From time to time, people will ask me what my favorite restaurant is in Milwaukee. That's a question that I find impossible to answer. Do you mean fancy? Casual? Upscale? Home cooking? How can I pick just one?!
So instead, I give you a list of my Top 5. If somebody asks for my suggestion, these are the places that I'm pretty sure won't let them (or me) down. I take restaurant suggesting pretty seriously. I feel like it reflects back upon me. So here goes:
Crazy Water - Located in a teeny, tiny space that used to be a bar called Zur Krone, I've literally NEVER had a bad meal here. This place is small, in fact part of the bar is used to finish off plates in the front of the restaurant, but after you start eating you won't notice. The service is impeccable without being snobby. The wait staff can give you opinions if you're torn. Try anything. You'll love it.
Sanford - Sanford is, culinarily-speaking (is that even a word?), the big Kahuna in town. When you own a restaurant and Julia Child asks you to help prepare her 80th birthday meal, you clearly have some cooking skills and Sandy D'Amato does. Alas, all good things come to an end and Sandy has sold Sanford to his executive chef Justin Aprahamian. Somehow, I think things will continue to go swimmingly and I trust that Sandy has passed the baton to a worthy successor. A word of advice: This is probably the fanciest restaurant in Milwaukee. If you go, dress up. Do it just because. Leave the bar jacket and gym shoes at home. The atmosphere is very upscale, zen and streamlined, but I love this place because the service is friendly yet knowledgeable.
Ristorante Bartolotta - Full disclosure - I live within walking distance of the crown jewel of the Bartolotta Restaurant Empire (and quite an empire it has become.) I have no true and logical reason for loving this restaurant except that I do. I'm still pissed that they modified the Pappardelle con Ragu recipe, but it's still amazing. Everything is good, the service is impeccable and this is a place you can dress up or down, depending on the occasion. Is it perfect? No. I've hit a few bumps in my dining road there, but they have ALWAYS fixed it. ALWAYS. One of my favorite experiences is dining outside at Bartolotta's during the summer. The village of Tosa comes alive and it's just always a fantastic evening.
Braise - This is one of the newbie hotspots in town. Hard to get a table, so you'd better have a reservation. Located in trendy Walker's Point, the atmosphere is hip, young, modern and casual. The tables are made from repurposed bowling alleys that used to be bowled upon in the same space. In fact, that's my only (pardon the pun) beef with Braise are the "community" tables that you sometimes must share depending on the size of your party. But deal with it, because it's worthwhile. Braise is in my top 5 because it's one of a very few places where I took a bite of food and said, out loud, "WOW." The flavors, the unique pairing of foods and the unbelievable creativity is simply unmatched. Oh and it's probably no surprise that the chef/owner was formerly at Sanford.
Meritage - Like Norm from Cheers, I love it when people remember me. That's so rare in a city the size of Milwaukee, but apparently, hubby and I go to Meritage enough that we feel SO well-welcomed every time we go there. This has become our go-to place. On the fly, on a Friday night, we'll go here early before it gets crowded - and crowded it gets. Jan Kelly opened Meritage in 2007 and it has become an absolute gem in the Washington Heights neighborhood. The menu changes seasonally and the atmosphere is upscale casual with a bit of a bistro feel. The servers are top-notch and you'll be treated like royalty.
Happy dining!
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