The best-known chunk of North Avenue runs from roughly Oakland Avenue to the lake, with a block or two extending to the north and south. The area seems pretty vital these days, with a new crop of storefronts and dreams. Come, let us share these dreams.
Map of East Side North Ave. Hotspots
Ma Fischer’s
2214 N. Farwell Ave.
Milwaukee isn’t big on all-night cafes or coffee shops, but there’s always Ma Fischer’s, which is open 24 hours. It’s a place to see local politicians, spillover from the Milwaukee Film Festival, all/most segments of society, and it’s got one of those tall, cylindrical cases that rotate cakes and pies. The menu is about 60 pages long, and you could probably eat at Ma Fischer’s once a day for a year and never eat the same thing twice.
North Point Water Tower
2288 N. Lake Drive
This tough old standpipe tower opened in 1874 and lasted until 1963. The pipe was built to relieve pressure from the North Point Pumping Station, according to the Encyclopedia of Milwaukee.
Crossroads Collective
2238 N. Farwell Ave.
This corner has not had an easy go of it, but Crossroads is pulling out all the stops. “Milwaukee’s Foodiest Food Hall” (also one of its booziest) has the mysteriously named Heaven’s Table BBQ, Frida Soup and Sandwiches, Scratch Scoop Shop (ice cream), Beerline Cafe, the Falafel Guys, Egg and Flour Pasta Bar and Raw Bar (seafood). Some of those are iterations of existing local places, and some are new.
Milwaukee Public Library East Branch
2320 N. Cramer St.
The old East Side location used to be humble and a bit dim. Now it feels futuristic. The space has increased by a few orders of magnitude, and you can rent chunks of it for meetings or presentations, or browse a variety of media. The project also included upscale apartments upstairs, which helped to finance the facility below.
The Waxwing
1800 E. North Ave.
If you’re looking for something tasteful and cool that references Milwaukee or Wisconsin, this is a good place to start. Waxwing carries the work of local and national artisans and has roots in Shorewood, where artist/owner Steph Davies first opened.
Sip & Purr Cat Cafe
2021 E. Ivanhoe Pl.
When this place is closed on Tuesdays for a respite, the cats take over, lounging in the windows on little wooden beds. On open days, you might think Sip & Purr is a simple business: a little coffee, a little cat time. But there’s a lot going on, including a concierge in the Cat Lounge you have to check with before touching a cat. You can also adopt cats and play Drag Bingo With Cats.
Black Cat Alley
alley between Ivanhoe and Kenilworth Place
Approximately every 30 seconds, someone walks down Black Cat Alley, often hand-in-hand with someone else, so the outdoor art gallery (17 murals by 18 artists) is never lonely during warm months.
Merge
1932 E. Kenilworth Pl.
Don’t trust the cover on this former ramen place. Inside a relatively plain doorway is a split level bar with bright murals and painted glass. Merge’s food is adventurous bar fare, plus Korean Fried Chicken (abbreviated KFC, not to be confused with the other KFC).
Oriental Theatre
2230 N. Farwell Ave.
Now featuring a women’s bathroom! Next to come is a proper organ, part of Milwaukee Film’s management of the historic three-theater plex built in 1927. The “Oriental” design comes from a mish-mash of Byzantine and other near-east ideas. Milwaukee Film’s captaining has meant greater variety and a surfeit of special event screenings.
Hacienda Beer Co.
2018 E. North Ave.
Hacienda is a shockingly different joint than the old G-Daddy’s BBC it replaced. Hacienda looks like a place to sit down next to Ernest Hemingway or Indiana Jones, for that matter, and order a lime and rum. It doesn’t have a zinc bar, just a swooping marble one, and the bathroom sign is one of a kind.
Ian’s Pizza
2035 E. North Ave.
Milwaukee isn’t overflowing, dripping, with pizza-by-the-slice. This one is the kind that puts unusual toppings on its pizza, such as macaroni and cheese, broccoli and vodka-tinged ravioli. They also have salads and vegan pizzas, but if you were of that persuasion, you might just walk across the street to Whole Foods.
Donut Squad
2264 N. Prospect Ave.
Fun doughnuts, cheap doughnuts, classic doughnuts. Donut Squad delivers after 10 a.m. and on Friday and Saturday nights. Takeout is possible from 6 a.m. to 2:45 p.m.
Whole Foods
2305 N. Prospect Ave.
The North Avenue location is going through some changes, swapping out the old burrito station with a new bar and a couple multi-cade arcade machines. Somehow we’ve reached a point where you can’t have a bar without the concomitant classic video games.
Mr. Senor’s
2335 N. Murray Ave.
The tacos are good at this Dude Llanas-owned takeout window, and the presentation is, most likely, one of a kind. Let’s just say it (openly and admittedly) centers on images of fertility.
North Ave. Hall of Fame
Vitucci’s, 1832 E. North Ave. An 80-year-old bar with old-fashioned decor.
Von Trier, 2235 N. Farwell Ave. This German tavern almost died, but now it has a new owner.
Hooligan’s Super Bar, 2017 E. North Ave. Another 80-year-old bar, this one with a predilection for sports.
Beans and Barley, 1901 E. North Ave. Vegetarian and non-veg fare and a store/deli.
More Notable North Ave. Spots
Baccanera Enoteca, 1732 E. North Ave. A new upscale wine and cocktail bar.
Blooming Lotus Bakery, 2215 E. North Ave. Gluten-free, grain-free, oil-free, dairy-free.
FreshFin Poke, 1806 E. North Ave. Popular poke joint rich in ingredients.
Fusion Poke, 1813 E. Kenilworth Pl. Poke bowls and ramen.
Nine Below, 1905 E. North Ave. Indoor putt-putt course and bar under Beans and Barley.
Splash Studio, 1815 E. Kenilworth Pl. A drink-and-paint bar.
Chubbys Cheesesteaks, 2232 N. Oakland Ave. Reigning local cheesesteak chain.
Izzy Hops Swig and Nosh, 2311 N. Murray Ave. Thirty-plus craft beers on tap, 30 bourbons and assorted food.
Divino Wine & Dine, 2315 N. Murray Ave. Lighter Italian fare with large wine selection and ice cream drinks.
Kawa Ramen and Sushi, 2321 N. Murray Ave. High quality ramen and sushi, open late.
The Drive-Thru, 1801 E. North Ave. Late night sweets and sandwiches from a small structure.
