I’ve been to many a Summerfest, and I’ll be honest, I’ve mostly avoided the food because one glance at the prices had me running for the hills (or the stages, if you will). When the Big Gig rolled around this year, however, I volunteered to find out if there was anything that could be considered “cheap eats” on the festival grounds, and off I went.
My initial thought was to try and find food for under $10, but on Day 1, I was confronted by an unfortunate reality: There’s nothing substantial available for that price. So, I made a pivot – what food provides the best value for money (while tasting great) at Summerfest?
Disclaimer: I love to eat, but I am a relatively small person – “substantial” works differently for everyone!
Tell us who you’d pick to be a Betty this year!
1. Saz’s Sample Platter, Saz’s Hospitality – $14.50
No Summerfest food list is complete without this classic platter, so it was the first thing I tried. With cheese curds, mozzarella sticks and fries, it has all the components needed for a truly filling meal. The platter is a decent size, and all the separate components tasted good, though the mozzarella sticks were a little bland for my taste.
However, two things affected my final rating: Way too many fries compared to cheese curds, and the knowledge that this platter used to be $8 just a few years ago. So, pretty good, but could be better.
Final rating: 3.5/5
2. Wok-fried Noodles, Island Noodles – $16
This was a late night pick after wrapping up the last show of the night, and it was well worth it. For Summerfest prices, this is substantial, and since I don’t eat a lot, I even managed to make it last till the next day. I got the vegan noodles, which, while a little salty, were stuffed full of vegetables, and my friend, who got the teriyaki chicken, declared it outstanding. No picture, unfortunately, since we ate this on the walk home.
Final rating: 4.5/5
3. Cedar Crest Brownie Sundae – $7
Cedar Crest’s prices are pretty good – I would go so far as to say I’d pay the same even outside Summerfest for their ice cream. The brownie sundae was substantial and filled up both me and a friend. The ice cream flavors were wonderful, the hot fudge generous – my only modest gripe was the brownie, though fudgy, could’ve had a bit more flavor.
Final rating: 5/5
4. Quarter Sausage Pizza, Ian’s Pizza – $11.50
Ian’s Pizza has been the star of many a midnight meal for me and several friends, and it is, for the most part, pretty reliable. The sausage pizza definitely isn’t my favorite, but considering the options available, a quarter pizza (perhaps twice a usual Ian’s slice) isn’t too bad for the price.
Final rating: 4/5
5. Nacho Platter, Johnsonville Sausage – $13.50
These were a little skimpy on the sausage, but decently generous on the cheese and toppings, and probably the best in terms of both quantity and taste. Are they authentic? Well, obviously not, but I’ll leave the authentic Mexican food for Mexican
Fiesta in August. If you’re looking for something filling (or shareable), this is likely the best value you can get for your money.
Final rating: 5/5
6. Impossible Burger, Ward’s House of Prime – $16
Maybe the cheeseburger would’ve been better, but I’ve had an Impossible Burger before and found it pretty filling. This was satisfying enough, and the fries were good, but for price – I’ve had better. I’d skip this unless you really want a burger-burger for some reason.
Final rating: 2/5
7. Festival Fries, Beats and Eats – $15
Unfortunately, these were definitely my least favorite. The fries were decent, and the quantity wasn’t too bad, but the price for what basically amounted to fries, a few pieces of bratwurst and sauce wasn’t great. The brats were somehow both burnt and soft from the odd-tasting sauce, which made this overall just kind of unpleasant to eat.
Final rating: 1/5
