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. View the full list OR download an abbreviated printable PDF file for your fridge or wallet.
Saffron Modern Indian Dining
223 N. Water St., (414) 539-4980
saffronmke.com
Modern Indian, brunch
$$$
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Well-executed Indian fare offers up a wealth of flavor and Saffron delivers in spades. It’s fresh. It’s modern and it delivers on offerings that are unlike anything else in the city. Much like contemporary Indian restaurants in larger markets across the U.S., Saffron offers diners a view of the evolution of the cuisine while paying homage to the traditional flavors and techniques that make Indian fare so incredible.
The seasonal menu features shareable plates like crispy spiced cauliflower redolant with ginger and garlic; and tasty Lasooni Chicken Tikka featuring pieces of tender marinated chicken with fig chutney and spiced beets. But you'll also find beautifully prepared dishes from the tandoor, like smoked lamb chops or octopus with mushroom fondue; bright salmon curry with green mango sauce; and vegetable-based gems like Palak Nadru Kofta featuring dumplings made of lotus and paneer in spinach sauce with crispy puffed lotus seeds. Be sure to leave room for dessert: their "Foggy Kulfi" are a delicious way to end your meal, especially if you're dining with friends (there are four to a portion in flavors like pistachio, rose, mango and cardamom).
Don’t sleep on the cocktails coming out of Saffron's bar. Most are creative takes on familiar classics; but they incorporate botanicals and spices that mirror Saffron's food menu, so every drink is also unlike anything you've tried before. Don't drink? Their mocktails are equally as thoughtful.
Recommended: Fig (or black garlic) na’an; crispy cauliflower; butternut squash bhartha; lamb and goat dishes
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.
