Wisconsin is one of the country’s great burger bastions and you’ll find one of the state’s best at this old time bar in the unincorporated town of Duvall (25 miles northeast of Green Bay). The bar’s namesake opened the place in 1952 and he used a cast iron skillet to cook burgers. Although the original building was destroyed in a fire both the burger press and the pans were saved and are still used today by Joe Rouer’s grandson who now runs the place. 1/3 lb balls of locally butchered beef are pressed in the skillet and cooked in a combination of their own fat plus onions and a little bit of water which makes for a magical flavor enhancing sauce they call “burger gravy.” 

Experience one of the state’s great German restaurants and make sure you go hungry when you do. Loreilei Inn is known around town for hulking plates of German-American food, cold beer from both Germany and Wisconsin, live music, as well as alleged paranormal activity. The bar also hosts an annual Oktoberfest every year that draws up to 3,000 people who gather in large tents for a weekend of German food and beer with polka music, and dancing.

There’s lots of spots to enjoy a brat in the “Bratwurst Capital of the World” and Charcoal Inn has been a local favorite since 1984. Get a true taste of Sheboygan by trying one of the regionally loved brat burgers. The iconic local butcher Miesfeld’s supplies restaurants in the area with its grand champion bratwurst recipe (100 percent pork) in hamburger patty form. Charcoal Inn grills them over live charcoal and serves them on another local specialty called a hard roll. Center-split Semmel rolls are toasted and then dressed with pickles, mustard, onions, and butter. 

Milwaukee has a sizable Hmong community and this multi-use commercial space hosts a variety of Hmong owned businesses including a grocer and a food court. Choose from several stands serving Hmong comfort foods like papaya salad Hmong sausage, and pho. Don’t miss the stuffed chicken wings which are a popular snack made by deboning a wing and stuffing it with pork and vermicelli noodles before a trip to the grill.

Wisconsin loves its local custard stands and Kopp’s is one of the state’s most beloved. It’s often the first place that people who move from Milwaukee will visit upon returning home. Generations of fans can’t get enough of their thick creamy custard which pairs perfectly with one of their old fashioned cheeseburgers. There are three Kopp’s locations.

This multi-use space was built as a catalyst for neighborhood unity in the city’s Sherman Park neighborhood. The complex is home to 27 small businesses and most are Black owned. Food options include artisan ice cream at Purple Door Ice Cream, Buffalo wings via Brooklyn at Buffalo Boss, and fresh spring rolls from Funky Fresh Spring Rolls. 

Two things Milwaukee does really well — bars and corned beef. The two come together at this landmark tavern known for tender hand-carved corned beef piled high on rye.

Justin Carlisle has established himself as one of Milwaukee’s top culinary ambassadors. The James Beard-nominated chef offers up one of the Midwest’s best tasting menus featuring seasonal produce and locally raised meat in an extremely intimate setting. Carlisle’s family farm often supplies the restaurant with beef and other high-quality ingredients which make for a memorable experience when paired with the world-class service. 

Owner Alex Hanesakda and team have been popping up in the Southeast Wisconsin area for several years. They’ve built a loyal following dishing out delicious dishes inspired by Alex’s Laotian-American heritage. This new brick & mortar location will feature a full menu of food and a Lao-inspired beer brewed locally with sticky rice. 

Start your day with breakfast in an old railcar at this landmark diner. Frank’s is said to be the country’s oldest continuously operating diner and it also claims to be home of garbage plate. While people in Rochester, N.Y. may disagree, Frank’s takes a different approach to the “throw it all on a plate and serve it” practice. At Frank’s a garbage plate consists of three eggs (Half Plate) or five eggs (Full Plate) mixed into a combination of hash browns, green peppers, and onions. You choose both your meat and cheese and it all comes with a couple slices of their famous homemade toast. 

Kenosha still has a thriving old time drive-in culture and the Spot is the longest tenured of them all. Locals have flocked here for cheeseburgers, onion rings, and root beer since 1945. The burgers are served smashed and loosely packed with a nice crispness around the edges and both the onion rings and root beer are made in-house.