This Bites

A diverse food scene is an interesting food scene. Without it, we’d all be stuck in some dystopian future where every restaurant is a Taco Bell.Luckily, Milwaukee is worlds away from that scenario because of how global our city’s flavors are. In this episode, we touch on two recent examples that bring tastes from two distinctly different regions to Milwaukee.First up is a name familiar to the area’s food lovers: SapSap. Chef Alex Hanesakda’s excellent food truck has been just one of the reasons to brave the cold at Zócalo Food Park since it nestled into a parking spot earlier this year. As of last week, you don’t need to worry about the weather because SapSap has a new location at the 3rd Street Market Hall.Just like the Zócalo version (which will continue cooking), SapSap’s stall in the former Grand Avenue Mall will serve Chef Alex’s signature Lao-American offerings, including his Mama’s Eggrolls and brisket fried rice. According to Ann’s always-informed reporting, the new location will also expand its menu to include a few more Southeast Asian options.Our second globally flavored news item spins the globe to Germany’s take on a street food that originated in Turkey: döner kebab. Ray and Elma Ramic opened a fast-food joint of the same name in Hartford back in 2023, sending curious eaters up I-43 to wolf down the gyro’s European cousin. They shortened the commute by opening a second Döner Kebab at 138 E. Capitol Dr., and Ann stopped by as part of her most recent Dining Tidbits.Also in this episode, you’ll hear us flap our wings (or mouths) about: Broasted chicken, the unsung hero of the supper club. Milwaukee’s latest batch of James Beard Award semifinalists. A former convenience store on the South Side that will transform into a destination for Mexican seafood.

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 through the colder months.Ann clearly had that timeliness in mind when she published her list of the best soups in Milwaukee, which adopts a worldly perspective by focusing on soups from around the globe. She highlighted seven bowl-worthy options, four of which we talked about in this episode: Broccoli Cheddar from Loup in Wauwatosa Khao Poon from Vientiane Noodle Shop on National Avenue Chicken in the Pot from Benji’s Deli in Fox Point Brazilian Seafood Chowder from Amaranth Bakery & Cafe on Lisbon Avenue You can find the full list of seven, including descriptions and Ann’s mini-reviews, over at Milwaukee Magazine. That’s also where you’ll find a couple of the other news items we covered in this episode: Ann dipped into her knowledge of Silver City and Burnham Park to share her top restaurants in both neighborhoods. A few months after eliminating dinner service, Bavette la Boucherie announced that Jan. 17 will be its last day. Milwaukee will add another restaurant Jan. 20 with the opening of CASSIS, a more casual concept from Birch owners Kyle and Meghan Knall.

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 a demonstrated respect for history, and Von Trier’s first few months under his watch reflect that approach.You can get Ann’s full report (plus a healthy amount of sausage conversation) in the full podcast, which also sees us chatting about: The December 2025 cover story of Milwaukee Magazine, which reveals the area’s 51 can’t-miss food and drinks (according to Ann). The Hanukkah dinner being cooked up by chef Gregory León at Amilinda. The Japanese restaurant set to take over Glorioso's Appetito space on Brady Street. Why hot pot just might be the best way to create a perfect communal Thanksgiving. #####This Bites is sponsored by Whiskey Brown Whiskey-Spiked Cookies.

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 programs/events in her weekly newsletter. We highlight a few things, but please use those links to see all the ways you can give help or get help.In a much less critical part of this episode, we talk about five places where you can get a humanely raised turkey for your holiday meal. Top billing goes to Riemer Family Farm down in Brodhead, which is already sold out of their small whole turkeys but still has medium and large options available. Other nods go to local spots like Bavette La Boucherie and Becher Meats in West Allis, and the full list is available at Milwaukee Magazine.Also at the magazine, Ann put together a hush-hush collection of hidden restaurants around the area. The coolest one for my money is Azteca Bakery, which peddles items like Mexican pan dulce and richly delicious chocoflan from inside … the Piggly Wiggly on Oklahoma Avenue. She’s got three other options along those lines, all of which you can learn more about in her Milwaukee Magazine article.If two lists aren’t enough, you’re in luck. Going back to the upcoming holiday, Ann jumped to the end of the meal (or the beginning if you’re a nonconformist) to give you 10 places that’ll hook you up with the perfect pie for your Thanksgiving feast. Finally, with the weather turning, that means it’s time for Barnacle Bud’s to turn into Gene’s Supper Club. The flip happened earlier this week, but it looks like the temperature will dip in a big way starting this weekend, giving you all the more reason to visit the extended pop-up between now and Feb. 14.Stay warm, inside and out, as we move into the chilly season, and please find a way to help your community during this tough time. Even if our politicians get their act together, fighting hunger requires more than what our government gives. So give what you can. Thanks.#####This Bites is sponsored by Whiskey Brown's Whiskey-Spiked Cookies.

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 compiled the list adhered to the strict standards laid down by the nonexistent Donut Review Council of North America. In news we found considerably more sour, the excellent chef-driven restaurant Brandywine announced that it’ll close Nov. 7, and it’s no surprise that every reservation between now and then got snapped up. This was a real gem in Milwaukee’s suburbs — and a real surprise considering chef-owner Andrew Wilson noted that “business has been fantastic.” But, as you’ll hear in the full episode, this appears to be a decision motivated by work-life balance and how difficult (impossible?) that is in the demanding restaurant world.We wrap things up with two more stops around Milwaukee. First, it’s Bartlett Avenue on the East Side, which said goodbye to upscale dining spot The Original in June. Co-owner Craig Rzepka decided to make a return appearance with a more casual concept called OG Pub & Grille set to open soon. Then it’s over to the Deer District, where the Bucks rolled out their new food and drink options for this season.

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. Plus, Ann shares some of her favorite Wisconsin-made kitchen products, including beautiful utensils from a former chef, tasty Soul Brew beverages and Elgato Chocolates that help save endangered wild cats.Check out the full episode for all of those items, plus news on cocktail classes at Agency, changes at St. Kate's and the future of the legendary butter burger at Solly's Grille.

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 popular food hall just got a new tenant in Bebe Zito, the Minneapolis-based burger/ice cream joint from Ben Spangler and former MIAD student Gabriella Grant. When you stop by the new stall at the 3rd Street Market Hall, expect burgers (obviously), chicken sandwiches and ice cream flavors that can get a little unconventional.We also got another grand opening from a place we’ve talked about on the pod before: Summer of ’85, the flashback-themed bar/restaurant on MLK Drive that features a patio, arcade, DJ booth and menu with plenty of nods to the 1980s. The Pee Wee’s Big Adventure homage, “The Large Marge” (an oversized hibiscus/prickly pear margarita), is a personal favorite.Finally, we chat about the rebrand in the Deer District (Good City is now Explorium Distilled), as well as Ann’s captivating interview with Birch chef de cuisine Zach Castillo in the print version of Milwaukee Magazine. The two got into Castillo’s past as a ballerino (a male ballet dancer) and how the discipline required by the pursuit carried over to his next phase in the food world.