The Irish pub format—a bar with lots of shamrock decorations and a menu featuring a few Irish specialties—has become increasingly popular worldwide. I have visited Irish pubs in places as varied as Thailand, Peru and...

Triskele’s (1801 S. Third St.) is one of Milwaukee’s best-kept dining secrets. It sits in a former corner tavern on a quiet residential street not far from the Allen-Bradley Clock Tower. The menu has seen many changes since the place opened a few years ago...

Milwaukee has remarkably few soul food restaurants, which is surprising since Southern home cooking is so flavorful and enjoyable. One such restaurant that has passed the test of time in our city, however, is Mr. Perkins’ Family Restaurant, a small, modest diner that is open for breakfast and lunch...

If Vietnam named a national dish, it likely would be pho, a rice noodle soup that comes in many varieties. Pho, most often made with beef, is a common sight among Vietnamese street vendors, and numerous restaurants devote their menus to the soup...

The display cases at Le Reve, located in the heart of Wauwatosa (7610 Harwood Ave.), make for a wonderland of delights. Le Reve is a French patisserie and café, and its glass cases are filled with baked goods. Macaroons come in five pastel colors, madelines are in the shape of scallops...

Café Corazon is the newest addition to Riverwest dining. The restaurants in this neighborhood tend to be small, and Café Corazon is no exception. The Mexican eatery is located in a curious triangular-shaped building that once housed a tavern but had remained vacant for years. The small bar is front and center, with a few tables surrounding it. The wall behind the bar is filled with some Day of the Dead skulls and religious artifacts. The Spanish word “corazon...

Thirst and Vine recently opened its doors in Shorewood at the site of the former Jean Pierre (4330 N. Oakland Ave.). Thirst and Vine combines a retail wine shop with a café. The small menu consists of soups, salads, panini and a few entrees. The entrees change daily—think items like gnocchi and short ribs. Different variations...

Sports, anyone? After more than a decade in business, the restaurant that first opened as Café Vecchio Mondo received a major makeover and transformed into a sports bar. The café’s menu had evolved over the years, but this time owner Russ Davis opted for a complete change—including the name of the restaurant, which is now the Red Accordion...

Farwell Avenue near Brady Street has a great melting pot of small restaurants. You will find Turkish, Chinese, Thai/Lao and Ethiopian eateries. The Moroccan La Dolce Vita closed recently, but in January a place named Sphinx Coffee (1751 N. Farwell Ave.) opened its doors. Though small, the spot...

“You expect me to eat all of that?” While you won’t hear those words at many Japanese restaurants, that sentiment is a definite possibility at Kyoto. The customer I overheard was referring to a sashimi plate ($10)—and it was the lunch portion. The sashimi plate includes 10 slices, large by Japanese standards, of raw fish. The selection is “chef’s choice,” but most likely there will be ruby slices...

When thinking about what to order at Benji’s Deli (4156 N. Oakland Ave. and 8683 N. Port Washington Road), corned beef and pastrami instantly come to mind. Then again, so do soups like the homemade chicken broth and tart cabbage borscht. For the hungry appetite, there is nothing like the simply described...

South Milwaukee is home to large factories, but it doesn’t have much of a downtown area. There is a strip of about three blocks, but restaurants and even bars are few in number. One place, however, does stand out: Azteca, and its artificial saguaro cactus standing on the sidewalk with a sign announcing a lunch buffet and happy hour...

There is an interesting, eco-friendly shop in Bay View named Future Green (2352 S. Kinnickinnic Ave.). Though it’s not large, it has a wide choice of organic clothing, hand-woven fabrics and organic cleaning supplies. There is even a biodegradable paint stripper. Wander to the back of the shop and you will discover Café Tarragon...

The urban modern (with retro flair) style of the Radisson Hotel (2303 N. Mayfair Road), its lobby decorated with colorful paintings of Milwaukee landmarks, was a striking addition to Wauwatosa when it opened in the late ’90s. Along with accommodating visitors to the metro area, the Radisson’s restaurant and bar (especially the bar) provided...

It’s not likely that red meat is on its way out, but a few months ago there were two major, meat-centric restaurant vacancies: Yanni’s, located near Cathedral Square, and Cameron’s, at Bayshore Town Center. A Mexican restaurant recently replaced Cameron’s, but in mid-November, placing faith in the red meat concept, Ward’s House of Prime...

After many years in business, Brewed Awakenings, located in the heart of Brady Street (1208 E. Brady St.), quietly changed its name to Brewed Café. The change has been smooth, and all of the funky charm remains. Coffee drinks are still served in abundance, in addition to old favorites like vegetarian chili, a hummus wrap and meaty...

Berkeley’s Café, located in Whitefish Bay, seemed to have the right idea for the right location, serving breakfast, light lunches and an interesting international dinner menu in a North Shore village. After about a year in business, however, the café underwent a radical makeover. The new name is El Guapo’s and the focus is Mexican. Interior improvements...

The family tradition at one of Milwaukee’s longest-running ethnic restaurants, Old Town Serbian Gourmet House (522 W. Lincoln Ave.), has entered a new era in time for the restaurant’s 40th anniversary this year. Natalia Radicevich, daughter of Old Town’s founder, Alex, set out to move the restaurant into the present...

Nowadays, “taqueria” often refers to restaurants that serve authentic Mexican cuisine, but the term originally applied to street vendors. In Milwaukee, Taqueria trucks parked throughout the South Side are continuing that tradition by serving Mexican food on the go. Tacos, burritos, tostadas, tortas and quesadillas are all affordably priced because...

Another eatery opened its doors on North Avenue in East Tosa in November, joining Daymaker Café and Café Hollander as Wauwatosa's newest restaurants. The a la carte menu at Cosmos Café features a balance of traditional Greek and American cuisine, with a couple of...

The economic slowdown didn’t discourage new restaurants from opening in 2009, and although several have closed, most of those have been replaced with new owners. That said, and even though new restaurants in all price ranges have appeared, there is a noticeable trend toward affordability. Bucking that trend is Smyth, the fine-dining establishment...

For many years, John’s Sandwich Shop (8913 W. North Ave.) has been an inconspicuous fixture tucked into a busy Wauwatosa business district, a neighborhood destination for good and modestly...

Despite its location in yet another Brookfield strip mall, Joey’s Seafood & Grill manages to exude some charm. Big windows and high ceilings help, along with a nice, nautical-themed bar. Blackboards promote daily specials, and the tables and booths offer casual comfort. Though Joey’s is part of a chain, it doesn’t really feel like one. What stands out most is the...

At the intersection of 27th Street and Oklahoma Avenue, most cars head to the classic drive-in Leon’s. But another veteran of road food is located just across the street. Mazos (3146 S. 27th St.), in business since 1934 and at this location since 1948, is a cozy little diner with tables and a small counter. It is known for its burgers...

The old village of Brown Deer sits at the former intersection of Brown Deer and Green Bay roads. Years ago both roads were widened and the intersection became an interchange bypassing the old village. The former portion...