By Lori Fredrich Senior Food Writer, Dining Editor Published Jul 08, 2025 at 11:01 AM

National Tequila Day is coming up on July 24, and Cafe Corazon in Brown Deer is toasting the occasion a day early while paying homage to their 15th anniversary.

Head to the patio at Cafe Corazon, 4102 W. Bradley Rd., on July 23 from 8 to 9 p.m. for a VIP Tequila Tasting that also benefits Sauce, a Milwaukee nonprofit that delivers meals to the hungry via bicycle. Tickets for the tasting are $15 per person and can be purchased online. Attendance is capped at 50 people, and July 24 from 8-9 p.m. will serve as the rain date if needed. 

Left Bank Wine Co. Tequila Connoisseur Ricky Serrano will lead the tasting and pour samples of his five favorite tequilas. Guests will also enjoy samples of Café Corazón house-made chips, guacamole, queso, and its famed spicy salsa verde. Serrano will also be available immediately after the event to answer questions and sell bottles of the sampled tequilas.

“What an honor,” said Serrano. “A major milestone and a great charity cause. I can’t wait to help raise a toast to Wendy, George and their entire Café Corazón team. Achieving 15 years in the restaurant business is no small feat and a major milestone worth celebrating. Adding a tequila tasting and a national observance are nice cherries on top of a great evening for a great cause.”

Lori Fredrich Senior Food Writer, Dining Editor

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.