ostentatious three-tiered presentation of the somtam-kaitod will get the conversation going. Walk off the meal on the way to The Mothership for a tiki drink. It’ll be loud, so you’ll need to lean in close. If that sniff test is passed, Cupertino Park and South Shore Yacht Club are a 15-minute walk away and technically close at 10, but canoodling never hurt anyone. (Be prepared; the benches are hard.) The nightcap at The Newport (for vetting music tastes via TouchTunes) is optional.
Best Wine Bar for Non-Wine People
Nonfiction Natural Wines
This gorgeous, minimalist Bay View spot’s curated wine selections fly well outside the stereotypical white/red, and the knowledgeable and patient staff are happy to talk you through your selection and pour samples. 2563 S. Kinnickinnic Ave. – CD
Best Beer Send-off
Wisconsin Brewing’s Last Schlitz’
When Kirby Nelson, brewmaster of Wisconsin Brewing Co., heard that Schlitz was being discontinued by its corporate parent, he sprang into action. Using archival records, he put together a midcentury version of the beer and released it at his Verona brewery this summer – a proper farewell for an icon of Milwaukee. – CD
Taste Like You’ve Never Tasted Before
There are cocktail bars, and then there’s Agency. Ryan Castelaz and Kat Doughty’s ridiculously bougie (for Milwaukee, at least) shrine to mixology inside Downtown’s Dubbel Dutch Hotel is in a class by its delicious and unexpected self. The cocktails here can be crafted by the bartenders to suit your whims (everything can be N/A), or from a changing menu “chapter” that riffs on a theme – the current iteration is Greek mythology. When I drink here, I open my mind, eliminate my preferences and turn my night over to talent and invention. The ingredients are wild: exotic spirits and bespoke syrups and shrubs, of course, but also chlorophyll, laurel oil, smoldering cinnamon sticks and every essence of fruit, vegetable and herb you can imagine. And plenty you can’t. Last year around this time, I was served a French 75 with a garnish of fresh hay with gorgeously aromatic little flowers that brought together those bright, citrusy botanical flavors in a way that I lack the vocabulary to describe. I’m pretty sure I’ll never taste anything like it again. This is Agency in a nutshell: Wonder in a glass. 819 N. Marshall St., reservations recommended
Best (Only?) Reason to Linger in a Bar Bathroom
Graffiti
You just wanted to get in and get out. But the dumb joke, the weird sticker,the unexpectedly deep insight scrawled in Sharpie, they pulled you in. Just don’t be so distracted that you forget to wash your hands in the sink outside the john. – CD
Best Bagels Ruby’s vs. Allie Boy’s
Milwaukee’s two dedicated bagel shops are breakfast-food pillars of our community. How would they stack up, we wondered, in a battle of crust and crumb? Ruby’s got its start in 2019 at Zócalo Food Park and last year opened a shop on 55th and North. Allie Boy’s Bagelry & Luncheonette, meanwhile, opened its Walker’s Point hub in 2020, followed by an East Side spot four years later. I compared plain and Everything flavor ($2.50 each from both shops). Here’s how they fared:
Ruby’s
Plain: A glossy exterior spotted with tiny blisters that signal the bagel was boiled and baked at a high temperature. That’s a good thing – the bagel has very appealing surface crunch. It’s chewy, with a dense crumb that, when pressed firmly, stays squished.
Everything: The coating evenly covers the top and sides, and, for the most part, stays put. The seasoning leans heavy on sesame seeds, with some garlic, poppy and surprisingly little salt.
Allie Boy’s
Plain: Shiny and smooth on the outside, and puffy – this sucker is an inch thicker than Ruby’s. The innards are bready, with a soft crumb and many air pockets. Instead of the trademark bagel hole, it bears a small divot at midpoint. Offers a subtle, pervasive sweetness.
Everything: Entirely encased in a balanced seasoning that includes (and benefits from) the inclusion of caraway seeds. Not too salty, either.
Winner!
Ruby’s
Between its bubbly crust and dense chewiness, it’s a classic boiled-and-baked bagel I want to eat slathered (not just schmeared) with plain cream cheese.
