This Bites

It’s an especially inter-city episode of the podcast, as two of the biggest metros in the country — Chicago and New York — make guest appearances alongside our usual spread of restaurant openings and themed food events. Here’s what on the menu:

Donut pop-up, Bucks stadium menu, tacos and more

Our latest trip around the area’s culinary scene includes something old (but great), something new in Bronzeville, a look back at an adorable eatery and … rice? Let’s get into it:

In this episode's serving of the latest Milwaukee food news and festival highlights:

After their summer break, Tarik and Ann are back just in time for September — and our favorite Milwaukee Magazine writer’s "Frugal Foodie" roundup, which proves you don't need to break the bank to eat like royalty.

We start the penny-pintching at the time-warm experience of Ted’s Ice Cream & Restaurant in Wauwatosa, where ordering a morning milkshake is a local tradition. With dessert already out of the way, we look for incredible family feasts under $25, including a whole citrus-marinated grilled chicken from El Tsunami, savory filled bread rolls at Bread House and some of the biggest egg ro...

We find ourselves in the midst of navigating the highs and lows of Milwaukee’s food scene, and unfortunately this episode starts down a valley with the recent announcement that Mother’s has permanently closed.

The Bay View spot hadn’t even been open for a full year, but it was quite an almost-12-months considering owner Vanessa Rose was named a James Beard Award semifinalist in the category of Emerging Chef. Mother’s also landed a spot on the Journal Sentinel’s 2025 list of best new restaurants.

But Rose told Journal Sentinel dining critic Rachel Bern...

This episode starts at the tail end of Halal Restaurant Week, which runs for a couple more days as it helps bring awareness to the options around Milwaukee that meet Islamic dietary guidelines while also inviting non-Muslim customers to try halal dining and encouraging restaurants to have halal choices on their menus year-round.

What makes this a unique cultural food event is how it cuts across cuisine. Restaurants like Mr. B’s Steakhouse, Smoke Shack and Allende Cocina Mexicana are all participating this year, along with eight others that represent a nice cross-section of Milwaukee dining. You ca...

A little char on certain foods can add some nice flavor complexity to a dish. On this episode, we’ve got the podcast version of that, with two char-related news items right at the top.

Because we like to start with the positive, our first chat is about Uncle Wolfie’s next pop-up dining event happening this Saturday: Chard Soul, a Southern soul food and barbecue experience from the mind of chef Travis Anderson. The former executive chef of West Bend supper club Timmer’s Resort, Anderson isn’t messing around with a menu as loaded as your pla...

Resilience is a non-negotiable in the restaurant business. If you’re not ready to rebound from a setback — even a literally devastating one — you probably won’t last long. We’ve got two examples of that bounceback-ability in this episode, starting with a new home that rose from the ashes of disaster.

One of the ways you can tell a city’s food scene is worth its (ahem) salt is how easily you can order a dish that takes you someplace far away. Milwaukee has grown into a hallmark for culturally diverse cuisine, evidence of which is all over this episode.

It starts with a chat about the return of Milwaukee Asian Restaurant Week and continues with exciting news about the city's first Nigerian restaurant, the Korean-cuisine future of the closed National Cafe and a new Italian cocktail lounge in Bay View. We also offer our thoughts on the co...

On this episode, Tarik and Ann dive deep into the rich culinary landscape of Milwaukee, and the biggest dive of all is fueled by the Italian-themed takeover of Milwaukee Magazine.

Ann gives us a glimpse of what’s in the pages of the April 2026 issue by sharing the fascinating history of Italian immigration in the Third Ward and Brady Street, explaining how food in those areas evolved from "red sauce" traditions to modern fine dining. She also offers tips on how to master the art of the Italian snack (or stuzzichini) and the joy of starting a co...

On this episode, our food-loving duo kicks things off with the return of Tables Across Borders, a heartwarming dinner series at Amilinda and Tricklebee Cafe that highlights the talents of refugee and immigrant chefs from communities such as Ethiopia, Eritrea, Syria and Burma.

Next, they dive into the newly debuted chef counter at EsterEv, offering an intimate six-seat tasting menu that brings back those beloved "old school" vibes. Ann also shares her rave review of the new French bistro Cassis in the Third Ward. From the satisfying escargot to the succulent trout and that "best-ever" beef-fattened kale...

Milwaukee lands five James Beard Award finalists, MKE Wine Weekend returns, Nite Owl fires up for season 78, Rare Steakhouse closes and Eagle Park acquires SoulBoxer.

James Beard Finalists, MKE Wine Weekend, Steak House news & more....

We talk about good food on the podcast pretty much every week, but every once in a while we get the chance to combine that with a good cause — as in the case of our first bit of chit-chat for this episode.

For the seventh time, Dan Jacobs and Dan Van Rite of EsterEv/DanDan fame will throw their Dim Sum Give Sum event, which raises money for the Kennedy’s Disease Association. Jacobs was diagnosed with the neuromuscular disorder a decade ago, and he’s been a highly visible advocate through his standing in Milwaukee’s culinary...

On this week’s delicious deep dive, Tarik and Ann start at Agency’s theatrical Filipino pop-up Sinta, which has become a permanent part of the James Beard-nominated bar’s offerings at 817 N. Marshall St. Chefs Zach and Katrina Panoski are serving up a creative collection of small plates and snacks ranging from "celestial" eggplant dip to crab lumpia topped with Pop Rocks.

Then, Ann shares her guide to finding exceptional seafood in the city, plus a scoop on the upcoming Freshwater Food and Wine Festival. She also gives us a peek at her recent interviews with two of...

Ready for an episode you’re sure to love? Because it’s Valentine’s Day? Get it?

Hallmark holiday jokes aside, we do think you’re going to enjoy this one because it starts with something just about all of us can get behind: chocolate. More specifically, we’re talking about Indulgence Chocolatiers (one of Radio Milwaukee’s neighbors in Walker’s Point) and its Valentine-inspired truffle collection. The adorable and lovingly crafted box is a pretty much perfect gift for the holiday, whether you’re planning to hand it to the object of your affection or just treat yours...

A diverse food scene is an interesting food scene. Without it, we’d all be stuck in some dystopian future where every restaurant is a Taco Bell.

Luckily, Milwaukee is worlds away from that scenario because of how global our city’s flavors are. In this episode, we touch on two recent examples that bring tastes from two distinctly different regions to Milwaukee.

First up is a name familiar to the area’s food lovers: SapSap. Chef Alex Hanesakda’s excellent food truck has been just one of the reasons to brave the cold at Zócalo F...

This week’s flavorful updates start with some exciting Puerto Rican news: the Bad Piggy food truck is officially moving into a brick-and-mortar location on South Howell Avenue late this February! 

Known for staples like mofongo and the “La Combi Completa” — a massive platter featuring roasted pork, garlic tostones, and sweet plantains — the previously food-truck-only establishment will be able to expand its offerings in the new space, which will include a full bar. Unifying the entire experience: a communal atmosphere that owner Roberto Silva Lopez hopes will bring together guests from many cultures around Puerto Rican food and drink.<...

Our weekly round up food news includes the usual “good news, bad news” of openings and closings, but let's start with something that’ll warm the heart (and the stomach) during these chilly times.

Soup is a classic example of a dish that can satisfy a lot of different purposes and flavor profiles. It can be savory, spicy, sweet, hot, cold, spoon-fed, sipped, slurped — it’s versatile, is the point. It’s also tailor-made for this part of the calendar, fueling your inner furnace to help you push through the colder months.

Ann clearly had that timelin...

It's a "good news, bad news" kind of episode, and we start by ripping off the Band-Aid to talk about the difficult spot Milwaukee restaurants are in currently. 

Within just a few days, city institutions Beans & Barley and The National both announced plans to close, and several others have publicly pleaded for support as the traditionally slower winter months loom. We do our small part in the podcast by sharing a few important ways you can support the local ecosystem --- from gift cards to positive online reviews to simply visiting more often.

On the m...

Amid the recent sad news about one East Side institution, we’re starting this episode on a much happier note from right up the street, as Von Trier continues its steady pace on the corner of Farwell and North avenues.

As Ann pointed out in her Milwaukee Magazine tidbit, we didn’t have much to worry about when the nearly 50-year-old establishment changed hands earlier this year — primarily because those hands belonged to the city’s unofficial preserver of cocktail lounges, John Dye. The man has a demonstrated respect for history, and Von Trier’s first few months unde...

This episode kicks off with big news about the legendary Red Light Ramen, which returns for a special one-night-only pop-up on Nov. 28. Find out what's on the menu, including Tonkatsu ramen, Japanese curry and those famous boozy slushies.

Next, we celebrate TrueMan McGee of Funky Fresh Spring Rolls! After pausing a national roll-out, McGee pivoted to the Funky Fresh Virtual Kitchen, now offering weekly online ordering for pickup, meal kits like Tuscan salmon, and exciting pizzas (hello, jalapeño elote!).

We also cover the latest dining news, including the new Soban Korean Eatery, billed as M...

We pride ourselves on our ability to cover a lot of ground within the confines of this podcast, and this episode might have pushed those skills to new heights as we went from Thanksgiving to food assistance to more secrets from Milwaukee’s dining scene and beyond.

The Journal Sentinel’s excellent dining critic Rachel Bernhard thoughtfully gathered information about restaurants offering free assistance to SNAP recipients (the program is called FoodShare in Wisconsin) and then added a few more programs/events in her weekly newsletter. We highlight a few things, but please use those links to see...

This week, we reveal some of the secrets of our culinary adventures around Milwaukee. And by that we mean we're sharing a few of the city's fantastic secret menu items, including the hush-hush "Carolina" Negroni and off-menu Cacio E Pepe at Calenzo. We also reveal the location of delicious pork tacos at Cloud Red and the rotating "secret handshake menu" at Braise Restaurant. Find those and a few more over at the very not-secretive Milwaukee Magazine website.

Something that's definitely not on the down low is the new Wicked-themed pop-up at Onesto (221 N. Broadway) from Nov. 24 through D...

Everyone loves a good list, and that’s especially true for food people. We love identifying and then arguing over the best … whatever — burgers, beverages or, in the case of this episode, donuts.

Our sweet discussion gets a seasonal spin as we focus on apple cider donuts and nine local (and local-ish) places churning out the orchard-friendly bakery item. Up front, it’s important to note that we haven’t actually been to all of these places. But we're told that the team from Milwaukee Magazine who compiled the list adhered to the strict standards laid down by the non...

We're slicing off another savory section of Milwaukee's culinary scene on this episode, starting with Ann's recent Milwaukee Magazine story about Burmese cuisine that sees her dip into traditional dishes from places like Ni Burmese, Khan Aseya and Taste Amir's Roti.

From there, we take a quick trip to another part of the magazine for Ann's take on Purslane, the new chef-owned restaurant specializing in Middle Eastern mezza (small plates) like the intriguing walleye falafel and a vibrant fatouch salad.

Leaving the mag behind, it's time (well, almost time) for two major November happenings. Winning t...

This week's food news is coming at us from all sides, so let's dig in.

First, you'll get the scoop on Nakama, a brand-new omakase restaurant coming to the East Side from the minds behind Screaming Tuna. We're talking an intimate, 11-seat sushi bar experience with fish sourced directly from Tokyo's world-famous Toyosu Market.

We also celebrate a thrilling new addition to Odd Duck, as Bryce Stevenson joins the team as chef de cuisine, bringing his acclaimed modern indigenous cooking to the menu. Plus, Ann shares some of her favorite Wisconsin-made kitchen products, including beautiful...

Since we're coming up on the last day of summer, it seems as good a time as any for ... a Wisconsin-made frozen pizza taste-off!

The staff at Milwaukee Magazine took on that delicious task recently, so we start our episode with Ann sharing the surprising (and kinda disappointing???) results. She also keeps us in magazine land for her recent review of Las Gardenias, a new(ish) spot with homemade tortillas, birria and unique desserts.

Elsewhere, we give you the scoop on a couple local food events, including the Dining Out For Life fundraiser happening through...

Tarik and Ann start this week's tour of Milwaukee food news with a trip to the Caribbean ... sort of. 

The tropically minded cuisine will get a soul-food twist at new restaurant Jerkin' Me Crazy, which is set to open on Center Street this October. The concept from restaurateur Darryl Simmons will offer baked mac and cheese, chicken done three ways (jerk, curry, stew) and Caribbean-inspired cocktails — with some live jazz thrown in for good measure.

Moving from Center Street to 3rd Street, the popular food hall just got a new tenant in Bebe Zito, the Min...

Our weekly delicious dive into Milwaukee's culinary scene gets a splash of mash-up on this episode, as Ann shares her review of IVR Bar — that's "International Variety Restaurant," by the way, and the new eatery comes by that title honestly. The ambitious project is a sports bar capable of seating 300 people, which all sounds pretty standard ... until you get to the Indian-Mexican fusion part.

On top of that, Ann got the chance to chat with Milwaukee Wine Academy founders Tim Cole and Dr. Jeffrey Coleman, who have the oh-so-friendly goal of making wine approaching for everyone (particularly wo...

It's another flavor-packed episode as we dive into Milwaukee's vibrant food scene, starting with news about Elsa's on the Park as they bring back fan-favorite menu items while keeping their new pizza offerings. Ann then shares her enviable quest to uncover Milwaukee's Best Burgers (the latest Milwaukee Magazine cover story), featuring must-try spots like The Diplomat and Wild Roots.

Next, you'll get the scoop on the star-studded guest chef series at Birch and discover the city's newest cheese bar from the folks at Hill Valley Dairy, stocked with curated cheese boards and wine. We also chat about...

This Bites is sponsored by Whiskey Brown and our Radio Milwaukee members.

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Oysters are divisive. Some people love them. Others run screaming from the table when presented with them. The folks in that last category might want to avoid Barnacle Buds on Aug. 5, as the riverfront eatery throws its inaugural Oyster Fest. The event, which gets the featured spot at the top of this episode, will take place from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. — more than enough time to get your fill of the mollusk menu:

Big voices can make a big impact on a restaurant. Sometimes, it comes in the form of a positive review from a well-respected critic. Other times, all it takes is a recognizable face popping into your eatery.

That’s what happened recently to Carnevor and Room Service, both of which got a visit from celebrity chef and influencer Keith Lee while he was in town for his manager’s wedding. So far, Lee hasn’t shared anything on his highly followed channels about the restaurants or Milwaukee’s food scene. But that doesn’t seem to matter. The two eateri...

Two stars of Milwaukee's food-and-drink scene sit at the top of this episode, starting with John Dye's exciting new plans for legendary German bar Von Trier. The East Side stalwart recently held its soft opening as the new owner focuses on preserving a piece of Milwaukee history while continuing to serve food out of the historic spot.

Our second stop takes us to Bavette La Boucherie, where the James Beard-recognized eatery will cut its dinner service so chef-owner Karen Bell can move a little closer to a healthy work-life balance. The restaurant will still offer lunch and an early...

We're used to tying ourselves in knots as we criss-cross the city for the latest Milwaukee food news, but we hit a new level in this one as we dive into the amazing world of ... pretzels!

Milwaukee Pretzel Company pretzels, to be precise, which are well worth the extra effort except for the fact that you don't need to put in quite as much effort to find them these days. You can get them everywhere from local beer gardens to German Fest and grocery stores to their own online store — and rightfully so because they're great.

Th...

After our recent triple-digit temperatures, it seemed like a good time to help you cool things down by serving up a few of our favorite heat-beating drinks and dishes from around the Milwaukee area.

That’s where we start this episode, which finds Ann sharing her personal approach to finding the best summer beverages. It’s actually pretty genius: Ask the experts. We’re talking bartenders, baristas and mixologists, all of whom have their own favorites that just might become your new favorite:

Tripper Duval from Lost Whale goes classic with a frozen margarita (both b...

In this episode, Tarik and Ann are buzzing over a new Italian spot from the James Beard Award-winning owners of Lupi & Iris, as well as an upscale Mediterranean eatery coming to the ground floor of the new Ascent MKE building near Cathedral Square.

Our duo also dishes on beloved Jamaican restaurant Uppa Yard as it expands with a second downtown location on Water Street, promising classic dishes like jerk chicken and oxtail, plus new additions like live music. It isn't all good news, though, as burger lovers took a hit with the recent announcement that Dairyland will leave...

On this episode, Tarik and Ann lead things off by previewing the No Rules Dinner Party, a remarkable 19-course event celebrating women-owned businesses. You'll also hear them celebrate the highly anticipated first brick-and-mortar location of Ruby's Bagels; explore the history of the often-overlooked Muffaletta sandwich (as well as the place to get one in Milwaukee); talk about the Oaxacan cuisine you can get at new restaurant Flor de Piña; and deliver the scoop on Halal Restaurant Week happening June 7-15.

As the weather warms up (any day now), the culinary scene often turns up the temperature as well — and that’s definitely the case on this very stuffed episode.

Taking things chronologically, we’re less than a week away from the start of Downtown Dining Week, which has been treating diners to deals at some of Milwaukee’s top restaurants for nearly two decades. This year’s event runs from May 29 to June 5 and offers discounts for lunch ($15 or $25 per person) and dinner ($35, $45 and $55).

With 29 eateries participating, we’re once again spoiled for choice. That’s why we decided...