Right on South KK, the Avalon theater (2473 S. Kinnickinnic Ave.) is in one of the fertile locations for Bay View dining – perfect meal-and-a-show material. Here are six suggestions close (or close-ish) by:
1. Café Corazon
2394 S. KINNICKINNIC AVE.
Across the street from the Avalon, Corazon is where you come for a wet burrito (with red or green enchilada sauce), taco plate or even a half-pound burger with beef from a Wisconsin farm. They have vegetarian and vegan options, and if you’re planning to drink, they serve a pretty solid margarita. Hours: Mon-Thurs 11 a.m.-8 p.m.; Fri 11 a.m.-9 p.m.; Sat 10 a.m.-9 p.m.; Sun 10 a.m.-8 p.m.
It’s time to pick your Milwaukee favorites for the year!
2. Sorella
2535 S. KINNICKINNIC AVE.
Located on the ground level of the Kinn Guesthouse, this place uses its wood oven to make good Neapolitan-style pizzas and grilled meats like veal and pork chops. Among my favorite things here is the cavatelli with Monday sauce, a sauce made of sausage, broken meatballs and pork ragu. Hours: Sun-Thurs 5-8 p.m.; Fri-Sat 5-10 p.m.
3. Heirloom
2378 S. HOWELL AVE.
Walk into this charming farm-to-table spot (inside the former Lazy Susan) and the ambiance is a mood-lifter – colorful and welcoming. The plates, too. You’ve probably eaten a lot of different cheese curds, but Heirloom’s are still special and they come with both roasted tomato jam and roasted jalapeno ranch. I always want the hand-stretched burrata cheese with arugula salad (it’s so good) and the mac and cheese (with two kinds of cheese). Gluttonous but so you have it. Hours: Wed-Thurs 5-9 p.m.; Fri-Sat 4-10 p.m.
4. Honeypie
2569 S. KINNICKINNIC AVE.
They do three square meals here and a lot of it is comfort-driven – shortrib hash, biscuits and gravy, pork fries (pulled pork-topped fries with mornay sauce), pot roast, mac and cheese, and chicken and biscuit pie. I’m salivating just thinking about them. They also serve a respectable burger and steak sandwich, and of course pie – plenty of pie. Hours: daily 9 a.m.-9 p.m.
5. Egg & Flour Pasta Bar
2273 S. HOWELL AVE.
Adam Pawlak – the dude who appeared on the reality food TV show “Hell’s Kitchen” – created this concept and it’s a good one: house-made pastas prepared topped with a well-made sauce. Simps. Pappardelle with Bolognese sauce, bucatini with pesto cream sauce, carbonara. You can add grilled or crispy chicken, meatballs or burrata to any pasta, and if for some reason, you’ve got eyes on a sandwich, Egg & Flour offers chicken parm, meatball and caprese, among others. Yum. Hours: Wed-Sat 11 a.m.-9 p.m.; Sun 11 a.m.-8 p.m.; Mon 11 a.m.-9 p.m.
6. Lulu Café & Bar
2265 S. HOWELL AVE.
I don’t mind that the regular menu doesn’t change too much. There’s always specials on the board. But look, Lulu is where you grow affectionate for certain things, which then become your personal staples. Mine? East Indian chicken pita, Calypso tuna salad and the Moroccan chicken sandwich. They come with homemade chips or Lulu slaw and I always get some of each. Hours: Mon-Thurs 11 a.m.-9 p.m.; Fri-Sat 11 a.m.-10 p.m.
