VZ City Guides: Milwaukee, WI

By Erin Wolf
Published: May 20th, 2009 | 12:00am

Nicknames: Brew Town, City of Festivals, Cream City, Miltown
Population: 1.7 million in the metro area
Up-and-Coming Corners: Historic Third Ward, Riverwest, Bay View, Washington Heights

Water-centric Milwaukee (bordered by Lake Michigan and the Menominee, Kinnickinnic, and Milwaukee Rivers) gets a good chunk of its climate changes from the largest of the Great Lakes. The city’s founding German immigrants constructed railways, brickyards, breweries, and tanneries, all fueled by the various waterways. These two distinct features – seasonal weather and a rich cultural history – contribute to the Milwaukee of today, where residents enjoy four seasons, plenty of fresh local beer (props to the Germans), and that special kind of winter-inspired creativity. But what does this all mean for the accidental or intentional tourist? It means an affordable plethora of outdoor festivals, plus bike paths and picnic areas to check out in the summer while soaking up the cool breezes of Lake Michigan; and it means more museums, coffee shops, microbreweries, and clubs where your chilly self can find refuge during those infamous Wisconsin winters.

Dates
Cooped up during the winter, summertime is when Milwaukee goes into full party mode. For 11 days in late June and into early July the world’s largest outdoor music festival, Summerfest, takes over the lakefront. We’re pretty sure every girl’s gotta make the MKE trip for this fest at least once in her lifetime, so why not this year? Joan Jett and the Blackhearts will be headlining Tuesday night, followed by Bob Dylan on Wednesday. We’re just saying.

Winter brings the chillier activities like the Polar Plunge, where locals take a cautious dip or plunge head first on their bicycles into the icy waters of Lake Michigan. For the indoor types, local radio station WMSE’s annual Rockabilly Chili Contest (usually held in March) has local restaurants vying for the titles of best meat, vegetarian, and heat among their chili concoctions. And last, but certainly not the least in quirk factor, make sure to pencil in the twice-annual Mondo Lucha, a variety show featuring Mexican Lucha Libre wrestlers, burlesque dancers, live music, and appearances by Milwaukee’s roller derby team, the Brewcity Bruisers.

Sights
No matter the season Milwaukee's Art Museum (MAM), designed by Santiago Calatrava, is a stunning sight. Gaze at the ginormous wingspan of the outdoor Brise Soleil, a sunscreen that opens and closes depending on the wind’s force, before heading inside for their fabulous rotating exhibits. Next, pay a visit to Milwaukee’s Central Library, with its resplendent mosaic floors, marble columns, and rotunda – on Saturday afternoons, the library offers free tours! After these cultural exploits, it might be time to tour of one of Milwaukee’s famed breweries (the options range from Miller to Sprecher or Lakefront) and learn first-hand all about that bubbly amber concoction so definitive to Wisconsinites.

For those who can’t get enough of the fresh air, a brisk walk through South Shore Park followed by a DIY dinner on the public grills should satisfy – there is a great view of sailboats in the harbor and the downtown skyline from here. For a more urban version of the local habitats, take a stroll through the city’s warehouse district, grab a snack at the Milwaukee Public Market (designed with Seattle’s Public Market in mind), and watch the trains as they creep past ancient industrial buildings.

Fare
Contrary to popular belief, bratwurst and cheese are not the only two food groups in Milwaukee. Forgo the traditional heart-cloggers with a delicious bowl of Vietnamese pho at West Bank Café in Riverwest, or chomp on tofu of all varieties at the Riverwest Coop. You can always eat healthy at Beans and Barley back on the East Side, where veggies are the main contender and the burgers are made from walnuts. But if meat is your thing, score some bacon in a basket on Sundays at Comet Café along with your Bloody Mary and meatloaf, or go across the street for deli eats and a game of Atari at Koppa’s Fulbeli Deli.

For those with a more advanced palate and money to spend, fancy it up with a trip to the home of Serbian cuisine, Three Brothers in Bay View. Eating stuffed grape leaves and goulash in the light of antique beer lights is deliciously vintage-chic. Or head to Riverwest for a candlelit table at Nessun Dorma, where the service is great, the food is simple and tasty, and the beer and wine selections are good enough to keep the foodies happy.

Dessert? Try the Milwaukee’s best custard at Leon’s on the South Side, or head to Bay View to grab an espresso at Hi-Fi, where 7”s hang in the windows and the jukebox still spits out punk and garage favorites. If you’re closer to Riverwest, grab your caffeine at Fuel Café where the coffee is delicious, whether you take it straight up or doctored-up.

Nights
If you’re in the mood for a music show, nothing beats the former German gymnasium space of Turner Hall Ballroom or the ornate environs of the Pabst Theater. On the local front, Cactus Club, the Borg Ward, and Frank’s Power Plant host everything from rock to noise pop any given night of the week.

But in Milwaukee it’s really all about the beer. From rich creamy ambers to nearly-clear cheapies, this city’s got you covered. Visit the cozy Café Brucke for delicious import brews in a Euro-style environment, or enjoy specialty imports and craft beers at the Sugar Maple or Roman’s Pub. If you’re thrifty about your booze, try the deals at the Swinging Door or go to Y-Not II for cocktails mixed with those darling little airplane-sized liquor bottles (special bonus at Y Not II: free popcorn).

For the more offbeat merry-makers, try taking on the lanes of Koz’s Mini Bowl, which features softball-sized bowling balls and four miniature lanes, or catch a flick at the majestic Oriental Theater. Foundation Tiki Bar, a Riverwest institution that is as much home to Hawaiian music aficionados as it is to local punkers, is always worth a trip. Or, for the ultimate in spooky-scary experiences, try karaoke at House of Frank N Stein, a hot dog stand and bar housed in a former funeral parlor.

Merch
Milwaukee is a great spot for thrifters and crafters. Hit up choice second-hand stores such as Dragonfly, Yellow Jacket and Luv Unlimited, or visit the three-floor Milwaukee Antique Center in the Third Ward for the ultimate in clothing, luggage, paintings, mirrors, and furniture from bygone eras.

Rush Mor Records, Earwax, and Lotus Land offer great selections in CDs, vinyl, and all your music cravings. Indie book lovers should make a stop at the cavernous Downtown Books for literary and graphic items alike. If you've got an eye for global gear, try Hot*Pop – Milwaukee's source for Hello Kitty and general Japanese goods.

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If there is a special city you'd like to see, or a killer hot spot we somehow overlooked in this guide, email VZ City Guides editor, Erica Phillips, at cityguide (at) venuszine (dot-com).

Comments

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BDazzle (9 months)
NICE overview! I also have to shout-out The Red Dot (http://www.reddotmilwaukee.com/) in Riverwest -- killer poutine. Poutine = Fries, Gravy, Cheese Curds, meat, and sin.