Disclosure: I received a complimentary ticket Milwaukee Food & City Tours in exchange for writing about my experience in Milwaukee. This assistance in no way affects the opinions expressed in my posts about the city. All opinions are my own.
If there’s one activity in Milwaukee that’s jam-packed with local flavor, it’s a Milwaukee Food & City Tour. In a span of a few hours, you’ll get to fill your belly with a variety of samples at restaurants you may not have thought about trying out.
I went on one of these tours when I visited Milwaukee in the summer, and it was the first time I’d ever gone on a food tour anywhere. I opted to take the Historic Third Ward Food Tour so I could learn a little more about the historic district.
This particular tour included five stops:
- The Soup & Stock Market at Milwaukee Public Market
- Hudson Coffee + Wine Bar
- Water Buffalo
- Rustico (as of this post, the place is no longer in business 🙁 )
- Coquette
The Soup & Stock Market at Milwaukee Public Market
Chicken dumpling, gazpacho, or cucumber mint soup
Hudson Coffee + Wine Bar
Turkey pesto panini
Water Buffalo
Chicken rolls and guacamole
Rustico (no longer in business as of this post)
Margarita pizza
Coquette
Chocolate mousse
We moved to a different restaurant every 30 minutes, which was a pretty good amount of time and didn’t feel rushed at all. It was also interesting nice to be able to stroll along the Milwaukee River Walk and around the Historic Third Ward, and indulge in the atmosphere there.
My favorite part, though, was being able to try out restaurants with an intimate group. Public tours are capped at 16 people, but the group I went with had fewer participants, which I felt added depth to the experience. Because I wasn’t staying at a hostel and because I was traveling solo, it was refreshing to be part of a group for a few hours. If you’re traveling solo and want to meet people, going on a food tour is a good way to go. And even if you’re not, it’s a fun idea to go on one even in your own backyard. Most members of the group I was with were local, and I got to chat with most of them while walking to the next restaurant and while we were all seated and eating the food.
Although each of the five stops included just a small sample, everything was delicious and filling, and in the end it served as my dinner for the evening.
My tour guide, Juliet, said the owner of the Milwaukee Food and City Tours picks the restaurants based on food quality, service, atmosphere and offerings. I was definitely satisfied with each restaurant on the itinerary and the entire experience, so much that I’ve been inspired to go on a food tour in my own city. (Thanks, Milwaukee!)
If you’re in Milwaukee, these tours are a great way to spend some time. Click here for more info.