My annual article, 52 Restaurants for your Bucket List, was originally created to provide readers with an easy way to explore the wealth of restaurants in the Milwaukee scene over the course of one year (52 weeks). Today, as we navigate the COVID-19 pandemic, it provides a fun and equally compelling guide for folks who’d like to bring variety to their weekly meals while providing vital support to some of our finest local restaurants.
Here's the featured restaurant of the day, plus five can’t miss dishes to try.
The National Cafe
839 W. National Ave., (414) 431-6551
nationaleats.com
The draw of this Walker’s Point spot has always been about its cozy welcoming vibe as much as the food it offers. But, even during COVID-19, as they've reduced their hours to weekend brunch only, you'll find curbside comfort in their well executed dishes. Brunch is available for curbside pick-up Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Order online or call the restaurant to place your order.
And... it's brunch, so don’t forget to add a mimosa ($30) or sangria kit ($16)! Hot coffee, tea and other beverages are also available.
5 dishes to try:
- Hot Mess: Choice of bacon, ham or vegetarian, served with rosemary potatoes, sauteed peppers, caramelized onions, cheddar, grilled tomatoes, sunny-side-up eggs and hollandaise ($11).
- Turkey bacon brie panini: Turkey, bacon and melted brie with lingonberry jam on toasted ciabatta. Served with chips and hummus ($10).
- Ultimate breakfast sandwich: Choice of bacon, ham or spinach with fried eggs, cheddar, avocado, caramelized onions, olive tapenad and Sriracha mayo. Served with rosemary potatoes ($11).
- (Special) Rice bowl: Choice of bacon or tofu with avocado, sunny-side-up eggs, pickled cucumbers, sesame spinach, crispy shallots, and sriracha ketchup served on top of fried rice ($12).
- (Special) Potato and chorizo burrito: Potatoes, pork chorizo, onions, peppers, black bean dip, and cheddar cheese, in a flour tortilla smothered in a housemade verde salsa with sour cream drizzle. Topped with two sunny side eggs and pico de gallo ($12). Note: can be made vegetarian with tofu scramble instead of chorizo.
As a passionate champion of the local dining scene, Lori has reimagined the restaurant critic's role into that of a trusted dining concierge, guiding food lovers to delightful culinary discoveries and memorable experiences.
Lori is an avid cook whose accrual of condiments and spices is rivaled only by her cookbook collection. Her passion for the culinary industry was birthed while balancing A&W root beer mugs as a teenage carhop, fed by insatiable curiosity and fueled by the people whose stories entwine with every dish. Lori is the author of two books: the "Wisconsin Field to Fork" cookbook and "Milwaukee Food". Her work has garnered journalism awards from entities including the Milwaukee Press Club. In 2024, Lori was honored with a "Top 20 Women in Hospitality to Watch" award by the Wisconsin Restaurant Association.
When she’s not eating, photographing food, writing or planning for TV and radio spots, you’ll find Lori seeking out adventures with her husband Paul, traveling, cooking, reading, learning, snuggling with her cats and looking for ways to make a difference.
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