Here are a few must-visit spots:
- Before you get to Milwaukee, make a quick stop in Kenosha, Wis., at the famous Mars Cheese Castle. You won't find amazing bargains or ultra-unique products (many can be found in local grocery stores throughout the state), but you will find a wide selection of Wisconsin cheeses, sausages and baked goods, conveniently located just off Interstate 94. Also, the nostalgia factor is high.
- Once you arrive, head to the Milwaukee Public Market where you'll find 20 specialty food vendors selling produce, bread, sweets, ethnic foods, wine and meats (even smoked salmon on a stick!).
- After stocking up on snacks, take a stroll along the RiverWalk, and then head to the Milwaukee Art Museum, home to great architecture and exhibits, and frequent festivals (including this weekend's Milwaukee Wine Festival).
- Finally, a trip to Milwaukee wouldn't be complete without a brewery tour, so why not check out one of the smaller, craft producers like Lakefront Brewery or Sprecher Brewing Company.
Related: Taste Escapes: Brown County and Bloomington, Indiana
(Images: Beige Alert and justephens, licensed under Creative Commons)
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One of the best places to check out in Milwaukee is Sendiks
http://www.sendiksmarket.com/
It's a locally owned and operated grocery store that was Whole Foods.... before Whole Foods. Things are truly local when it comes to meat and produce. Not just organic and local meaning United States however, Local meaning they meet farmers at the back door at 5am to trade produce from the area.
Each week they put out bags of produce that didn't sell marked down to RIDICULOUSLY low prices. It's all still good and perfect for using within the next 48 hours, or freezing. Stop in for food, snacks or lunch!
Two comments:
First, Lakefront Brewery serves excellent beer and has the best brewery tour in the city. $6 gets you a tour, a pint glass to take home, and 4 beers, plus a ticket for another free beer good at a number of other bars in the city. Plus, the tour guides are hilarious, the tour is always entertaining, and ends with a Laverne & Shirley sing-a-long at the bottling area.
Second, it should be noted that the NYT article you linked to is 5 years old, and as such, some of the information (like the Milwaukee Rep performing Richard III) is out of date.
Great to see a Milwaukee mention here though!
Another place that need to be mentioned: Usinger's Sausage .
We just got back last week from Milwaukee from a visit with my in-laws. We had a great Fri. night fish fry dinner at Lakefront Brewery complete with a polka band! I also recommend the cream puffs at the state fair :)
odd hours, a curmudgeonly chef, and the tastiest mothertrucking soup ever to touch your lips - the best kept secret in all of milwaukee is Soup Bros - a hole in the wall with a TON of character where a rotating menu of 5 kinds of the most delicious homemade stewy soups in the world is dished out by the midwest's version of the soup nazi. seriously.
god what i wouldn't give for a bowl of richard's roast duck & portabello and a hunk of fresh baked bread. it's right up there with the salmon sandwich at the public market.
209 W. Florida St.
414-860-7687
cash only, usually only open for lunch, SOMETIMES open until 6pm. who can say. part of the charm. consistently the best soups i have ever had.