Wisconsin · best-of list
The 8 Best Restaurants in Wisconsin
All 8 restaurants our route editors picked in Wisconsin, across 4 destinations, gathered in one list. 1 spot on this list appears on more than one of our routes.
Our curated picks
8 restaurants in Wisconsin, grouped by destination. Destinations with the most picks come first; this is not a ranking.
Door County 3 picks
Al Johnson's Swedish Restaurant
Door County · On our Chicago & Great Lakes route
Swedish pancakes with lingonberries under goats grazing on the sod roof.
Tip: Goats are usually up late spring to fall.
Photo: Kim Scarborough from Chicago, IL · CC BY-SA 2.0
Pelletier's Restaurant & Fish Boil
Door County · On our Chicago & Great Lakes route
Traditional Door County fish boil with the flame-up finale, followed by cherry pie.
Tip: Reserve a fish boil time slot.
Photo: Raymond Rutherford · Google
Wilson's Restaurant and Ice Cream Parlor
Door County · On our Chicago & Great Lakes route
Classic 1906 ice cream parlor across from the Ephraim waterfront.
Photo: Wilson's Restaurant & Ice Cream Parlor · Google
Milwaukee 3 picks
Milwaukee Public Market
Milwaukee · On our Chicago & Great Lakes route + 1 more
Third Ward market hall with seafood, cheese, Wisconsin specialties and an upstairs seating area.
Tip: St. Paul Fish Company's lobster roll is a popular order.
Photo: Michael Barera · CC BY-SA 4.0
Kopp's Frozen Custard
Milwaukee · On our Chicago & Great Lakes route
Classic Milwaukee frozen custard stand with daily flavors and big burgers.
Tip: Check the flavor of the day before you go.
Photo: Kopp's Frozen Custard · Google
Sobelman's Pub & Grill
Milwaukee · On our Chicago & Great Lakes route
Burgers and over-the-top Bloody Marys in a corner tavern near Marquette.
Photo: Sobelmans on St. Paul · Google
Bradford Beach & the Lakefront 1 pick
Colectivo Lakefront
Bradford Beach & the Lakefront · On our Milwaukee New Year's Eve route
Coffee shop and cafe in the 1888 Milwaukee River Flushing Station on Lincoln Memorial Drive, with lake views.
Tip: Get a hot drink here before or after the plunge; it is a short drive south of the beach.
Deer District & Downtown Milwaukee 1 pick
Mader's
Deer District & Downtown Milwaukee · On our Milwaukee New Year's Eve route
German restaurant on Old World Third Street since 1902, known for pork shank, schnitzel and a dining room full of steins.
Tip: Book Dec 30 or an early Dec 31 table and walk to the fireworks after.
Photo: Michael Barera · CC BY-SA 4.0
How we picked these
Every entry is a stop on at least one of TripsCircle's hand-curated routes, chosen by our route editors, who wrote the reason to go shown with each place. These are our curated picks, not a scored ranking: we haven't rated or reviewed them against each other. The list is grouped by destination, and within each destination places that appear on more routes come first.
Prices ($ to $$$$) and visit lengths are rough guides from our route notes, not quotes. Check opening hours before you go.
About this list
How did you choose the restaurants in Wisconsin?
Each one is a stop on a TripsCircle route that our editors built by hand, and each comes with a written reason to go. This page shows all 8 of them. They are curated picks, not a ranked score.
Which part of Wisconsin has the most restaurants on this list?
Door County and Milwaukee lead with 3 each; the other picks are spread across 2 more destinations.
More lists for Wisconsin
Best restaurants nearby
Destinations on this list
- Door County 3 on this list
- Milwaukee 3 on this list
- Bradford Beach & the Lakefront 1 on this list
- Deer District & Downtown Milwaukee 1 on this list
Turn this list into a plan
Open a curated route in TripsCircle, add the spots your crew wants, vote with polls and keep everyone on one shared itinerary.