Wisconsin Cheese Curds appears as a signature dish in 2 United States cities. See each city's local variant and where to eat it.
Fried Wisconsin cheese curds · Madison
Wisconsin cheese curds are squeaky fresh cheddar curds, beer-battered and deep-fried until golden, served with ranch or chipotle aioli as a Wisconsin tavern starter.
Wisconsin's cheese curd tradition dates to the state's 19th-century immigrant Swiss and German cheesemakers, who sold the byproduct curds from cheddar production fresh at the dairy door. The fried cheese curd, deep-fried in a beer batter, became a Wisconsin tavern staple in the 1970s when state cheesemakers and brewers cross-promoted. The Old Fashioned in Madison codified the Wisconsin curd as a downtown bar appetizer; today fried curds appear on every Madison tavern, brewery and supper club menu.
Where to eat in Madison:
- The Old Fashioned
- Tornado Steak House
- Tipsy Cow
- The Plaza Tavern & Grill
Wisconsin cheese curds · Milwaukee
Wisconsin cheese curds are squeaky fresh cheese pieces, either eaten raw or beer-battered and deep-fried, served with ranch dipping sauce as a Wisconsin bar.
Wisconsin's cheese curd tradition dates to the state's 19th-century immigrant Swiss and German cheesemakers, who sold the byproduct curds from cheddar production fresh at the dairy door. The fried cheese curd, deep-fried in a beer batter, became a Wisconsin tavern staple in the 1970s when state cheesemakers and brewers cross-promoted; today fried curds appear on every Wisconsin tavern, brewpub and supper club menu. Clock Shadow Creamery in Walker's Point produces them fresh daily for Milwaukee restaurants.
Where to eat in Milwaukee:
- Lakefront Brewery
- Kil@Wat
- Crafty Cow
- AJ Bombers
- Sobelman's Pub and Grill