It’s as important as ever to support the amazing collection of local restaurants that we have in our beautiful city. And there’s no better way to do so than committing to patronize them throughout the year. To guide you on your journey, I’ve composed a list of 52 amazing restaurants. Try just one of these every week and you’ll have visited them all by the end of 2024. View the full list OR download an abbreviated printable PDF file for your fridge or wallet.
This week was originally set aside to support Buttermint, the Black Shoe Hospitality concept that opened its doors at 4195 N. Oakland Ave. in Shorewood in 2021.
Unfortunately, after nearly three years, the restaurant closed its doors in July of 2024.
Rather than replace it with another eatery so late in the year, I decided to use this week as an opportunity to encourage you to support a restaurant that's meaningful to you and that you'd be sad to lose.
Each year, I find myself watching the ebb and flow of dining in Milwaukee. The restaurant business has always been volatile, but recent years have been particularly challenging for small businesses, resulting in the loss of a significant number of beloved eateries. That includes iconic places like Mazos Hamburgers and Dobie's Steak House, longer-term restaurants like Kim's Thai and regrettably short-lived spots like Hot Dish Pantry.
If these losses teach us nothing else, it's that where we choose to spend our dollars really matters. When we patronize businesses we love, we are supporting their longevity. Similarly, when we fail to use our money to support locally-owned businesses, we are making a statement about the type of dining landscape we want in our city.
So, please. Consider setting aside a portion of your budget this week and go out to dinner. Choose a place that you'd be sorry to lose, and – even better – when you visit, tell them how much you appreciate them.
If you would have normally set aside this week to dine at Buttermint, you might choose to support one of Black Shoe Hospitality's other restaurants, including Blue's Egg, Maxie's or Story Hill BKC.
And – although Buttermint has closed for regular dining service, they are still hosting private events in the space through Dec. 31, 2024. So, if you have a special dinner, cocktail party, celebration or holiday party coming up, you could choose to hold it there.
Please contact catering@blackshoehospitality.com for more information.
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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