International$$walkers-point
La Merenda on East National Avenue in Walker's Point serves global tapas across Spanish, Argentine, Greek and Moroccan plates from chef Peter Sandroni.
Signature: Empanadas, Patatas bravas
Order: Beef empanadas with chimichurri and patatas bravas with a glass of Spanish red.
Tip: Sister room Centro on Bremen Street shares Sandroni's pasta program.
Wine bar$$third-ward
Thief Wine inside the Milwaukee Public Market on Water Street runs a wine bar with cheese plates, charcuterie and retail bottles in the Third Ward.
Signature: Charcuterie, Cheese plate
Order: Cheese plate from the Public Market cheesemonger next door and a glass of natural orange.
Tip: Sister bar Thief Wine Shorewood; both shops do tastings most Friday evenings.
Seafood$$$downtown
River Lane Inn on West River Lane in Brown Deer is a North Shore seafood room with Lake Michigan perch and cedar-plank salmon, running since 1981 here.
Signature: Lake perch, Cedar plank salmon
Order: Lake perch fry on Friday and the cedar-plank salmon with lemon-butter.
Tip: Reservations on OpenTable for Friday and Saturday; bar takes walk-ins from 16:30.
Mexican$$downtown
Kompali on East Wisconsin Avenue downtown serves a Mexico City taqueria menu of birria, al pastor and esquites alongside mezcal cocktails since 2022.
Signature: Birria tacos, Esquites
Order: Birria tacos with consomme on the side and a small esquite to share.
Tip: Walk-in lunch is best; reservations on Resy for dinner Friday and Saturday.
Mexican$$walkers-point
El Tsunami on South 6th Street in Walker's Point cooks Sinaloa-style seafood with aguachile, tostadas de marlin and ceviches for the community since 2012.
Signature: Aguachile, Tostada de marlin
Order: Shrimp aguachile with cucumber and a tostada de marlin.
Tip: Cash-friendly; weekend afternoons fill the small dining room.
Wine bar$$$downtown
Story Hill BKC on West Bluemound Road runs a bottle shop and wine bar with small plates near American Family Field, with steak frites on the menu.
Signature: Steak frites, Wood-fired flatbread
Order: Steak frites with bordelaise and a glass from the bottle shop, opened in the room.
Tip: Same-day reservations on OpenTable; the bottle shop pours any retail bottle for a $15 corkage.