Slide 1 of 5,

In Milwaukee, a city best known for its blue-collar roots, an artistic side is starting to emerge, particularly in an area known as the Third Ward. In the mid-19th century, the port city was known for its high volume of wheat trade before becoming a machine shop for the world. Immigrants — mostly Italian and Irish — settled in the Third Ward, thanks to its proximity to the city’s docks and factories. In 1892, a huge fire destroyed most of the neighborhood. Though it made a modest comeback over the next decades as the city’s Little Italy, by the 1960s, expressway construction through the area sent many of its remaining residents packing.

— STEPHANIE DAVILA

Ryan Braun’s Graffito

102 North Water Street

(414) 727-2888

ryanbraunsgraffito.com

In March, the Milwaukee Brewers All-Star outfielder Ryan Braun helped open this farm-to-table Italian restaurant. The chef, Dominic Zumpano, a James Beard Award nominee, offers homey items like build-your-own bruschetta ($8), left, and housemade pasta like hot-wing ravioli ($14 and $19.)