What's Your Favorite New Restaurant?

When people ask me what my favorite new restaurant is, the answer is admittedly complicated. While it’s exciting to have so many new restaurants opening, especially places like the Crossroads Collective and the Sherman Phoenix that are home to multiple delicious vendors, it’s concerning that some of our favorite more established restaurants are closing. We’ve seen it time and time again where a new restaurant opens and gets all the attention while the experienced struggle to compete, even though the food may be far superior. As food journalists, it’s our responsibility to remind you of the classics and not get caught up in the new restaurant hype (note to our readers, go eat at Crazy Water). All too often I see people angry that their favorite restaurant has closed, but it had been years since their last visit. I can’t stress enough, please go support those businesses you love if you haven’t been for a while, they might not be around forever. 

Several of the restaurants that shaped my personal culinary interests in Milwaukee are still standing, but some have disappeared. To name a few, Dancing Ganesha, Chez Jacques, Gil’s Cafe, Nanakusa and the Marchese’s Olive Pit all hold a soft spot in both my heart and stomach. Each one means something different to me, based on my food memories and the people involved. Just writing the names of these establishments overwhelms me with a flood of memories that I’ll never be able to relive. 

Then there are great pillars of the community like Growing Power and Sweet Water Organics, organizations that brought respect and credibility to our city with a real vision of change. One of those figures of change was the late Joe Bartolotta; he was an inspiration for the entire restaurant community. Joe was not just a man who donated much of his time to developing the best chefs and servers in the city, his philanthropic endeavors outside of the restaurant world were far-reaching. He may be gone, but his presence feels like a permanent part of Milwaukee’s food history. 

Our city has seen incredible change over the last decade. A product of this growth is an influx of new businesses and restaurants, but as we grow to the future, let’s not forget our past. Call your friends and go visit one of Milwaukee’s established restaurants before it’s too late. Those that came before us were the ones that laid the foundation for who we all are today.