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It’s as important as ever to support the amazing local restaurants we have in our beautiful city. And there’s no better way to do so than committing to patronize them throughout the year. I’ve composed a list of 52 amazing restaurants to guide you on your journey. Try just one of these every week and you’ll have visited them all by the end of 2025.
Three Brothers
2414 S. St Clair St., (414) 481-7530
threebrothersmke.com
Serbian
$$$
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The crisp exterior of the pastry audibly shatters as you bite into a slice of warm burek, the seemingly endless layers of dough yielding to a tender center teeming with tender spinach and creamy, slightly briney Serbian cheeses. The housemade pastry, painstakingly layered by hand in the kitchen at Three Brothers is just one of the spectacular dishes you’ll find at this local gem. (Due to the time it takes to prepare, a call ahead to pre-order your burek is advised).
A trip to Three Brothers is both a cultural pursuit and a pleasure. Located inside of a former Schlitz tied house, this longtime restaurant offers an ambiance that embraces the charms of the old world and the hospitality you might find in someone’s private home.
The menu is filled with traditional dishes from slow-simmered goulash with Serbian dumplings to briny sarma hand-filled with seasoned beef and rice. Peppers stuffed with beef and rice are homey and comforting. There are also Easter-worthy specialties like suckling pig served with house-pickled cabbage and rice. Every dish is made from scratch, teeming with tradition and served with heart. Be sure to save room for desserts like housemade strudel or filled Serbian crepes.
Recommended: Burek, stuffed grape leaves, roast duck
Please note: Three Brothers is cash only, so come prepared; if you forget, there is an ATM next door at DeMarinis.
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.
