From traditional eggs and bacon to unique twists on popular breakfast foods in eclectic dining environments, there’s a lot of interesting breakfast fare to try in the area.
Jennifer Curnes and Noel Cain, foodies and authors of Instagram’s NoshMKE, guide the way toward finding the best breakfasts Milwaukee has to offer.
Uncle Wolfie’s Breakfast Tavern, 234 E. Vine St., unclewolfies.com
Curnes awards Uncle Wolfie’s with the “best brunch in Milwaukee.” The restaurant serves breakfast and lunch from 8 a.m.-3 p.m. seven days per week with a rotating menu.
Pro tips from Curnes and Cain:
• “We recommend going halfsies with someone and getting one of their savory egg dishes and whatever seasonal French toast they’re offering,” Curnes says. “Right now, it’s the Tres Leches Bread Pudding French Toast, and it’s incredible.”
• If you’re in the mood for lunch, Curnes and Cain recommend the Big McAllister — two smash patties with special sauce and all the burger fixings. It comes with house cut fries, best enjoyed with a side order of ranch.
• Because the restaurant is so popular, getting a table on the weekend can be a challenge. Curnes and Cain recommend going during off-hours on a weekday if you’d like to get in quickly. If you do have to wait, you can browse the attached boutique Orange and Blue Co.
• The owners of Uncle Wolfie’s will open The Wolf on Broadway, serving nightly dinner, late this summer.
Seven Swans Creperie, 808 E. Chambers St., sevenswanscreperie.com
The newly-opened crepe restaurant serves both sweet and savory crepes 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Thursday-Sunday, and Curnes and Cain say it’s already a regular stop for them. “It’s the cutest place to grab breakfast or brunch,” Curnes says. And it’s a great kid-friendly spot for the family.
Curnes and Cain recommend you order:
• The Goodfella, a crepe filled with bacon, sharp white cheddar and strawberry preserves and topped with a farm fresh egg. “It’s the perfect choice when you can’t decide if you want salty or sweet,” Curnes says.
Story Hill BKC, 5100 W. Bluemound Rd., Milwaukee, storyhillbkc.com
If you’re looking to breakfast at a specific time, Story Hill BKC is one of the few brunch restaurants in the area that will take a reservation. Brunch is available 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays and includes toasts, pastries, crepes and egg specials. Curnes says the crepes and egg specials are “always tasty.”
Blue’s Egg, 371 N. 76th St., bluesegg.com
Under the same ownership as Story Hill BKC-Black Shoe Catering, Blue’s Egg is another popular Milwaukee brunch destination that has served breakfast and lunch since 2010. The modern American menu offers renditions of egg dishes, pancakes and grain bowls and, of course, a classic Milwaukee Bloody Mary. Blue’s Egg also takes reservations and is available for dining in or take out 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday-Monday.
Allie Boys Bagelry & Luncheonette, 135 E National Ave., allieboysmke.com
If you’re looking for bagels and breakfast sandwiches, this is the best stop in Milwaukee, according to Curnes. Food can be ordered 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Thursday-Sunday and enjoyed indoors, on the patio or to go. Everything is made to order, so if you’re looking to save on wait time, Curnes recommends ordering at least 30 minutes in advance. And you simply must add a potato latke to any breakfast sandwich, Curnes and Cain say. Though it’ll come standard with ketchup, Curnes says, “Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it. You’ll love it.”
Curnes and Cain recommend you order:
• The Classic, a lox and bagel sandwich made with Labneh and herb cream cheese, house cured lox, caper and dill. “It’s spectacular,” Curnes says.
• The Big Latke Waffle with both sour cream and applesauce.
• Bubbe’s Matzo Ball Soup, especially if you’re tending to a sick friend. “It’s the ultimate Jewish penicillin,” Curnes says. “Do not underestimate its healing properties.”
Fuel Café, 630 S. 5th St., fuelcafe.com
Located in Walker’s Point, Fuel Cafe serves brunch 8 a.m.-3 p.m Friday-Monday. Though the restaurant offers a healthy mix of lunch options, savory dishes and sweet offerings, Curnes and Cain recommend the chilaquiles bowl: tortilla chips, red or green salsa, queso fresco, pico de gallo, two eggs over easy, shredded chicken (or steak) and sour cream smothered together in a bowl. You may even try washing it down with a Jarritos paloma, a blend of blanco tequila and lime served in a Jarritos grapefruit soda bottle.
• If you have dietary restrictions, Fuel Cafe has gluten-free pancakes, a veggie benedict and a vegan chili.
More Can’t-Miss Classics
Here are a few other classic Milwaukee breakfast and brunch spots you don’t want to miss.
Don’s TV & Repair/Don’s Speakeasy, 1100 S. 1st St., donsmke.com. Don’s is famous for its Fruity Pebbles pancakes and repair shop speakeasy storefront. Though it’s open for dinner seven days a week, you can book a “service appointment” for brunch from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays or 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Sunday.
Engine Company No. 3, 217 W. National Ave., enginecompany3.com. A sister restaurant of La Merenda, Engine Company No. 3 serves a tapas-style farm to table brunch out of a renovated Cream City historic firehouse 8:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Wednesday – Sunday.
Toast, 231 S. 2nd St., Milwaukee or 1302 Washington Ave., Cedarburg, toastmilwaukee.com. Toast’s breakfast menu includes just about any dish you’d want. Dishes can be enjoyed with Kona Coffee or a selection of breakfast-friendly cocktails. It’s open 8 a.m.-2 p.m. during the week and until 4 p.m. on weekends. MKE