where to — the midwest
wisconsin supper clubs + festive holiday drinks
i’m slowly but surely becoming an honorary midwestern, by way of my marriage to my very own midwestern. with b’s parents still in indiana (not far from chicago!) and his brother’s family in wisconsin, i’ve been meandering the region consistently for the past few years. though to be fair, i’ve also had some midwest experience under my belt, with my extended family out in kansas city, missouri. so i’m no expert on one particular area out there, but let me tell you my absolute musts if you find yourself lost in the midwest.
where to — the midwest:
chicago:
my first trip to chicago was years ago with friends, where we did all the things: saw the shiny bean, had a shot of malört, ate the deep dish, ate the chicago dog, and left with tiiight pants. nowadays i might skip the chicago dog, but i do have a few favorite spots: four letter word (also at doma!) for coffee, kasama for a pastry, lula cafe for just about any meal, diversey to grab a bottle, shaw’s crab house for a tini power lunch and chef’s special for dinner. we have two weddings in chicago coming up next summer, so i’ll write up a little chicago specific guide then when i’ve had more time to properly explore.
the dunes:
b’s parents are a quick drive to the indiana dunes national park, where i’ve grown to love lake michigan. i’ve always been a fan of the beach and am a (pool!) swimmer, but am terrified of sharks, so the great lakes feel suspiciously ideal. though i still half expect some fresh water loch ness monster creature to grab my ankle, i’ve so far had no such encounters. the dunes is really is a must if you’re in the area, for a little serene nature moment amid the heavy midwest portions and pours.
milwaukee:
b’s brother’s family live in neenah wisconsin, not far from appleton, if that rings any bells. milwaukee is about half way between b’s parents and brother so we find ourselves driving between the two and pitstop in milwaukee, which is a bit of a sleeper hit?! milwaukee’s nonfiction natural wines is an absolute dream — the daylight flooding in the airy wine shop/bar. nonfiction has a really solid (+ well priced) wine selection. i always base my pricing comparison off of the natural wine gateway drug: the infamous meinklang orange. the retail bottle should be $25 give or take in la, and nonfiction sells it for $20! one of my favorite illustrators is mike paré, who has been a long time collaborator with the iconic four horsemen in brooklyn, illustrating just about all of their touchpoints. speaking of… i’m actually not that into cookbooks, but the four horsemen’s latest book is not just recipes, but more backstory and art, brimming with mike’s illustrations! but back to milwaukee… if you need a caffeine fix to go with your wine, colectivo should be your go-to.
wisconsin supper clubs:
it seems there’s no real set definition of a wisconsin supper club, but let me paint the picture for you: classic wood paneled walls, no thrills, barestaurant serving old fashioneds made with brandy or a stiff tini. there’s usually a combo of the following: a bar lounge area, dated wallpaper, fish fry fridays, a leisurely paced + affordable three course meal, and grasshopper shakes for dessert. i’ve been hearing about these legendary supper clubs for years now and finally got to experience it for myself for an early thanksgiving dinner at the roxy supper club in oshkosh, wi. the place was packed with all ages by 5:30pm with a gruff, no-nonsense bartender serving my martini in a frosted glass ($6!) and asking b “sweet or sour” for his (signature wisconsin brandy) old fashioned ($6!). my niece char had a platter of cheese curds to start, i followed my martini (no notes!) with one of my best bloody marys yet and opted for juice when asked by the server for the first time ever: “juice or soup.” i ordered wisconsin’s finest walleye pike + fries (with honey mustard of course) as my entrée, and left there craving more supper clubs in my life.
kansas city:
i’ve spent many a trips with family to kc, mo to see my grandma gunn and cousins, and to see the way it’s changed over the years has been cool (thank you taylor swift?!) big mood natural wines has some an amazing selection like everything is okay wine out of richmond, california. billie’s grocery feels like la with a healthy-ish california leaning menu and incredible pastries. last time i visited kc, i may or may not have had my cousin go to billie’s to procure us cookies ahead of my arrival (thank youuu alyssa!).
where to — holiday sip:
feel festive with a drink in your hand at any of these la eastside establishments:
capri club - eagle rock
ye rustic inn - los feliz
tam o’shanter - atwater
taix - echo park
justine’s wine bar - frogtown
not east but… casa vega - sherman oaks + the smokehouse - burbank
la happenings + openings:
real charmer - drumm hospitality’s cocktail bar’s now open in virgil village, taking over the former bolita equal parts smog cutter space with an amazing cocktail program + complimentary popcorn
mortal tasting room - r. o’neill latta’s winery + tasting room in pasadena is soft opened once a week-ish with more hours to come
panda inn - pasadena’s inspiration behind panda express is back in action, and i’ve got to try those lobster crispy noodles
down the road:
new location of loquat + bar di bello both coming to silverlake
napa’s gott’s roadside coming to the original farmers market
now playing:
the rise and fall of a midwest princess by chappell roan
had to… i mean, she’s the midwest’s finest, aaand the star of my spotify wrapped
i’m compiling end of year lists of my best bites and favorite new openings of twenty twenty-four for my next sstack so i shall talk to you then <3