15 things our dining critic is thankful for in Milwaukee's dining scene this year

Happy Thanksgiving, Milwaukee! While many of us are dining at home rather than at a restaurant this holiday, there’s still so much to be grateful for when it comes to our city’s dining scene. Here are a few on my list this year. What about Milwaukee’s restaurants are you thankful for? Let me know at rseis@gannett.com. 

South 2nd Street in Walker’s Point 

From Braise near the south end of the street to Purple Door Ice Cream at the north, more than a dozen great restaurants line a half-mile stretch of this street in Walker's Point. There is something for every kind of diner, including special occasion-worthy spots such as Odd Duck and Morel, fantastic pizza from Fixture, one of the city’s best burgers at Camino, high-end Mexican fare at La Dama and more accessible (but just as delicious) Mexican eats at Cielito Lindo. It’s Milwaukee’s de facto restaurant row, home to so many answers to the question, “Where should we go to eat?” 

More good eats:These are some of Milwaukee's best tacos according to our dining critic

All of Milwaukee County Parks’ beer gardens 

Our beer garden culture is unlike anywhere else I’ve seen in the country, and the fact that we have seven permanent beer gardens where anyone can gather to sip and snack in a scenic public park is something special. Big groups are welcome, kids are welcome, dogs are welcome (personally, the dog-watching is my favorite part). The fact that these beer gardens help fund our incredible parks system is reason enough to raise a stein. 

The carrot cake from Buckley's 

I know it’s pie time, but I doubt I’d be turned away from Thanksgiving if I brought a few big slices of this, my all-time favorite cake. In fact, Buckley's carrot cake should be present at every holiday, every celebration, every little moment when your sweet tooth kicks in and you need something special. Is it the thick cream cheese vanilla buttercream that makes it stand out? The warm spices playing with the sweet bits of pineapple in the batter? Whatever the case, this carrot cake makes me forget pumpkin pie altogether. 

The lakefront view from Harbor House 

Whether in the dining room or outside on the patio, you won’t find a better view while dining in the city than the one at Bartolotta’s Harbor House. I took guests here over the summer and fought for their attention as they peered past me and over to glistening Lake Michigan butted up against the outstretched wings of the Milwaukee Art Museum's Burke Brise Soleil. Honestly, I couldn’t blame them — in that moment, I was reminded of just how beautiful our city can be. 

Clock Shadow Creamery cheese curds

I field a lot of questions about the first thing visitors should try when visiting Milwaukee. Cheese curds are the answer, but if I want to get specific, I recommend seeking out Clock Shadow curds whenever possible. They're the base of many of the best fried cheese curds in the city, from Lakefront Brewery to Camino to Black Sheep to Dairyland. They're usually made on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, so if you want 'em extra fresh to get that peak squeak, stop by their Bruce Street storefront then.

3rd St. Market Hall 

It’s a little baffling to think this food hall didn’t exist at this time two years ago. The always-bustling space in The Avenue (formerly the Grand Avenue Mall) is now home to 20 local vendors, providing an all-are-welcome spot for diners with all kinds of cravings. I go there often to meet friends for dinner before a show at the Riverside or a quick lunch when I’m bopping around that side of the city. But I really love how it’s an incubator for local chefs to showcase their talent without the stress of operating a full brick-and-mortar location. I haven’t yet tried City Fountain, the hall’s new self-tap beer wall, but in the dead of winter when I’m missing beer garden season, it won’t be surprising to find me there. 

Spicy vermouth carrots from the Swingin' Door Exchange

I know … carrots? I’m making space here for … carrots? But these carrots hit different. They're super thinly sliced and simply sauteed till they get delicious little speckles of caramelized char all over. But it’s that finish of vermouth that sends them over the top with a sweet, herbaceous kick. Yes, these carrots deserve space on this list — and your plate. 

Zócalo Food Truck Park 

Milwaukee’s first food truck park is still going strong, and it's still the space I recommend for casual friend meet-ups, a quick bite before a ball game or show, or just an afternoon outside when you can’t decide what you want to eat. And I’m thankful for the cutely decorated heated huts they offer in winter so we can keep meeting there when temperatures drop. 

Winter dining:Your guide to domes, greenhouses and huts at Milwaukee bars and restaurants

The lunch counter at Cafe at the Plaza 

Greasy-spoon fare, friendly service and breakfast enjoyed next to new-to-me friends in a space that’s been around nearly 100 years? As I said when I revisited the Plaza this summer, few things warm my soul more than a morning spent on a swivel-y stool along the cafe's horseshoe-shaped, jade-green lunch counter.   

Soup dumplings at Momo Mee 

Although I’m grateful for all dumplings in any season, we’re heading into the heart of their time to shine. I’m convinced Momo Mee's specialty, those teardrop-shaped pouches filled with pork, spices and steamy soup broth, taste even better when it’s cold out, and I plan to conduct multiple tests over the winter to prove my point. Yes, they take a little work and practice to eat, but they’re my favorite dumplings in the city. 

Dining at Three Brothers on a snowy night 

It’s always a good idea to treat yourself to a homestyle Serbian dinner at Bay View’s Three Brothers restaurant, but you haven’t truly experienced comfort until you’ve stuffed yourself with mismatched plates of chicken paprikash, stuffed peppers, potato dumplings and their famous burek while big, fat snowflakes flutter around outside. Stepping out from that quaint dining room into the sparkling snowbanks is a reminder that, sometimes, Milwaukee winters are worth it. 

Saz’s Sampler Platter 

I’ve already devoted more than 500 words to the crown jewel of fried-food combos when I wrote an ode to it over the summer, but with festival season behind us, my heart grows even more fond of those mozz sticks, sour cream and chive fries, and curds. See you in a matter of months, my friends. 

Ordering at the bar at Five O’Clock Steakhouse 

I’ll never get over the charm of walking into this frozen-in-time space, sitting at the bar while sipping a brandy old fashioned and perusing the menu of supper-club fare before ever sitting down at my table. It’s such an authentically Wisconsin experience we’re so lucky to have right here in the city. 

Milwaukee's ever-changing dining scene

If there's one thing I've realized since becoming dining critic, it's that our dining scene is not stagnant. The kinds of cuisine, types of restaurants and style of chefs is constantly shifting (in the best way). My list of restaurants to try continues to grow even as we've lost some longtime favorites this year. Sure, that means my schedule gets a little more hectic as I bounce around town to cover new things, but I've discovered so much new-to-me food and explored neighborhoods in fascinating ways I never had before.

The warm welcome I’ve received as your new dining critic  

I was equal parts excited and terrified when I took over the role of dining critic in June. I had big shoes to fill and was relatively unknown across the city’s dining scene. There was much to prove and a lot to live up to. I’m so grateful for the kind messages I’ve received from readers like you, who’ve helped assuage my nervousness immensely. I love sharing my best bites, go-to neighborhood standbys and new restaurant reviews with you all, and I can’t wait to share even more in the coming year. 

Rachel Bernhard joined the Journal Sentinel as dining critic in June 2023. She’s been busy exploring the Milwaukee-area food scene to share her favorite finds with readers along the way. Like all Journal Sentinel reporters, she buys all meals, accepts no gifts and is independent of all establishments she covers.    

What should she cover next? Contact her atrseis@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter at @rachelbernhard or on Instagram at @rach.eats.mke.