Carol Deptolla

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

So much deliciousness.

Sweet corn and beets and fennel and peppers. Blackberries and plums and melons. House-made sausages and rich steaks and humble cuts of meat made memorable. Months of restaurant visits and hundreds of dishes later, the 2016 Top 30 and 20 Good Eats lists are ready; together, they make up Milwaukee 50.

This year I've ranked the Top 30 restaurants in order. This is harder than you might think.

I never once left a restaurant and said, “That was definitely a No. 18 experience, no question.” So the restaurants are ranked relative to each other — sort of like grading on a curve.

With such a diverse group of restaurants, it's a challenge; I was comparing apple tarts to orange sauces, really. It also required putting a pretty fine point on what were enjoyable dining experiences from beginning to end.

I considered geography and type of food, but facts are facts: Walker’s Point, Bay View and the Third Ward are magnets for restaurants, and many ambitious restaurants these days are serving dishes with global influences and hoping that diners will share their plates.

Truly, restaurants are making it harder for me every year to pick just 50. Good on you, chefs and restaurateurs, for making Milwaukee and environs an ever-better dining destination. Please keep making my job tougher.

Considering the caliber of restaurants that have opened in the past year or so (some quite recently), I suspect next year's list could look very different as those restaurants come into their own.

I do wonder: With so many more restaurants — so many more ambitious restaurants — is it time to expand the list? Is 50 — Top 30 plus 20 Good Eats — not enough anymore? Is 30 enough, but 20 isn’t? Or is it better to be exclusive than inclusive?

Those are questions I’ll ponder for 2017. I’d like to hear how you feel about a longer list; let me know in the comments after this article online, or at cdeptolla@journalsentinel.com or (414) 224-2841.

I’m glad to recommend these 50 restaurants to Milwaukee-area residents, and I’d also be happy to suggest them to out-of-towners who want a sense of what’s great in Milwaukee dining these days — places that push Milwaukee's dining scene forward or represent where we’ve come from.

In the meantime, these meals won’t eat themselves. Let’s get started.

1. Ardent

1751 N. Farwell Ave.

(414) 897-7022

ardentmke.com

The dining room is modest, as four-star restaurants go; there’s no leather-bound wine book with shockingly pricey bottles. The cooking, though, is world-class. Dinner at Ardent is a meal I’ve thought of every day since I had it.

Get the tasting menu by chef-owner Justin Carlisle if you have the means, to sample broadly from the ever-changing, ever-innovating seasonal menu. The menu builds to a crescendo, over plates such as a single, diminutive beet lacquered in beet juice, licorice and schmaltz, set on a cloud of farmer cheese with a pale green pool of fennel oil, or deeply flavorful beef from the Carlisle family farm, shingled with thin rounds of raw, pickled and smoked kohlrabi.

Maybe your dessert will be as remarkable and new to you as mine was to me — chamomile-infused cream whipped from goat’s milk, with intense semi-dried strawberries and delicate meringue; a pairing of milk punch made with fermented strawberries put an exclamation point on it.

Hours: 6-10 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday. Prices: Plates, $5-$22; a tasting menu is $85 for eight courses, or $125-$130 with beverage pairings. Payment: MasterCard, Visa, American Express, Discover.

2. Sanford

1547 N. Jackson St.

(414) 276-9608

sanfordrestaurant.com

It’s a rush to see the dishes that chef Justin Aprahamian’s Sanford crafts with vegetables and fruits that are in season (or preserved). It might be silky tomato-red pepper gazpacho with basil cream and the tiniest, crunchiest of croutons, or an island of sweet corn flan in Serrano ham broth. Underappreciated kohlrabi and ground cherries accented dishes; Italian plums were nestled with caramelized sugar in wispy tart shells for dessert. Aprahamian’s particular talent, I think, is the one-bite gift at dinner’s outset that revs up taste buds, such as small cubes of pickled tuna with preserved orange and chimichurri.

Hours: 5:30-9 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 5:30-10 p.m. Friday, 5-10 p.m. Saturday. Prices: Entrées, $34-$36; four-course menu, $49; seven-course tasting menu, $85, or $125 with wine pairings. Payment: MasterCard, Visa, American Express, Discover, Diners Club.

3. c.1880

1100 S. 1st St.

(414) 431-9271

c1880.com

Eat with your eyes first. The beauty of the plates at chef-owner Thomas Hauck’s c.1880 make you pause to admire them, if just for a moment, before finding out how delicious they are: his classic lamb with pita panzanella over baba ghannouj; luscious rabbit loin with a jammy garlic-shallot center, wrapped in a thin ribbon of zucchini; saffron-scented bouillabaisse of monkfish, clams, mussels and shrimp arranged just so, the seafood impeccable.

The kitchen is disciplined, but the mood in the dining room is relaxed, with warm lighting and Miles Davis riffs in the background, a great spot to sit with one of the well-made cocktails or a glass of wine (a section of the list notes bottles with Wisconsin connections).

Hours: 5:30-10 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday, 5-10 p.m. Friday-Saturday. Prices: Entrées, $19-$35; a five-course tasting menu is $80, $115 with half-pours of wine, $135 with full pours. Payment: MasterCard, Visa, American Express, Discover.

4. Morel

430 S. 2nd St.

(414) 897-0747

morelmke.com

The buzzy vibe, the easygoing but spot-on service, the sight and sounds of cooking in the open kitchen, the satisfying food, a terrific bar: Morel is one of those restaurants that has it all. Daily specials alongside the seasonal menu might hold smoked goat stuffed into tender pierogi. Chef-owner Jonathan Manyo pulls full flavors from the plant kingdom (such as beet and beet greens with fennel and cream on toast, mixed mushrooms on soft polenta) as well as he does from the animal kingdom (lamb leg with eggplant and house-made lamb sausage and lamb bacon). Desserts are special, too, like summer’s honey nectarine cake with red plum puree, basil Fernet sauce and black cherry ice cream.

Hours: 5-9 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday, 5-10 p.m. Friday-Saturday. Prices: Entrées, $16-$32. Payment: MasterCard, Visa, American Express, Discover.

5. Hinterland Erie Street Gastropub

222 E. Erie St., Suite 100

(414) 727-9300

hinterlandbeer.com

Chef Matt Kerley, who joined Hinterland in spring after longtime chef Dan Van Rite left to open Dandan, brings his own style to the menu, but Hinterland remains focused on seasonal dishes, and they’re as delicious as ever. Consider the heirloom tomato salad with basil gel, or an outstanding cornbread-stuffed quail glazed in barbecue sauce (made with an aged Hinterland Brewery ale) and served with goat cheese polenta. Kerley instituted an affordable change: Diners who don’t want to go all in on entrées now can order Hinterland’s estimable double-patty bar burger or daily bar specials in the main dining room.

Hours: Dinner served 5-10 p.m. Monday-Saturday; bar opens at 4 p.m. and closes later. Prices: Entrées, $25-$38; five- to 12-course chef’s table menu, from $95. Payment: MasterCard, Visa, American Express, Discover.

6. Dream Dance Steak

1721 W. Canal St., in Potawatomi Hotel & Casino

(414) 847-7883

paysbig.com/dining

At Milwaukee’s little piece of Vegas, Dream Dance Steak serves dinner with some glam and tip-top service. There are steaks, yes, very good ones, like the juicy bone-in ribeye. But the composed plates by chef Chase Anderson are lovely, and desserts are eye candy, like the meringue-topped banana pudding cake garnished with sweet tea gelee, bruleed banana and pecan praline.

Dream Dance Steak observes the niceties of fine dining — a bite to welcome guests, a sweet to take home and the city’s best gratis bread basket. It's a rewarding dinner destination.

Hours: 5-9 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday, 5-10 p.m. Friday-Saturday. Prices: Entrées, $22-$75 (Japanese steak at market price). Five-course tasting menu, $75; with wines, $115 (reservation required at least 24 hours in advance). Payment: MasterCard, Visa, American Express, Discover.

7. All Purpose Bar and Kitchen

814 S. 2nd St.

(414) 672-6000

apbarandkitchen.com

It really is all purpose, from food to drink to happy vibe to service. Classic dishes share a changing menu with fresh takes and global flavors from chef Patrick Murphy, a good fit with a wine list that favors Old World bottles. Classics might mean bucatini all’ Amatriciana, with house-cured guanciale to flavor the pasta; for a fresh take, look for a dish like the yellow watermelon served warm with shishito peppers, Thai basil, sesame, togarashi and goat cheese. It was a delicious revelation. Sometimes a dish meets classic and new in the middle, such as the Tuscan bread soup ribollito, here pressed into a disk, pan-fried and served with arugula pesto and shavings of Grana Padano cheese.

Hours: 5-10 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday, 5-11 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 5-9 p.m. Sunday. Prices: Small to large plates, $4-$25. Payment: MasterCard, Visa, American Express, Discover.

8. Wolf Peach

1818 N. Hubbard St.

(414) 374-8480

wolf-peach.com

The grand view of the city skyline is the cherry on top at this two-story restaurant in Brewers Hill. Wolf Peach is built on seasonal dishes, house charcuterie such as braunschweiger and plates from the wood-fired oven, including excellent Neapolitan-style pizzas. A recent menu took full advantage of plantings at Wolf Peach and its farm, such as cucumber with corn, feta, green tomato jam and chile oil.

And it's not just flavor, it's texture: Fish, like rockfish with crunchy fried green tomato, gets a crisp sear; chicken leg is crisped, too, served with green beans, oyster mushrooms, tomato and a swirl of crème fraiche that makes the dish. Chef Cole Ersel also crafts versions of German dishes, his heritage.

Hours: Dinner, 4-10 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 4-11 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 4-9 p.m. Sunday; brunch, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday-Sunday. Prices: Plates small to large, $8-$41. Payment: MasterCard, Visa, American Express, Discover.

9. Braise

1101 S. 2nd St.

(414) 212-8843

braiselocalfood.com

Chef-owner David Swanson’s Braise is a restaurant to count on for local, seasonal foods in compelling dishes. Beets roasted in the restaurant’s brick oven were served with fennel three ways – the bulb poached in white wine, fronds fresh and fronds in a sauce, with lemon goat cheese and toasted walnuts. Lovely. Braise’s smart dishes can hold a delicious surprise, like melon gazpacho that’s ultimately savory, not sweet. The flavors always come together, as in flank steak marinated in miso and served with crisped potatoes, wood ear mushrooms and braised peppers with sauce made from sweet corn. Look for more family-style plates and side dishes on the menu in the coming weeks.

Hours: Dinner, 5-10 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday. Prices: Small plates, $6-$12; entrées, $18-$26. Payment: MasterCard, Visa, American Express, Discover.

10. Odd Duck

2352 S. Kinnickinnic Ave.

(414) 763-5881

oddduckrestaurant.com

Chef and co-owner Ross Bachhuber and chef de cuisine Matt Bauer take diners on an adventure around the country and the world by way of shareable plates. Trust the ride. Cactus risotto with a slow-cooked egg and bright pink prickly pear puree? It worked, beautifully. So did plates like sweet corn fritters over shishito peppers with black-eyed pea salad and chile lime crema, or seared sockeye salmon with classic potato galette and celery root-apple remoulade. The menu changes often; at the busy Odd Duck, I can hardly wait to see what’s next.

Hours: Dinner, 5-10 p.m. daily; the bar opens at 3 p.m. and closes at midnight. Prices: Small plates, $4-$16. Payment: MasterCard, Visa, American Express, Discover.

11. Bacchus

925 E. Wells St., in the Cudahy Tower

(414) 765-1166

bacchusmke.com

At the Bartolotta group’s swanky downtown restaurant, chef Nick Wirth has been breathing new life into Bacchus’ entrées. The ideal roast chicken, with juicy meat and crisp skin, now is matched with herbed buttermilk dumplings, mustard greens and Madeira sauce, for instance. Desserts by pastry chef Allie Howard are as wondrous as ever; in summer, a dessert called Chocolate ’n Peanut filled a peanut poundcake shell with chocolate mousse and candied peanuts, embellished with caramel and chocolate ice cream.

Hours: 5:30-9 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 5:30-10 p.m. Friday, 5-10 p.m. Saturday. Prices: Small plates, $11.95-$19.95; entrées, $27.50-$96.50 (porterhouse for two). Six-course tasting menu $85, or $130 with beverages. Payment: MasterCard, Visa, American Express, Discover, Diners Club.

12. Lake Park Bistro

3133 E. Newberry Blvd.

(414) 962-6300

lakeparkbistro.com

On a bluff overlooking Lake Michigan, the Bartolotta group’s Lake Park Bistro can transport a diner to France, whether it’s by way of rich charcuterie or a simple Bibb lettuce salad with herbs, hard-cooked egg and white wine-shallot vinaigrette. Plates by executive chef Adam Siegel and chef de cuisine John Raymond are purely delicious, like the filet mignon au poivre with green peppercorn brandy cream sauce. Classics like that one have an eternal place on the menu, but take note of newer dishes, including the Monday special — excellent house-made boudin blanc sausage — and the Fraisier dessert, olive oil cake layered with vanilla mousse and strawberries and topped with strawberry gelee.

Hours: Lunch, 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday-Friday; dinner, 5:30-9 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 5:30-10 p.m. Friday, 5-10 p.m. Saturday, 5-8:30 p.m. Sunday; brunch, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Sunday. Prices: Dinner entrées, $23.50-$55.50. Payment: MasterCard, Visa, American Express, Discover, Diners Club.

13. Ristorante Bartolotta

7616 W. State St., Wauwatosa

(414) 771-7910

bartolottaristorante.com

This cozy Italian restaurant, the very first in the ever-growing Bartolotta group, has the feel of a comfortable neighborhood restaurant, and the classic dishes on the menu are like old friends. (Hello, pappardelle with duck ragu.) But I’m partial to checking out the monthly menu, where chef Juan Urbieta stretches; in spring, the reward was fried soft-shell crab over a spring salad that included fiddleheads, and a perfect risotto with taleggio and spinach, creamy but firm to the bite. Risotto is a dish that's attempted at many restaurants but rarely mastered as it is here.

Hours: 5:30-9 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 5:30-10 p.m. Friday; 5-10 p.m. Saturday; 5-8 p.m. Sunday. Prices: Entrées, $24-$40. Payment: MasterCard, Visa, American Express, Discover, Diners Club

14. I.d.

415 Genesee St., Delafield, in the Delafield Hotel

(262) 646-1600

iddelafield.com

I.d. is a restaurant transformed, from the sedate white-tablecloth fine dining of Andrew’s to a boisterous, modern restaurant powered by shareable plates and a wood-fired oven and grill. Chef Jonna Froelich is the constant between Andrew’s and I.d.; her flavorful plates for the changing menu might include a clever snack of fritters with the flavors of a Cuban sandwich, or the dish called Pig Head: braised pork, creamy grits with 10-year cheddar and barbecue black-eyed peas.

Hours: Dinner, 5-9 p.m. Sunday-Thursday, 5-10 p.m. Friday-Saturday; brunch, 9:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Sunday; the bar opens at 4 p.m. daily and stays open later. Prices: Snacks, $4-$9; shareable plates, $10-$20. Payment: MasterCard, Visa, American Express, Discover.

15. Story Hill BKC

5100 W. Blue Mound Road.

(414) 539-4424

storyhillbkc.com

Story Hill BKC is a great anytime restaurant, lunch, dinner or weekend brunch (with a wine store/bottle shop attached). Dishes by chef and co-owner Joe Muench and executive chef Erik Malmstadt celebrate Milwaukee past and present. Schupfnudel & Trotters — house noodles with chicken leg meat, oyster mushrooms and chicken cracklings — is a modern version of what Milwaukee's German grandmothers might have made; a special of meatloaf for the table was so good it could make you look askance at your own mother’s version. A crepe filled with ham and topped with poached eggs or a burger (one of the city's best) show why Black Shoe Hospitality rules Milwaukee's brunch game.

Hours: Lunch, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Friday; brunch, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Sunday; dinner, 5 p.m.-9 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday. Prices: Dinner plates, small to large, $3-$22; lunch, $7-$16. Payment: MasterCard, Visa, American Express, Discover.

16. Lazy Susan

2378 S. Howell Ave.

(414) 988-7086

lazysusanmke.com

Lazy Susan has become one of my go-to spots, as fitting for celebrating a birthday as it is for too-tired-to-cook-Tuesday. Look at chef A.J. Dixon’s changing menu, and it’s clear she’s inspired by what’s in season. This summer, that meant toasts topped with ricotta-blue cheese spread, arugula, grilled peaches and chipotle honey, and a plate of plentiful seared scallops over candied tomatoes, green beans and fingerling potatoes seasoned with lemon thyme. A good portion of the menu would appeal to diners who want vegetarian, vegan or gluten-free plates.

Hours: Dinner, 5 to 9 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday, 5-10 p.m. Friday-Saturday. Brunch, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Sunday. Prices: Small to large plates, $5-$24. Payment: MasterCard, Visa, American Express, Discover.

17. Bavette La Boucherie

330 E. Menomonee St.

(414) 273-3375

bavettelaboucherie.com

For a combination restaurant-butcher shop with a devotion to sustainably raised meats, Bavette makes some incredible vegetable plates, too. Chef Karen Bell draws on a spectrum of flavors for items like roasted carrot and wild rice tabbouleh with green olives, dates and quark seasoned with harissa, atop a swoosh of carrot puree. Omnivores will find much to love here, like rabbit rillettes, the richness tamed by pickled apricots and fennel-olive salad. Vegetables seem to make the sandwiches featuring meats even more delicious, like chicken in red curry with roasted broccoli (broccoli!), mint yogurt and apricot-almond relish. Let it be known that roasted broccoli makes a mighty fine sandwich.

Hours: 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Tuesday, 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday. Prices: Snacks and shared plates, $6-$21; sandwiches and salads, $10-$14. Payment: MasterCard, Visa, American Express, Discover.

18. Le Reve

7610 Harwood Ave., Wauwatosa

(414) 778-3333

lerevecafe.com

I like sitting on the first floor of Le Reve, so I can keep a watchful eye on the pastry case at all times. But before dessert, there are dishes to enjoy by chef de cuisine Courtney Wilkerson, working with the owners, chef Andrew Schneider and pastry chef Therese Hittman. A crepe would make a balanced meal with dessert, one like the legumes printaniers, with mushrooms, asparagus and a basted egg, wouldn't it? Or maybe the salmon entrée, seared crisp and served with pommes Anna, Swiss chard and saffron-yellow rouille. Now for one of the pretty-as-a-picture pastries; maybe the chocolate cake with salted caramel cream…

Something to watch for: Le Reve plans to switch to a brunch menu 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays in the coming weeks.

Hours: 8 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 8 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday, 8 a.m.-3 p.m. and 5-10 p.m. Saturday; breakfast menu served 8-11 a.m. Monday-Saturday, with table service on Saturday. Prices: Dinner entrées, $11-$27.95. Payment: MasterCard, Visa, American Express, Discover.

19. La Merenda

125 E. National Ave.

(414) 389-0125

lamerenda125.com

On a warm summer night, we chose La Merenda's secluded patio — one of the city's best — over the lively dining room and enjoyed plates from a restaurant in full stride. Inspiration for the shareable plates are far-flung, from Colombia to the Philippines to France, but chef-owner Peter Sandroni sources ingredients close to home and seeks out sustainably harvested fish from Alaska. The end result is plates like wild salmon over farro, spinach, root vegetable puree and cranberry gastrique; braised veal over carrot risotto; and the Filipino noodle-broth dish pancit, with rockfish, sablefish and shrimp, a special one night.

Hours: Lunch, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday-Friday; dinner, 5-10 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 5-11 p.m. Friday-Saturday. The bar opens at 4 p.m. Monday-Friday, 5 p.m. Saturday, and stays open later. Prices: Small plates, $5.50-$16. Payment: MasterCard, Visa, American Express, Discover.

20. Lagniappe Brasserie

17001 W. Greenfield Ave., New Berlin

(262) 782-7530

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Say it with me: lahn yahp. Chef-owner Andrew Tenaglia named his restaurant for what Louisiana calls a small gift for a customer. Here, it’s the small bite that starts the meal. What a charmer it was one night this summer, a petite cup of gazpacho reimagined — made from clarified tomato water and garnished with small dice of cucumber and avocado. Dessert was a classic, so old school that I’ve never seen it in a restaurant: Charlotte royale, jelly roll slices covering a dome of vanilla cream. Entrées might include pork tenderloin in gentle curry, but the menu changes frequently, especially in summer when the restaurant’s garden and nearby growers are productive.

Hours: Lunch, 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Tuesday-Friday; dinner, 5-9 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday. Prices: Dinner entrées, $17-$30. Payment: MasterCard, Visa, American Express, Discover.

21. Amilinda

315 E. Wisconsin Ave.

(414) 369-3683

amilinda.com

Candles hanging from the brick walls and vintage tiles underfoot give this downtown restaurant an Old World feel, but the oversize prints and red, blue and yellow accents make it feel contemporary. Perfect, really, for chef and co-owner Gregory León’s modern dishes influenced by Spain and Portugal. His brief, changing menu features seasonal produce: In summer, that meant plates including the Spanish tomato-and-bread soup salmorejo, adorned with a 6-minute egg; a salad of lemon cucumbers and wax beans in lemon buttermilk dressing; and red snapper with tomato marmalade over braised fennel.

Hours: 5-10 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday. Prices: Entrées, $19-$25. Payment: MasterCard, Visa, American Express, Discover.

22. Buckley’s Restaurant

801 N. Cass St.

(414) 277-1111

buckleysmilwaukee.com

Oh, you know, just a little corner restaurant with perfect lighting and charming décor and an appetizer called Pig & Fig terrine. And another app that’s fried oysters and fried boudin noir sausage, all cozy together. Buckley’s chef Thi Cao, who spent years cooking in an Italian kitchen, makes a mean chitarra pasta with tomato, basil and roasted garlic; his creativity comes through in a lavender and honey duck breast dish in orange-coffee sauce, with yams, bok choy and cipollini onions. Looking ahead: This busy little restaurant is due for an expansion into the neighboring building in the next year.

Hours: Lunch, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Saturday; dinner, 5-10 p.m. daily; brunch, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Sunday. Prices: Entrées, $16-$42. Payment: MasterCard, Visa, American Express, Discover.

23. Three Brothers

2414 S. St. Clair St.

(414) 481-7530

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It might look like time stands still at the Serbian restaurant Three Brothers, housed in a former Schlitz tavern from 1898: the wooden bar, the bentwood chairs, the chrome-edged tables, the little lamps that the server switches on at dusk. It’s so charming and so the Milwaukee I grew up with that my heart could burst.

Three Brothers continues to make small changes, though, such as expanding its Eastern European beer and spirits selections. And the kitchen this year was at peak performance: The goose breast's skin was browned and crisp; pork loin in white wine sauce, moist and tender. In all my visits here, I’d somehow never had the moussaka. Oh, the years I wasted! It’s a masterpiece of the thinnest layers of eggplant and custard (and some ground beef for good measure). Ask about the off-the-menu tomato-cheese moussaka.

Hours: 5-9 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday, 5-10 p.m. Friday, 4-10 p.m. Saturday, 4-9 p.m. Sunday. Prices: Entrées, $14.50-$22.50. Payment: Cash or check only.

24. Goodkind

2457 S. Wentworth Ave.

(414) 763-4706

goodkindbayview.com

If a farmer grows it, Goodkind will cook it. The variety of dishes on the changing share-plates menu by chefs Paul Zerkel and Lisa Kirkpatrick is vast, starting with bites like cured salmon, herbed cream cheese and pickled onion on toasts, a tomato salad with ranch dressing made from sweet corn and fried okra sprinkled like croutons over the top.

Large plates might include rosy pork tenderloin with beans, lobster mushrooms and plum mustard; Goodkind always has meatless dishes but also rotisserie meats (great flavor to the lamb rubbed with lavender and anchovy, but a bit much waste). The from-scratch aesthetic extends to the bar, where Katie Rose oversees the making of sodas (like refreshing citrus and hops), syrups and infused spirits.

Hours: Kitchen open 5 p.m.-1 a.m. daily; the bar is open 4 p.m.-2 a.m. Sunday brunch, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Prices: Small to large sharing plates, $8-$25. Payment: MasterCard, Visa, American Express, Discover.

25. Carnevor

718 N. Milwaukee St.

(414) 223-2200

carnevor.com

In January, the SURG group’s steakhouse moved a couple of doors down on Milwaukee St., into the former Umami Moto space. Good move. Now the bar has its own room, and the décor is still modern but rugged. The new Carnevor even has an echo of the wooden “ribs” at the ceiling that defined the old space. Under chef Mario Giuliani, the food is as good as ever; Carnevor serves some of the very best steaks in town, some of which come from an owner’s Wisconsin farm. And Carnevor has some new dishes, including a notably savory roasted bone marrow appetizer with pickled shallots, whole-grain mustard aioli and toast.

Hours: 5-10 p.m. Monday-Wednesday, 5-11 p.m. Thursday-Saturday; 4-9 p.m. Sunday; the bar is open later. Prices: Entrées, $29-$76 (Japanese Wagyu, $161). Payment: MasterCard, Visa, American Express, Discover.

26. Red Light Ramen

1749 N. Farwell Ave.

(414) 837-5107

redlightramen.com

Red Light Ramen in summer graduated from its after-hours, weekends-only pop-up status at Ardent to its own dining room next door. Chef-owner Justin Carlisle’s Red Light Ramen used to serve basically one thing (well, three, if you count spiked slushies and beer): the milky, pork-based tonkotsu ramen. It’s an outstanding version, but now it has company — two other styles of ramen, desserts and snacks like an airy version of chawanmushi with crab or the Snack Pack, an assemble-it-yourself plate of whipped Spam, cucumber, spicy mayonnaise and nori sheets to stack them on.

Oh, and the new location? Still crowded, and a wait is still likely, but now you don’t have to stay up past your bedtime to eat there.

Hours: 6 p.m.-1 a.m. Wednesday-Saturday. Prices: $5-$10 for snacks, $13 for ramen. Payment: MasterCard, Visa, American Express, Discover.

27. Zarletti Mequon

1515 W. Mequon Road, Mequon

(262) 241-5990

zarlettimequon.com

The beauty in the traditional Italian dishes executed by chef Miguel Mayoral is in their simplicity. Veal piccata with a simple dusting of flour, accented with caper and lemon, lets the meat have the spotlight. The Neapolitan-style pizzas, made in the restaurant’s wood-burning oven, stand with the best in the Milwaukee area. And Zarletti Mequon makes one of my favorite little bites, the fried green olives stuffed with sausage, that are so good with a drink.

Hours: 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Sunday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday-Saturday. Lunch menu served until 4 p.m. daily, with brunch specials on the weekend. Prices: Pizzas, pastas and entrées, $9-$35. Payment: MasterCard, Visa, American Express, Discover.

28. Jing’s

207 E. Buffalo St., Suite 101

(414) 271-7788

jingsmke.com

More restaurants are offering regional Chinese dishes, hoping to draw international college students; there can be a sameness to the broad offerings when there's no focus. But Jing’s, which has also been serving Chinese-American fare since 2008, offers a number of dishes with delicate and slightly sweet flavors from Shanghai, where owners Jing Wang and chef Jiankang “Jack” Xu are from. Jing, who often waits tables in the stylish little restaurant, is happy to recommend dishes and advise which go well together. Take her advice, but red-waved sole, fish fried in a light batter and bathed in a delicately sweet sauce, and Shanghai rice slices with Napa cabbage and mushrooms are great places to start.

Hours: 4-9 p.m. Sunday, 4-8:30 p.m. Monday, 11:30 a.m.-9 p.m. Tuesday-Friday, 11:30 a.m.-9 p.m. Saturday. Prices: Entrées, $9.50-$16.95. Payment: MasterCard, Visa, American Express, Discover.

29. Harbor House

550 N. Harbor Drive

(414) 395-4900

harborhousemke.com

Milwaukee has precious few restaurants where seafood is the focus; one of them is Harbor House, where the quality of the fish is excellent. Operated by the Bartolotta group in partnership with Michael Cudahy, it has a stunning view of the lakefront. Chef Andrew Fisher, who took over the kitchen this year, has been putting his touch on some of the dishes. A welcome new plate is lemon sole stuffed with crab, served over pea puree with a carrot salad and slices of fingerling potato.

Hours: Lunch, 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Monday-Saturday; bar menu, 2:30-5 p.m. daily; dinner, 5-9 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 5-10 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 5-9 p.m. Sunday; brunch, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Sunday. Prices: Dinner entrées, $18.95-$55.75; brunch buffet, $39.95; $15.95 for children. Payment: MasterCard, Visa, American Express, Discover, Diners Club.

30. Union House

S42-W31320 Highway 83, Genesee Depot

(262) 968-4281

theunionhouse.com

Dinner at the Union House speaks of tradition and hospitality — fitting, since it inhabits a former hotel from 1861. The menu by chef John Mollet delivers classics such as roast duckling and filet with dauphinoise potatoes, but pay attention to the lengthy list of daily specials recited by your server. There will be wild game — kangaroo, maybe — and fresh fish, such as rich, panko-breaded halibut cheeks.

Hours: 4:30-9 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday, 4:30-10 p.m. Friday-Saturday. Prices: Entrées, $24-$44. Payment: MasterCard, Visa, American Express, Discover.

20 GOOD EATS

Blue’s Egg

317 N. 76th St.

(414) 299-3180

bluesegg.com

Blue’s Egg is Milwaukee’s brunch master (and sister restaurant Story Hill BKC is close on its heels). Generous plates of crisp hash browns stuffed with ham and other good things, creative omelets, pancakes, plentiful coffee (or something stronger) — and then there are the daily specials. Luck brought me to Blue’s Egg on the day when peaches-and-cream stuffed French toast and a duck pastrami Benedict were featured. Good morning, indeed.

Hours: 7 a.m.-2 p.m. daily. Prices: $6.95-$13.95. Payment: MasterCard, Visa, American Express, Discover.

Iron Grate BBQ Co.

4177 S. Howell Ave., inside Hawthorne Coffee Roasters

(414) 455-1776

facebook.com/Gratebbq

Where there’s smoke and meat, there’s the meat-and-three Iron Grate BBQ. Brisket, pork, hot links and the Milwaukee rib — a rib with pork belly attached — are cooked entirely with wood in a 10-foot, home-built, outdoor smoker named Edna. Iron Grate’s brisket in particular is exceptional: great bark, juicy and supple. Note that sides are all made from scratch, including baked beans and stone-ground grits flavored with meat drippings.

Hours: 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Friday-Sunday. Prices: Entrées, $15-$30 (serves two). Payment: MasterCard, Visa, American Express, Discover.

Carnitas Don Lucho

565 W. Lincoln Ave.

(414) 643-1744

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Come the weekend, people will stand in line at the takeout counter for the carnitas, house-made chorizo, roast lamb and other items at Don Lucho. The meats are so worth the wait, and so are the warm, handmade tortillas. And then there are the eight distinct, complex salsas, made at the restaurant daily. Don Lucho also has table service for customers who want to eat their tacos, family-style meats or soups on the spot. Go early for the best selection; beef barbacoa and montelayo, a Michoacan specialty of lamb organ meats, usually sell out before noon.

Hours: 7 a.m.-3 p.m. Fridays (carnitas only); 4:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday-Sunday. Prices: Tacos, $2.75; meals for 3-4 served family style, $14.99-$19.99; takeout by the pound, $6.99-$9.99. Payment: MasterCard and Visa.

Gypsy Taco

2151 S. Kinnickinnic Ave., on the patio of Boone & Crockett bar

facebook.com/Gypsytaco

A food trailer on the patio of a Bay View bar is turning out some of the most delicious food in Milwaukee right now. The resemblance to a traditional taco pretty much ends at the tortilla; Gypsy Taco is its own thing, bundles of happy, unexpected flavor combinations. The brief menu changes, but it usually has braised beef tongue with kimchi, pork shoulder braised in Dr Pepper, and grilled chicken thigh with pickled peppers and feta. Side dishes might include a riff on esquites, the Mexican corn salad.

Hours: 4 p.m.-midnight Tuesday-Thursday and Sunday, 4 p.m.-1 a.m. Friday-Saturday; expected to be open year-round with construction of a four-season patio. Prices: Tacos typically $4-$7 apiece; sides and desserts, $3-$4. Payment: MasterCard, Visa, American Express, Discover; $1 surcharge.

Anodyne Coffee Bay View Cafe

2920 S. Kinnickinnic Ave.

(414) 489-0765

anodynecoffee.com

The truly flavorful crust might be the first thing you notice about the top-notch, Neapolitan-style pizzas from the Italian wood-burning oven. Anodyne makes more than a dozen kinds of 12-inch pies, including the Fungi, with wood-roasted mushrooms. Look for a daily special, like one that flavored the sauce with ’nduja, the soft, spicy Italian cured meat, and punctuated it with tiny pickled teardrop peppers. In season, produce from Anodyne's garden or from South Shore Farmers Market often is featured; next week, Anodyne will add several appetizers and a salad to the menu, and it will begin making soups in house this fall.

Hours: Pizza served 11:30 a.m.-9 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday; open for coffee earlier. Prices: Most pizzas, $10-$15. Payment: MasterCard, Visa, American Express, Discover.

Chef Paz

9039 W. National Ave., West Allis

(414) 327-1600

chefpazrestaurant.com

Chef Paz, the sunny little restaurant serving Peruvian cuisine, has been making changes. The counter from this onetime diner is gone, freeing more space for tables, and the menu carries more dishes these days. The menu's attractive plates include excellent ceviche, Chinese-influenced Peruvian dishes like fried rice, and grilled meats such as smoked pork cecina with fried yuca sticks and tostones, the meats served with a signature cilantro sauce.

Hours: 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Friday-Saturday, noon-6 p.m. Sunday. Prices: Entrées, $10-$38 for a platter; most $16 or less. Payment: MasterCard, Visa, Discover.

The Vanguard

2659 S. Kinnickinnic Ave.

(414) 539-3593

vanguardbar.com

I mean, how can an all-sausage menu not be fun? Especially when TVs show vintage wrestling matches and old “Soul Train” episodes, and the bar's shelves hold a vast bourbon selection. Order at the counter, have a seat and a Vanguardian will bring you your happiest meal: maybe a very good new side, such as dry-fried green beans in chile oil or a soft pretzel with the house version of Cheez Whiz. Certainly, try a "styled" house-made sausage, like Da Benedyk, a tribute to the late Love Handle sandwich shop: pork belly-foie gras sausage, foie barbecue sauce, white American cheese and pickled red onions.

A plain hot dog or vegan Italian sausage? They have that, too. You could say the Vanguard is Milwaukee’s best wurst encased scenario. (I am so sorry.)

Hours: Kitchen is open from 11 a.m.-midnight Sunday-Wednesday, 11 a.m.-2 a.m. Thursday-Saturday; brunch items and the full menu served 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday. Prices: $4-$9. Payment: MasterCard, Visa, American Express, Discover.

Restaurante Juquilita

2344 S. 27th St.

(414) 226-6967

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Specialties from the Mexican state of Oaxaca are served at the little family-run Juquilita, such as tlayuda — a crisped tortilla about the length of a football that’s folded over two meats, refried beans, cheese, avocado and lettuce. More than half the menu is from the ocean, such as raw oysters with lime, shrimp with green olives and chipotle peppers, or especially good red snapper, prepared seven ways. Daily specials might list dishes like chiles rellenos filled with ground beef, potato and chile; many of the entrées are served with hand-made tortillas.

Hours: 8 a.m.-11 p.m. daily. Prices: Entrées $10-$19.99, most are $14.99 or less; seafood parrillada $36 for two, $70 for four. Payment: MasterCard, Visa, American Express, Discover.

Polonez

4016 S. Packard Ave., St. Francis

(414) 482-0080

polonezrestaurant.com

Polonez is the first place you think of for traditional Polish foods like dill pickle soup and plump pierogi. But it also has a new appetizer that could knock deep-fried cheese curds off their pedestal: a slab of Poland's Krolewski cheese fried in light, wispy batter — melty and crunchy like a good curd, but on a grand scale. Another thing for a Wisconsinite to love: The restaurant serves very good fried perch with classic potato pancakes any day of the week, not just Fridays.

Hours: Lunch, 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Tuesday-Friday; dinner, 5-9 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday and Saturday, 3-9 p.m. Friday; brunch buffet, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Sunday, dinner menu 11 a.m.- 8 p.m. Sunday. Prices: Entrees, $11-$20.75; Saturday dine-and-dance buffet, $17.95; Sunday brunch buffet, $16.50. Payment: MasterCard, Visa, Discover.

Ethiopian Cottage

1824 N. Farwell Ave.

(414) 224-5226

ethiopiancottagerest.com

The stews and sautés of Ethiopian Cottage make up one of my favorite meals — so savory, so complete with the tangy injera that the meats, lentils and vegetables are served on. Dishes like lamb sautéed with rosemary, beef stew, greens with onion and garlic, potatoes and carrots with onion and ginger are so satisfying. Ethiopian Cottage has a newer appetizer — kategna. It’s warm flatbread that’s rolled up with mildly spicy sauce and seasoned, clarified butter, and it’s marvelous.

Hours: 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday, 11:30 a.m.-11 p.m. Friday, 12:30-11 p.m. Saturday, 1-9 p.m. Sunday. Prices: Individual entrées, $10.50-$14.75; combinations from $18.75 for one person, $32.75 for two. Payment: MasterCard, Visa, Discover.

The Noble

704 S. 2nd St.

(414) 688-5289

facebook.com/TheNobleMKE

Inside the quirky, cozy Noble is a collection of objects that seem loved — a typewriter, old books, an Edison Diamond Disc record. The menu, too, seems like a collection of loved foods. And the Noble loves all kinds of foods, comfort foods in particular — especially if it can add something unexpected. Much of the menu changes from day to day, aside from first-course items such as mushroom pâté or tomato soup: The catch of the day might be sockeye salmon in mango butter; the appetizer special, savory herb beignets.

Hours: Dinner, 5-10:30 p.m. Tuesday to Thursday, 5-11 p.m. Friday-Saturday. Brunch, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday. Prices: Entrées, $16-$30. Payment: MasterCard, Visa, American Express, Discover.

Amaranth Bakery & Cafe

3329 W. Lisbon Ave.

(414) 934-0587

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Like many bakeries these days, Amaranth supplements its baked goods — such as excellent breads made with starters and organic flour, seasonal tartlets, a daily cookie — with prepared foods for a quick but wholesome lunch. Robustly flavored soups are stocked with fresh vegetables; a daily sandwich — slices cut from a large loaf of bread shaped like a bagel with super powers — might feature a delicious combination like eggplant and roasted red pepper.

Hours: 7 a.m.-2 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday; farmers market 4-8 p.m. Friday into October. Prices: About $5-$8. Payment: MasterCard, Visa, Discover.

Chilango Express

6821 W. Lincoln Ave., West Allis

(414) 807-7948

Facebook.com/Chilangoexpress

Sometimes you find the best food where you least expect it. Chilango Express adjoins a gas station, with just a few tables for dining in its small storefront. But it's big enough to make terrific quesadillas from fresh dough — with fillings of meats, cactus, mushroom or squash blossoms — and its sandal-shaped huaraches are notable for the refried bean filling pressed between the dough. On the weekend, visit for roast lamb, sold by the pound with handmade tortillas, onion, cilantro and salsas, and ask for lamb broth to go with it.

Hours: 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Saturday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday. Prices: $1.75-$8.50, $13 for roast lamb meal with soup (feeds 2-4). Payment: MasterCard, Visa, Discover.

Mekong Cafe

5930 W. North Ave.

(414) 257-2228

mekong-cafe.com

In its Thai, Laotian and Vietnamese menu, Mekong Café offers some distinctive dishes, like nam kow, a lettuce wrap with addictively crunchy bits from deep-fried rice that’s flavored with curry, peanuts and ham. The restaurant changes the selections on its small lunchtime buffet daily; some don't appear on the regular menu. Mekong Café, which recently redecorated, serves cold-pressed juices and bubble tea drinks in addition to beer, some wine and sake.

Hours: Lunch buffet ($8.95), 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Monday-Friday; full menu 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Friday, 3-9 p.m. Saturday-Sunday. Happy hour menu, 3-5 p.m. Monday-Friday. Prices: Entrées, $7.95-$19.95. Payment: MasterCard, Visa, American Express, Discover.

Café Manna

3815 N. Brookfield Road, Brookfield, in Sendik's Towne Centre

(262) 790-2340

cafemanna.com

This polished, modern vegetarian restaurant strikes a balance: It still serves the classic plates that have been popular since its beginning in 2008, like the lentil burger with Jamaican jerk seasoning or the Peace Bowl, vegetable curry with brown rice and quinoa. But it stays current, too; trendy tropical jackfruit stands in for meat in satisfying tacos with cabbage, avocado crema and pico de gallo, for example.

Hours: 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Saturday. Prices: Entrées, $15-$18. Payment: MasterCard, Visa, Discover, American Express.

Irie Zulu

7237 W. North Ave., Wauwatosa

(414) 509-6014

iriezulu.com

Less than a year old, the African-Jamaican restaurant Irie Zulu is growing already. Deli cases have been removed from the charming little restaurant so the bar could be extended for more seating. Customers have been eager to try more African dishes, so the menu has been expanded to go deeper into the continent’s cuisines, said owner Yollande Deacon, a native of Cameroon (her husband’s family is from Jamaica). It’s a delight to explore the dishes of Africa at Irie Zulu, but don't forget the Jamaican dishes, such as fish in flavorful broth and rich oxtail stew.

Hours: 3-9 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday (African menu), 3-10 p.m. Friday (Jamaican menu)-Saturday (African and Jamaican). Prices: Entrées, $18-$22, market price for fish. Payment: MasterCard, Visa, American Express, Discover.

Kim’s Thai

938 W. Layton Ave., in the IHOP plaza

(414) 282-8687

kimsthairestaurant.com

Previously a stand inside Pacific Produce groceries in Greenfield, Kim’s Thai opened in a storefront of its own this year. The sprawling menu has everything you would expect and more; one specialty is stuffed, fried chicken wings, like an egg roll made with meat instead of pastry. Some of the other standout dishes are fried, whole red snapper topped with ground pork and ginger, and larb made from ground fish. The house hot sauce is terrific, with depth from fish sauce.

Hours: 11 a.m.-10 p.m. daily. Prices: Entrées, $8.95-$22.95; most less than $15. Payment: MasterCard, Visa, Discover.

Wy’east Pizza

5601 W. Vliet St.

(414) 943-3278

wyeastpizza.com

Is pizza a perfect food? It sure seems like it in the hands of Wy’east, which opened in spring with pizzas billed as a cross between Neapolitan and New York styles. The flavorful crust with a puffed rim holds tomato sauce with gentle tang (or olive oil) and meant-to-be-together toppings, like the Zig-Zag, with soppressata and Kalamata olives, and the Hot Marmot, pepperoni with sweet-hot peppers. Weekly specials in the growing season feature local produce; a pizza with yellow squash, basil pesto and Parmigiano-Regiano was a gem.

Hours: 4:30-9 p.m. Thursday-Sunday; Wednesday hours coming in the fall. Prices: Pizzas, $14-$22. Payment: MasterCard, Visa, American Express, Discover.

Mr. Wok

2828 Silvernail Road, Pewaukee, in the Silvernail Plaza

(262) 521-9780

There’s one place in greater Milwaukee for Malaysian dishes, and that’s Mr. Wok. Much of the small storefront’s business is in Chinese-American takeout; the restaurant makes those dishes with integrity, too, but the Malaysian dishes are a rare treat. There’s tender beef rendang with coconut, and assam ikan, fish with a lightly spicy sauce scented with lemongrass, for instance.

I grew up in a German home where a little bottle of Maggi seasoning stood in the cupboard; Asian cuisines embrace Maggi, too, and Mr. Wok uses it to season the sauce for a shrimp-and-onion dish. There’s always common ground in food.

Hours: 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Friday, 4-9 p.m. Saturday; lunch buffet 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday-Friday. Prices: Entrées, $6.95-$14.95. Payment: MasterCard, Visa, Discover.

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Kopp’s

7631 W. Layton Ave., Greenfield; 5373 N. Port Washington Road, Glendale; 18880 W. Blue Mound Road, Brookfield

Oh, that Kopp’s burger: nice crust, a little butter to enrich it, onions that are grilled just long enough. Then there’s the frozen custard with its flavor of the day, an innovation that founder Elsa Kopp was credited with. And, looky here, my favorite Kopp’s sundae is featured in September: vanilla custard with strawberry-rhubarb preserves, made for Kopp’s by jam- and syrup-makers Quince & Apple of Madison — a sweet reminder of summer before we go headlong into fall.

Hours: 10:30 a.m.-11 p.m. daily, except 10:30 a.m.-10 p.m. Sunday-Thursday in Brookfield. Prices: Burgers from $3.65; cones from $2.25 and sundaes from $2.70. Payment: MasterCard, Visa, American Express, Discover.

kopps.com