Last year was another great one for Milwaukee Magazine. We were finalists for five national City and Regional Magazine Awards, including the prestigious General Excellence award, and we took home five first-place awards from the Milwaukee Press Club. The awards cover feature writing, design, profiles, sports stories and more.
Check out the award winning work below:
Know somebody making an impact in Milwaukee?
City and Regional Magazine Award Finalists
1. ‘What to Eat Now’ (Food or Dining Feature Package)
DECEMBER 2025
BY ANN CHRISTENSON | DESIGN BY CHELSEA MAMEROW | PHOTOS BY MARTY PETERS | ILLUSTRATION BY SOPHIE YUFA
“Now” means drop everything. Your stomach is calling. Here’s your guide to the dishes – and drinks! – that are defining everything we’re craving at this very moment: sumptuous pastas, hearty soups, comforting favorites that you’ll want to order again. And again.
2. ‘Hidden Milwaukee’ (Feature Package)
OCTOBER 2025
BY TEA KRULOS, ARCHER PARQUETTE, EVAN MUSIL, ANN CHRISTENSON, ANNA LARDINOIS | DESIGN BY CHELSEA MAMEROW | PHOTOS BY KEVIN J. MIYAZAKI | ILLUSTRATION BY SOPHIE YUFA
In a city like this, there are secrets and surprises seemingly behind every corner. Join us as we uncover the places, history and other stories that are just too good to keep under wraps.
3. ‘The Best Burgers’ (Food or Dining Feature Package)
AUGUST 2025
BY ANN CHRISTENSON | DESIGN BY CHELSEA MAMEROW | PHOTOS BY MARTY PETERS
You know it when you taste it – a burger so good you never want the last bite to come. For this, the ultimate guide to the best patties in town, we’ve rounded up more than three dozen – some of which hit the highest marks, plus many others that deserve special recognition. You won’t blame us for being a little, well, obsessive.
4. The Dish (Food or Dining Section)
AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER ISSUES
EDITED BY ANN CHRISTENSON
These print issues had two jam-packed dining sections: a look at a farm-to-cup coffee shop that uses beans grown on the owners’ family farm in Mexico; an interview with a professional beer taste tester; the story of a ballerino-turned chef, and more.
5. General Excellence
We’re incredibly proud to be finalists for this award signifying the best City and Regional Magazines in the country for the third year straight!
Milwaukee Press Club Excellence in Wisconsin Journalism Awards
6. ‘The Longest Race’ (GOLD: Best Sports Story)
DECEMBER 2025
BY ALYSSA CHOINIERE
Quince Mountain set out to finish the Iditarod, one of the world’s greatest challenges. Little did the Wisconsin musher know the ways he would be tested.
7. ‘A Boulevard of Dreams’ (GOLD: Best Short Hard Feature Story)
OCTOBER 2025
BY LARRY SANDLER
In the debate over whether to remove Downtown’s I-794, nightmares of gridlock clash with visions of urban redevelopment.
8. ‘Who Runs This Town’ (GOLD: Best Personal Profile)
APRIL 2025
BY CHRIS DROSNER, ARCHER PARQUETTE, ASHLEY ABRAMSON, EVAN MUSIL, ADAM ROGAN, RICH ROVITO
The mayor, naturally. CEOs, sure. Giannis, Yes! But influence has many forms, and we’re fascinated by the way these 47 people are reshaping Milwaukee and beyond.
9. ‘The Best Burgers’ (GOLD: Best Single Story or Feature Design)
AUGUST 2025
DESIGN BY CHELSEA MAMEROW | PHOTOS BY MARTY PETERS
You know it when you taste it – a burger so good you never want the last bite to come. For this, the ultimate guide to the best patties in town, we’ve rounded up more than three dozen – some of which hit the highest marks, plus many others that deserve special recognition. You won’t blame us for being a little, well, obsessive.
10. Milwaukee Magazine (GOLD: Best Overall Design)
CHELSEA MAMEROW, BIANCA CABRAL, SOPHIE YUFA, KATY WOODS
Every issue of our print magazine is a visual delight. We were proud to have that photography, illustration and design celebrated by the Milwaukee Press Club.
11. ‘People to Know’ (SILVER: Best Single Cover Design)
APRIL 2025
DESIGN BY CHELSEA MAMEROW | PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY JOE DARROW
For this cover highlighting some of the most influential Milwaukeeans, we were thrilled to work with Joe Darrow, whose work has been featured in New York Magazine and Vanity Fair, among others.
12. ‘Waves of Controversy: Inside the Latest Battle on Wisconsin’s Waterways’ (SILVER: Best Explanatory Story or Series)
APRIL 2025
BY DAN SIMMONS
Wakeboats have become floating pariahs, but their defenders say the criticism is unfounded.
13. ‘Sweden’s Maja Stark Won the 80th U.S. Women’s Open at Erin Hills’ (BRONZE: Best Sports Story, Online)
BY RICH ROVITO
Thousands of fans came out to the Wisconsin golf course to watch top players from around the world compete.
14. This Website! (BRONZE: Best Local News or Feature Website)
Last but certainly not least, we took home an award for this very website. Thank you for supporting award-winning journalism!
