Bratwurst On Hard Roll appears as a signature dish in 2 United States cities. See each city's local variant and where to eat it.
Bratwurst on a hard roll · Madison
Wisconsin bratwurst is beer-simmered then char-grilled, served on a Sheboygan-style hard roll with stadium mustard, sauerkraut and a glass of Wisconsin lager.
Bratwurst reached Wisconsin with the German immigrant wave of the 1840s and became Madison's tailgate and Brewers-stadium food by the early 20th century. Sheboygan, an hour north, claims the hard-roll style; Madison adopted the bratwurst on a hard roll at the Dane County Farmers' Market on Capitol Square, where multiple vendors grill brats every Saturday May through November, and at Camp Randall and Memorial Union tailgates each fall football season.
Where to eat in Madison:
- Tornado Steak House
- The Old Fashioned
- The Plaza Tavern & Grill
Bratwurst on a hard roll · Milwaukee
Milwaukee bratwurst is beer-simmered then char-grilled, served on a Sheboygan-style hard roll with stadium mustard, sauerkraut and a glass of Wisconsin lager.
Bratwurst reached Milwaukee with the German immigrant wave of the 1840s and became the city's signature sausage by 1880, when Fred Usinger opened his sausage shop on Old World Third Street. Sheboygan, an hour north, claims the hard-roll style; Milwaukee took up the bratwurst on a hard roll as its tailgate, Summerfest and Brewers-stadium food. Usinger's still makes the canonical version; the bratwurst remains the city's defining sausage in 2026.
Where to eat in Milwaukee:
- Usinger's Famous Sausage
- The Vanguard
- Old German Beer Hall
- Lakefront Brewery