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Brunch has become a ubiquitous part of weekend life in Milwaukee and it seems everyone has a favorite spot to indulge. But if you’re looking to try something new, this series is for you. We’ll be highlighting a new brunch spot every week and bringing you all the tasty details. Click here to check out all the spots we've tried!
Red Lion Pub
1850 N. Water St., (414) 431-9009
redlionpubmke.com
Brunch available: Saturday and Sunday beginning at 10 a.m.
Carry-out and dine-in available
Click for reservations
Every brunch spot has its niche. At Red Lion Pub, you’ve got a great patio, neighborly hospitality and a menu gives you everything you love about American brunch, plus a liberal taste of the U.K.
This past weekend, we delved headlong with the Full English Breakfast featuring two eggs (we got ours sunny-side up), two bangers, English bacon, white pudding, baked beans, sauteed mushrooms and grilled tomatoes ($14.99).
I’m always a fan of this classic British breakfast which allows you to dip into a little of this and some of that, creating unique bites of beans and sausage, veggies and eggs or a little bit of everything. It’s a protein-heavy eye-opener with unique elements like British bacon, a leaner version of the American favorite that’s cut to include both pork belly and pork loin. And don’t be scared by the white pudding; it’s a savory treat that combines grains and meat in a sausage casing.
We also tried the Corned Beef Hash featuring Guinness-braised corned brisket sauteed red peppers and red onion, two eggs and a potato pancake croquette topped with a mustard horseradish sauce ($12.99).
Corned beef hash is a distinctly American dish for which we can thank Jewish immigrants, who shared their skills in corning beef with the Irish. But origins aren’t what count here. Red Lion’s is unique unto itself, a deconstructed version of the dish featuring a thick, tasty potato cake that’s redolent with thyme, creamier in the center and ultra crispy on the outside. It’s amazing eaten with a cloak of egg yolk and a bit of corned beef.
And yes, because a bit of sweet makes any brunch better, we opted for the Sticky Toffee Pancakes, a breakfast take on the British dessert featuring a chewy sponge cake made with dates and drizzled with hot caramel ($9.99).
The pancakes – which were chewy and tangy with a slight sweetness underscored by the caramel – straddled the sweet/savory spectrum nicely. Next time I’d pair them up with some bangers or bacon.
For $20 we also added on a mimosa kit, which provided plenty of OJ and Brut for multiple glasses of weekend sunshine.
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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