With so many great restaurants, it’s easy to find the best lunch spots in Milwaukee. These Milwaukee restaurants are ready to serve the busy lunchtime crowds.
There are casual lunch places and ones that offer gastronomic excellence. No matter what you are craving, there’s a lunch spot for you.
Milwaukee’s lunch scene is thriving. From pizza places to tacos and seafood, there’s something you’ll love.
1. Kopp’s Frozen Custard
Since 1950, Kopp’s frozen custard has been a sugar staple in Milwaukee. But people will head out to one of their three suburb locations for lunch. The food is so good that people are prepared to make the journey.
All three locations are about 20 minutes from downtown Milwaukee. The closest location would be the Glendale one, out by Bayshore Mall. If you are looking for one of the best burgers in Milwaukee, head to Kopp’s.
Kopp’s serves up a variety of enormous, slightly sloppy, and delicious burgers. What’s more, for their size, these burgers are super affordable. They’ve got all the classic burgers, Hamburger, Grilled Chicken, and the Double Cheeseburger. In addition, there’s fish, grilled cheese, and of course, French fries and onion rings. Cover your burger in a variety of yummy toppings for a bit of extra pizzazz.
Whilst you are there pilling on the carefree calories, grab a sundae too. They’ve got Peanut Butter Log, Banana Split, the Fudge Delight, and the Cashew Creation. Of course, you could also walk away with a frozen custard to go. Buy by the pint, quart, or 1/2 gallon!
2. Zocalo Food Park
Head to nearby Walker’s Point for an epic food truck experience. Zocalo Food Park is a mecca for food truck cuisines. The park was opened by passionate foodies Jesus Gonzalez and Sean Phelan. Their aim was to allow other food entrepreneurs to pursue their dreams. Click here to see available restaurants.
There’s Peruvian food, tacos, pizza, and much more. It’s an encyclopedic mix of international cuisines. This is a brilliant lunch spot for visiting with friends, colleagues, or even alone.
3. Dairyland
Dairyland focuses on Wisconsin’s important food, hamburgers and frozen custard culture. It might not seem like the most natural combination, but both items are crowd favorites. Of the establishments serving this combo, Dairyland is a relatively new restaurant in Milwaukee.
They serve juicy double-patty burgers on sesame buns with perfectly melted cheese. The sauce is usually an amalgamation of mustard, cheese, and ketchup. They also serve up some of the best cheese curds in Milwaukee, which is the perfect appetizer.
If it’s possible, save some room for dessert. Grab one of their ‘Scoops’ in a cake or waffle cone. They also do some moreish salted caramel shakes and malts.
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4. Hungry Sumo
Sometimes all you want for lunch is sushi. Hungry Sumo serves up some of the best sushi in Bayview and if you ask us, some of the best sushi in Milwaukee. This is one of our favorite lunch spots in Milwaukee.
They have an extensive list of sushi rolls, starting with classic California. They’ve got spicy sushi options, including the Spicy Shrimp and the Spicy Tako. If you want avocado, try the Alaska (with salmon) or the Boston (with tuna).
As well as sushi, they’ve also got nigiri and sashimi. If sushi isn’t to your taste, there are plenty of other Asian-infused options. There’s Ramen, Teriyaki Bowls, and Don Buri.
One of the best things about Hungry Sumo is you’ll get to try something new. With so many new Asian flavors cooked to perfection, you’re in for a new discovery.
5. Story Hill BKC
Story Hill BKC offers a casual lunchtime dining option serving American fares. You may be wondering what the BKC standards are. They are Bottle, Kitchen, Cocktail, and that sums up what they do.
This is another of the best lunch spots in Milwaukee, and it’s super trendy. Head there at lunchtime or dinner. You simply cannot go wrong with the Sirloin Steak Sandwich: Medium-rare Angus beef and truffle peppercorn mayonnaise on a seeded roll.
If you are a vegetarian, definitely go for the Buff-Falafel Sandwich. A falafel patty with a mix of buffalo and tahini garlic sauce is delectable.
6. St. Paul Fish Company
Do you want the best lunch spots in Milwaukee for seafood? Look no further than St. Paul Fish Company.
If you want your food cooked to order, this is the go-to lunch spot in Milwaukee. You’ll find St. Paul’s in the Milwaukee Public Market, so it’s lively and serves great food.
If you fancy some oysters, their selection changes daily depending on what’s fresh. Many visitors opt for the Baja Fish Tacos. You can choose from Fried Grouper Cheeks, Grilled Shrimp, or Fried Surf Clams. Their specialties include the New England Style Lobster Boil and the Crab Boil.
This is one of those lunch places that clearly labels gluten-free options. There’s plenty to choose from: Ahi Tuna, pan-fried walleye, and Red Grouper.
7. Sobelman’s Pub and Grill
Sobelman’s is a fantastic corner restaurant with indoor and outdoor dining. This place is lively and packed at lunch and dinner. If you are cool boss, go for their famous bloody marys like pictured above. You can basically get a whole meal on it.
This family-owned Milwaukee restaurant has a restaurant-themed love story behind it. Owners Dave and Melanie met in 1993 when Melanie was Dave’s waitress. Their love at first sight story resulted in them purchasing the former Schlitz tavern. The rest is history, and they’ve been serving good food at Sobelman’s ever since.
You can’t really head to Sobelman’s and not have one of their burgers. They have 17 different burgers to choose from. The Fresco burger is covered in guacamole, habanero cheese, and pico de gallo. Their famous Loser burger was even featured on Food Wars! It’s a mouthwatering blend of Colby-jack cheese, bacon, and caramelized onions.
If you’d rather have a sandwich, there’s fish, chicken, BLT, and more.
It is also a great place to go before heading to Brewer’s game, as American Family Field is just up the road. It is also one of our favorite spots to cure a hangover in Milwaukee; there is nothing a greasy burger and cheese curd can’t fix.
8. Ian’s Pizza
Sometimes all you want for lunch is pizza. Well, Ian’s Pizza is one of the best lunch spots in Milwaukee. Luckily, there’s not just one restaurant but three across Milwaukee. If you are looking for a quick and cheap lunch in Milwaukee, grab a slice of Pizza at Ian’s.
Ian’s offers gourmet pizzas with truly unique toppings. My go-to every time is the Mac-n-Cheese pizza. It is one of the best pizzas in Milwaukee. Try the Tex Mex Veg Pizza or the Gyro Pizza. The Italian Meat Sandwich Pizza is another superb choice. There are also vegan pizza options, so everyone’s included here.
Many people love the Mac-n-Cheese or the BBQ Pork and Tater Tots. Looking at their menu, it’s difficult to imagine how they think up such combinations.
9. Sweet Diner
Sweet Diner really knows how to do Instagrammable-worthy food. This Milwaukee restaurant is ideal if you want breakfast or lunch. They serve breakfast all day. If you are looking for one of the best breakfasts in Milwaukee, head to Sweet Diner.
First of all, let’s talk about drinks. They’ve got coffee, juices, teas, and cocktails. Depending on how your day is going, order a local coffee or a crafted cocktail. They’ve got mimosas, a delectable Strawberry Jalapeno Margarita, and Apple Cider Mule.
As the restaurant name suggests, it offers tempting sweet treats. It offers pancakes and waffles with a variety of options, as well as French toast and crepes.
If you are searching for something savory, there are also many choices. There are sandwiches, salads, tacos, and loaded toast.
Sweet Diner’s fresh interior makes for a calming and enjoyable lunchtime spot. If you visit on the weekends, expect a long wait, they don’t take reservations. We suggest going and putting your name in and then walking around the shops in the Third Ward to kill time.
10. Tupelo Honey
Tupelo Honey is all about Southern comfort food. They also serve up crafted cocktails and unique craft beers. If you have time, check out some of the best breweries in Milwaukee. Tupelo serves brunch, lunch, dinner, and happy hour. Though this is a chain restaurant, many of these dishes are unique to Milwaukee.
You cannot head to Tupelo’s and not try the Bone-in Fried Chicken. This chicken has been brined for more than 18 hours and then fried to perfection. Tupelo’s Famous Fried Chicken & Buttermilk Waffles with sriracha honey are otherworldly.
As well as chicken, they have a variety of other yummy meat dishes. The Tupelo Shrimp & Grits is sustainably caught, and it’s served with chorizo pork sausage. The Blackened Mahi-Mahi is a buttery fish dish that’s popular among seafood enthusiasts.
11. Chucho’s Red Tacos
If you are craving tacos for lunch, Chucho’s has you covered. As well as classic Mexican cuisine, Chucho’s serves birria. This traditional Mexican dish originated from the state of Jalisco.
Birria is a kind of stew or soup made from goat meat adobo. You can certainly order some of the other dishes, but you have to try birria. Visiting Chucho’s and not ordering birria is unthinkable. It’s like going to Italy and not eating pasta.
We suggest the birria plate served with rice, frijoles, and corn tortillas. Or the Birria Tacos. Chucho’s Red Tacos serves up the real authentic Mexican food in Milwaukee.
12. Nite Owl Drive-In
Sometimes you just need a quick and filling bite to eat. Nite Owl Drive-In offers just that, fast, no-fuss food that tastes good.
They specialize in hearty classics, like burgers, hot dogs, sandwiches, and chicken strips. There are also shakes and malts, ice cream floats, sundaes, and ice creams.
Their one patty burgers are more than filling enough. Don’t be fooled by the price, their burgers may be cheap, but they are big. The burgers are nicely seasoned, not too greasy, and with enough onion and extras.
Nite Owl only operates seasonally, so head there between March and October. They also sell out daily. Often, if you head there at 4 pm, they will be closed because they sold out of the day.
13. Toast
Toast offers breakfast, brunch, and lunch. Toast is colorful and creative, and there’s a vibrant ambiance. From the quirky decor to the friendly wait staff, this is a hip and youthful restaurant.
What we love about Toast’s menu is there’s something for everyone. If you want a light lunch, choose the Crispy Spicy Gooey Cheese Sticks. They’ve got omelets, Pesto Toast, and Hippie Hash. The Hippie Hash is eggs with veggies, paps Rojas, avocado, and toast.
Toast also does sublime burgers. The Ancho Pulled burger is made of slow-roasted carnitas pork, onions, and zesty ranch. The Brew City Butterburger is another fantastic option. Angus beef, fried onion, cheese, pickles, and mustard on a classic bun.
14. Shake Shack
This is another Milwaukee restaurant serving up burgers and frozen custard. This American fare restaurant chain originates in New York.
One of the most popular items on their menu is the Bourbon Bacon Cheddar Burger. The burgers Bourbon bacon jam is made with Maker’s Mark Bourbon. Many have called their burgers ‘the best burgers in Milwaukee.’
15. The Wicked Hop
The Wicked Hop is a real crowd-pleaser and an excellent spot for lunch. It’s right across the road from the Milwaukee Public Market.
They serve up all the classic American fares. They’ve got burgers, sandwiches, and wraps, as well as nachos and specialty salads. Their salads are big, and the Buffalo Chicken or Ahi Tuna are delicious choices.
The Wicked Hop opened in 2004 and has been a staple ever since. They serve lunch, but we, as locals, also enjoy it as a local bar. This restaurant is relatively small, so there’s plenty of opportunity for people-watching. You can also sit outside on the heated sidewalk area.