D I N I N G O UT AFRICAN RESTAURANT
Alem Ethiopian Village 307 E. Wisconsin Ave. | 414-224-5324 alem-ethiopianvillage.com The first thing you notice is the aroma of spices—an invitation to sample the menu of lamb, beef, chicken and cooked vegetables often served in the form of a spiced stew called wat. The heart of an Ethiopian meal is the injera—a spongy, flat bread with a slightly tart flavor that traditionally serves as the plate holding the wat and as the eating utensil. Just break off a piece and scoop. Until COVID has passed, Alem is open for takeout only, daily from 4-8 p.m. (David Luhrssen)
RUNNERS-UP: • Blue Star Café • Ethiopian Cottage Restaurant • Immy's African Cuisine BAR FOOD
Camino Multiple locations caminomke.com In Walker’s Point and West Allis, Camino sets a high bar for bar food without being fussy. One of their trademarks is serving comfort food classics with a twist of multicultural flavor influences; fries are taken up a notch with poutine gravy, for example, and one can enjoy pierogi to snack on. The heartier dishes include sizeable sandwiches, sausages and chicken wings, all with piquant seasonings. Patrons are also sure to appreciate Camino’s variety of craft beers, liquors and daily specials. (Anastasia Skliarova)
and a cornbread muffin so moist and sweet it could be mistaken for dessert. The trademark pulled meats are also served as sandwiches. Take-out business is brisk, and they deliver within a 10-mile radius of the restaurant. (Jamie Lee Rake)
RUNNERS-UP—BARBECUE: • Ashley’s Bar-B-Que • Heaven's Table BBQ • Iron Grate BBQ Co. • The Saucy Swine RUNNERS-UP—RIBS: • Sandras on the Park • The Saucy Swine • Saz’s State House BREAKFAST/BRUNCH
Blue’s Egg 317 N. 76th St. | 414-299-3180 bluesegg.com Blue’s Egg won both the breakfast and brunch categories, imposing the restaurant as the king of early-day fare. As the name hints, they offer top-of-theline egg dishes, omelets and pancakes alongside classic hash browns, grilled cheese, bacon, veggies and salads. Blue’s Egg greets early risers with a myriad coffees and sweet drinks, but alcohol is on the menu as well—patrons can order a house cocktail or a “coffee with a kick.” (Jean-Gabriel Fernandez)
RUNNERS-UP—BREAKFAST: • Allie Boy’s Bagelry & Luncheonette • Mad Rooster Café • Uncle Wolfie's Breakfast Tavern RUNNERS-UP—BRUNCH: • Allie Boy’s Bagelry & Luncheonette • Mimosa • Uncle Wolfie's Breakfast Tavern BREW PUB
Lakefront Brewery 1872 N. Commerce St. | 414-372-8800 lakefrontbrewery.com On December 2, 1987, Russ and Jim Klisch sold their first barrel of beer to a tavern within “rolling distance” of the original location in Riverwest. Since they rolled out that barrel, Lakefront Brewery moved to the current location on Commerce St. Today, Lakefront offers 20 different beers available in over 30 states and distributed to Ukraine, South Korea, Sweden, China and Canada. Currently, there are no tours due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the restaurant and taproom are offering takeout and dine-in every day of the week. (Blaine Schultz)
RUNNERS-UP: • Good City Brewing • Eagle Park Brewing & Distilling • The Explorium Brewpub
RUNNERS-UP: • Brass Monkey Pub • Miller Time Pub & Grill • The Saucy Swine BARBECUE/RIBS
Double B’s BBQ Restaurant 7420 W. Greenfield Ave. | 414-257-9150 doublebs.com Double B’s takes smoked meat a step up with head chef and pit master Mark Timber’s scrumptious servings of pork, beef and chicken. Full meals are accompanied by creamy coleslaw, given a tinge of tanginess with apple cider vinegar JANUARY 2021 | 33
