This week’s flavorful updates start with some exciting Puerto Rican news: the Bad Piggy food truck is officially moving into a brick-and-mortar location on South Howell Avenue late this February! Known for staples like mofongo and the “La Combi Completa” — a massive platter featuring roasted pork, garlic tostones, and sweet plantains — the previously food-truck-only establishment will be able to expand its offerings in the new space, which will include a full bar. Unifying the entire experience:...
Jan 23, 2026•18 min
Our weekly round up food news includes the usual “good news, bad news” of openings and closings, but let's start with something that’ll warm the heart (and the stomach) during these chilly times. Soup is a classic example of a dish that can satisfy a lot of different purposes and flavor profiles. It can be savory, spicy, sweet, hot, cold, spoon-fed, sipped, slurped — it’s versatile, is the point. It’s also tailor-made for this part of the calendar, fueling your inner furnace to help you push thr...
Jan 09, 2026•17 min
It's a "good news, bad news" kind of episode, and we start by ripping off the Band-Aid to talk about the difficult spot Milwaukee restaurants are in currently. Within just a few days, city institutions Beans & Barley and The National both announced plans to close, and several others have publicly pleaded for support as the traditionally slower winter months loom. We do our small part in the podcast by sharing a few important ways you can support the local ecosystem --- from gift cards to pos...
Dec 12, 2025•27 min
Amid the recent sad news about one East Side institution , we’re starting this episode on a much happier note from right up the street, as Von Trier continues its steady pace on the corner of Farwell and North avenues. As Ann pointed out in her Milwaukee Magazine tidbit , we didn’t have much to worry about when the nearly 50-year-old establishment changed hands earlier this year — primarily because those hands belonged to the city’s unofficial preserver of cocktail lounges, John Dye. The man has...
Dec 05, 2025•16 min
This episode kicks off with big news about the legendary Red Light Ramen, which returns for a special one-night-only pop-up on Nov. 28. Find out what's on the menu, including Tonkatsu ramen, Japanese curry and those famous boozy slushies. Next, we celebrate TrueMan McGee of Funky Fresh Spring Rolls! After pausing a national roll-out, McGee pivoted to the Funky Fresh Virtual Kitchen, now offering weekly online ordering for pickup, meal kits like Tuscan salmon, and exciting pizzas (hello, jalapeño...
Nov 21, 2025•25 min
We pride ourselves on our ability to cover a lot of ground within the confines of this podcast, and this episode might have pushed those skills to new heights as we went from Thanksgiving to food assistance to more secrets from Milwaukee’s dining scene and beyond. The Journal Sentinel ’s excellent dining critic Rachel Bernhard thoughtfully gathered information about restaurants offering free assistance to SNAP recipients (the program is called FoodShare in Wisconsin) and then added a few more pr...
Nov 07, 2025•29 min
This week, we reveal some of the secrets of our culinary adventures around Milwaukee. And by that we mean we're sharing a few of the city's fantastic secret menu items , including the hush-hush "Carolina" Negroni and off-menu Cacio E Pepe at Calenzo. We also reveal the location of delicious pork tacos at Cloud Red and the rotating "secret handshake menu" at Braise Restaurant. Find those and a few more over at the very not-secretive Milwaukee Magazine website . Something that's definitely not on ...
Oct 31, 2025•17 min
Everyone loves a good list, and that’s especially true for food people. We love identifying and then arguing over the best … whatever — burgers, beverages or, in the case of this episode, donuts. Our sweet discussion gets a seasonal spin as we focus on apple cider donuts and nine local (and local-ish) places churning out the orchard-friendly bakery item. Up front, it’s important to note that we haven’t actually been to all of these places. But we're told that the team from Milwaukee Magazine who...
Oct 24, 2025•18 min
We're slicing off another savory section of Milwaukee's culinary scene on this episode, starting with Ann's recent Milwaukee Magazine story about Burmese cuisine that sees her dip into traditional dishes from places like Ni Burmese, Khan Aseya and Taste Amir's Roti. From there, we take a quick trip to another part of the magazine for Ann's take on Purslane , the new chef-owned restaurant specializing in Middle Eastern mezza (small plates) like the intriguing walleye falafel and a vibrant fatouch...
Oct 17, 2025•23 min
This week's food news is coming at us from all sides, so let's dig in. First, you'll get the scoop on Nakama , a brand-new omakase restaurant coming to the East Side from the minds behind Screaming Tuna. We're talking an intimate, 11-seat sushi bar experience with fish sourced directly from Tokyo's world-famous Toyosu Market. We also celebrate a thrilling new addition to Odd Duck , as Bryce Stevenson joins the team as chef de cuisine, bringing his acclaimed modern indigenous cooking to the menu....
Sep 26, 2025•22 min
Since we're coming up on the last day of summer, it seems as good a time as any for ... a Wisconsin-made frozen pizza taste-off! The staff at Milwaukee Magazine took on that delicious task recently, so we start our episode with Ann sharing the surprising (and kinda disappointing???) results. She also keeps us in magazine land for her recent review of Las Gardenias, a new(ish) spot with homemade tortillas, birria and unique desserts. Elsewhere, we give you the scoop on a couple local food events,...
Sep 19, 2025•19 min
Tarik and Ann start this week's tour of Milwaukee food news with a trip to the Caribbean ... sort of. The tropically minded cuisine will get a soul-food twist at new restaurant Jerkin' Me Crazy , which is set to open on Center Street this October. The concept from restaurateur Darryl Simmons will offer baked mac and cheese, chicken done three ways (jerk, curry, stew) and Caribbean-inspired cocktails — with some live jazz thrown in for good measure. Moving from Center Street to 3rd Street, the po...
Sep 05, 2025•14 min
Our weekly delicious dive into Milwaukee's culinary scene gets a splash of mash-up on this episode, as Ann shares her review of IVR Bar — that's "International Variety Restaurant," by the way, and the new eatery comes by that title honestly. The ambitious project is a sports bar capable of seating 300 people, which all sounds pretty standard ... until you get to the Indian-Mexican fusion part. On top of that, Ann got the chance to chat with Milwaukee Wine Academy founders Tim Cole and Dr. Jeffre...
Aug 22, 2025•19 min
It's another flavor-packed episode as we dive into Milwaukee's vibrant food scene, starting with news about Elsa's on the Park as they bring back fan-favorite menu items while keeping their new pizza offerings. Ann then shares her enviable quest to uncover Milwaukee's Best Burgers (the latest Milwaukee Magazine cover story), featuring must-try spots like The Diplomat and Wild Roots. Next, you'll get the scoop on the star-studded guest chef series at Birch and discover the city's newest cheese ba...
Aug 08, 2025•29 min
This Bites is sponsored by Whiskey Brown and our Radio Milwaukee members. *** Oysters are divisive. Some people love them. Others run screaming from the table when presented with them. The folks in that last category might want to avoid Barnacle Buds on Aug. 5, as the riverfront eatery throws its inaugural Oyster Fest. The event, which gets the featured spot at the top of this episode, will take place from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. — more than enough time to get your fill of the mollusk menu: An oyster ...
Aug 01, 2025•19 min
Big voices can make a big impact on a restaurant. Sometimes, it comes in the form of a positive review from a well-respected critic. Other times, all it takes is a recognizable face popping into your eatery. That’s what happened recently to Carnevor and Room Service, both of which got a visit from celebrity chef and influencer Keith Lee while he was in town for his manager’s wedding. So far, Lee hasn’t shared anything on his highly followed channels about the restaurants or Milwaukee’s food scen...
Jul 25, 2025•15 min
Two stars of Milwaukee's food-and-drink scene sit at the top of this episode, starting with John Dye's exciting new plans for legendary German bar Von Trier. The East Side stalwart recently held its soft opening as the new owner focuses on preserving a piece of Milwaukee history while continuing to serve food out of the historic spot. Our second stop takes us to Bavette La Boucherie, where the James Beard-recognized eatery will cut its dinner service so chef-owner Karen Bell can move a little cl...
Jul 18, 2025•29 min
We're used to tying ourselves in knots as we criss-cross the city for the latest Milwaukee food news, but we hit a new level in this one as we dive into the amazing world of ... pretzels! Milwaukee Pretzel Company pretzels, to be precise, which are well worth the extra effort except for the fact that you don't need to put in quite as much effort to find them these days. You can get them everywhere from local beer gardens to German Fest and grocery stores to their own online store — and rightfull...
Jul 11, 2025•17 min
After our recent triple-digit temperatures, it seemed like a good time to help you cool things down by serving up a few of our favorite heat-beating drinks and dishes from around the Milwaukee area. That’s where we start this episode, which finds Ann sharing her personal approach to finding the best summer beverages. It’s actually pretty genius: Ask the experts. We’re talking bartenders, baristas and mixologists, all of whom have their own favorites that just might become your new favorite: Trip...
Jun 27, 2025•18 min
In this episode, Tarik and Ann are buzzing over a new Italian spot from the James Beard Award-winning owners of Lupi & Iris, as well as an upscale Mediterranean eatery coming to the ground floor of the new Ascent MKE building near Cathedral Square. Our duo also dishes on beloved Jamaican restaurant Uppa Yard as it expands with a second downtown location on Water Street, promising classic dishes like jerk chicken and oxtail, plus new additions like live music. It isn't all good news, though, ...
Jun 13, 2025•21 min
On this episode, Tarik and Ann lead things off by previewing the No Rules Dinner Party, a remarkable 19-course event celebrating women-owned businesses. You'll also hear them celebrate the highly anticipated first brick-and-mortar location of Ruby's Bagels; explore the history of the often-overlooked Muffaletta sandwich (as well as the place to get one in Milwaukee); talk about the Oaxacan cuisine you can get at new restaurant Flor de Piña; and deliver the scoop on Halal Restaurant Week happenin...
May 30, 2025•16 min
As the weather warms up (any day now), the culinary scene often turns up the temperature as well — and that’s definitely the case on this very stuffed episode. Taking things chronologically, we’re less than a week away from the start of Downtown Dining Week, which has been treating diners to deals at some of Milwaukee’s top restaurants for nearly two decades. This year’s event runs from May 29 to June 5 and offers discounts for lunch ($15 or $25 per person) and dinner ($35, $45 and $55). With 29...
May 23, 2025•23 min
Everyone’s got mom on the brain this week (rightfully so), which hopefully means you’ve already made plans to say thanks to that special person by treating her to some outstanding food. In case you haven’t, we start this episode with three suggestion for where to take mom — if they’re still taking reservations: Blackwolf Run in Kohler is offering a Mother's Day brunch from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. that includes salads, fruits, crudites, sausages, avocado toast, grilled citrus salmon, red wine braised c...
May 09, 2025•19 min
Our latest helping of Milwaukee food news starts with savory pasties from Mr. Dye's Pies , gets festive with the inaugural Miche Fest (as in Michelada) at Zocalo and explores the enticing menu of Sinta, a Filipino pop-up at Bavette. We also preview Semolina's hands-on Sunday Supper series, share the new tenant taking over Crossroads Collective and check out Southern-style eats at Bronzeville's soon-to-open sports bar, One-Seven Cafe & Lounge ....
Apr 25, 20250
Because we like to keep things fresh around here, let’s flip the usual approach and start with the roundup so we can close with the centerpiece of this episode: As our hosts are both dumpling aficionados, they were happy to talk about the places doing them right around the city . They also check in on Kinship Café, which got some well-deserved attention thanks to a recent visit from comedian (and volunteer) Jim Gaffigan . Over on the East Side, Crossroads Collective will close so “a local restau...
Apr 18, 2025•1 hr 2 min
On this episode, Ann and Tarik interview Chef Alex Hanesakda of Sapsap about his upcoming event, " Rivers Run Deep ," happening at Cactus Club at 3 p.m. this Saturday, April 12. The event commemorates five decades since Oceanian refugees arrived in the United States after the Vietnam War, focusing on the often-overlooked history of the war in Laos and the genocide in Cambodia. Chef Alex discusses the symbolism of the Mekong River in his family's escape from Laos, and highlights how breakdancing ...
Apr 11, 2025•39 min
For almost exactly one year, Discourse Coffee Workshop has been a roommate of sorts, serving out of the southwest corner of Radio Milwaukee HQ. It’s been a pleasure watching them get comfortable in the space and expanding their presence in the city through other ventures like Agency, the hybrid cocktail bar they operate inside the Dubbel Dutch Hotel. Making it even more fun was the news that Discourse partners Ryan Castelaz and Sean Liu received earlier this week: that Agency is the lone Wiscons...
Apr 04, 2025•19 min
From baseball legends to fast-food tributes, we're serving up another helping from Milwaukee's vibrant food scene. On this episode, Ann and Tarik sample Kopp's new custard flavor inspired by the late legend Bob Uecker (called, what else, "Mr. Baseball"). The hosts also preview the Milwaukee Wine Weekend and get real about restaurant service, sharing tips on how diners can be better customers. Plus, Big Daddy's Barbecue gets a new name (Big Boss BBQ), and Crafty Cow celebrates April Fool's Day wi...
Mar 28, 2025•28 min
We always try to give you a meal, metaphorically speaking, on every episode of This Bites . But there are some weeks when we live up to our name and deliver more of a mouthful than a bellyful — a small-plate version of the podcast, if you will. So let's skip the longer run-up and jump straight into what you'll hear on this episode: Because you should respect your elders, we start with Ann’s review of the century-old but no less satisfying Kegel’s Inn . The dynamic Dan’s (Jacobs and Van Rite) are...
Mar 21, 2025•11 min
There are times when the calendar decides it wants to be your friend — like your birthday falling on a Saturday or St. Patrick’s Day coinciding with the first day of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament (that one really only applies to bar owners and Notre Dame fans). Today, the calendar has smiled on your humble This Bites hosts, because our regularly scheduled episode release day just so happens to be Pi Day. And we get a layup of a lead item. While acknowledging that math is important, we can...
Mar 14, 2025•21 min
