7 newcomers to our list of the best restaurants in Milwaukee

It’s been five years since the Journal Sentinel published a list of Milwaukee’s best restaurants, leaving plenty of time for new chefs to establish themselves here and bring new energy to the city’s food scene.

That means this year’s list includes a handful of places that have never been on it before. Below is an overview of these newcomers.

Read the full list of the 25 best restaurants in the Milwaukee area can be found hereand go have a look 10 great casual restaurants for everyday dining here.

Birch

459 E. Pleasant St., (414) 323-7372, birchonpleasant.com

Milwaukee is so lucky that Birch chef/co-owner Kyle Knall chose it as his home. The Southern native settled here after more than a decade of cooking in New York, using his smart sense to transform high-season local ingredients into edible works of art. He leans on the restaurant’s fireplace for wood-fired dishes like its cornerstone Contramar-inspired fish, and dazzles with seasonal treats like second-harvest strawberries, heirloom tomatoes, and lemon cucumbers that pop up in the inspired, but not unbearable, restaurants of the restaurant. à la carte and seven-course tasting menus.

Opening hours: Tuesday to Thursday from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM, Friday and Saturday from 5:00 PM to 10:00 PM. Prices: Entrees, $14-$22; entrees, $12-$36; tasting menu, $86. Reservations: Recommended, call or make a reservation online.

Ca’ Lucchenzo

6030 W. North Ave., Wauwatosa, (414) 312-8968, calucchenzo.com

I wish I could bottle the vibe at this quaint Italian sweetheart. A couple in sweatshirts at the pasta counter, a group celebrating in the corner, dates trading forkfuls of flaky peach galette while sipping the last of their wine – everyone here is beaming. The chipping service sets the tone, but the food rises here. I’m captivated by a summer ahi tuna crudo, soothed by a twisty, homemade trofie with clear pesto and yes, maybe it was me who sneaked down that last piece of galette while my partner wasn’t looking. And the focaccia, springy and rich in olive oil – please keep it coming to the table. There is a smile here from start to finish, and I just grin now when I think about it.

Opening hours: From Tuesday to Saturday from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM. Prices: Appetizers, $6-$16; pasta, $27-$30; entrees, $30-$45. Reservations: Recommended, call or make a reservation online.

Mexican cuisine La Dama

839 S. Second St., (414) 645-2606, ladamamke.com

In a city full of very good Mexican restaurants, La Dama takes the scene to the next level with contemporary, more refined touches on traditional dishes from the chef’s birthplace. When Peggy Magister, who passed away this yearwho transformed her beloved Crazy Water kitchen into this cheerful, Mexican-inspired booth in 2020 confused some, but not for long. She gave creative control to longtime Crazy Water chef Emmanuel Corona, who stuffs chilitos rellenos with duck carnitas; puts crab claw meat in queso fundido; and fills tacos with huitlacoche, pork shoulder braised in orange juice and ahi tuna with crispy peanut slaw. These are flavors that will stick with you, and unlike any other you will find around.

Opening hours: Tuesday to Thursday from 5:00 PM to 8:30 PM, Friday and Saturday from 5:00 PM to 9:30 PM. Prices: $12-$36. Reservations: Recommended, call or make a reservation online.

Lebnani House

5051 S. 27th St., Greenfield; (414) 488-8033, lebnanihouseinc.com

If someone approaches me looking for something new, I’ll probably send them to this lively restaurant with a huge menu full of Levantine delicacies that will turn a novice into an enthusiast after just one visit. Bring a team to share the creamy hummus trio, the fattoush salad speckled with pomegranate seeds, the chewy mashrouha flatbread with seasoned beef, the comforting chicken fatteh casserole with thick yogurt, juicy beef shawarma and dozens of other dishes. There’s too much for one visit, but ask questions, take mental notes, and enjoy the fact that another visit with entirely new flavors lies ahead.

Opening hours: Monday to Friday from 11am to 10pm, Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 10pm. Prices: Hot and cold mezze, $6-$15; entrees, $19-$25. Reservations: Recommended during peak hours, call or reserve online.

Lupi & Iris

777 N. Van Burenstraat, (414) 293-9090, lupiandiris.com

Take a look at the menu at this grand and beautiful downtown restaurant and you might be surprised by its simplicity: wood-fired oven-roasted dishes like veal chops and rack of lamb, pastas with pork ragu and roasted red pepper sauce, and scallops over cauliflower puree with chickpeas. But at Lupi & Iris, led by James Beard Award winner Adam Seigel, restraint is an art, and the food, inspired by the French and Italian Riviera, doesn’t have to be flashy or ornate to be admired. There’s a lot of spark in the flavors, reflecting the sophistication and subtle sexy vibe of the atmosphere on a busy weekend evening.

Opening hours: Dinner: Monday to Thursday from 5:30 PM to 9:00 PM, Friday and Saturday from 5:30 PM to 9:30 PM, Sunday from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM. Lunch: Monday to Friday from 11:30 am to 2:00 pm. Brunch: Sunday from 10am to 2pm. Prices: Entrees, $16-$20; entrees, $20-$60. Reservations: Recommended, call or make a reservation online.

The original

2498 N. Bartlett Ave., (414) 763-4811, theoriginalmke.com

From the outside, The Original could be mistaken for a neighborhood corner bar. That’s not far off: the cocktails are exceptional, with buddy-buddy service that makes everyone feel like a regular. But the food also deserves its compliments: just like the atmosphere of the room, it is relaxed but refined. High-season produce sets the pace of the compact menu, with regular proteins like duck, scallops, steak and salmon dressed up in new flavors depending on the time of year. Specialties like bibimbap with house-made kimchi and farro or a luxurious ode to a Northern Wisconsin favorite, booyah, keep the menu fresh and fun.

Opening hours: Dinner: Monday, Wednesday to Friday from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM. Brunch: Sunday from 10am to 2pm. Prices: Small plates, $14-$20; entrees, $24-$55. Reservations: Call or make a reservation online.

Sorella

2535 S. Kinnickinnic Ave., (414) 301-6255, sorellamke.com

Pasta. Negroni. Patio. It’s everything I wanted one evening this summer when the sun was already setting and I had no plans for dinner. The answer to my cravings was Sorella, where Italian classics like cavatelli in rich ragout with ‘Monday sauce’, wood-fired Neapolitan-style pizzas and crispy-creamy arancini rush in like superheroes to save a rudderless night. The menu is not particularly refined, but the food goes beyond the typical red sauce dishes. Score a table under the string lights on Sorella’s charming patio and you will be amazed. Step inside to the dimly lit dining room and settle into a cozy space that may feel casual but always keeps it stylish.

Opening hours: Monday to Thursday from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM, Friday and Saturday from 5:00 PM to 10:00 PM and Sunday from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM. Prices: Entrees, $13-18; pasta, $19-25; pizza, $16-19; entrees, $25-$35. Reservations: Recommended during peak times, call or reserve online.

Rachel Bernhard joined the Journal Sentinel as a food critic in June 2023. She’s been busy exploring the Milwaukee area’s food scene, sharing her favorite finds with readers along the way. Like all Journal Sentinel reporters, she purchases all meals, does not accept gifts and is independent of all establishments she covers.

What should she treat next? Contact her at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter at @rachelbernhard or on Instagram at @rach.eats.mke.