October is the fourth-annual Dining Month on OnMilwaukee.com. All month, we're stuffed with restaurant reviews, delicious features, chef profiles, unique articles on everything food, as well as the winners of our "Best of Dining 2010."
For some, eating "family style" at home is a rarity. Thanks to busy schedules and demanding jobs, a lot of families eat together a few times -- or less -- per week. Hence, having the chance to get everyone to hunker down at the table is a coveted experience.
Groups of diners, whether comprised of families or friends, can take it a step further and order large "family style" portions to share with the entire table, making the experience feel, in some cases, even more cozy and home-like. And the best part, of course, is that unlike home, no one has to do the dishes.
Milwaukee's Allison Dale worked as a server at a Buca di Beppo in California about five years ago.
"Going out to eat is about connecting intimately with people and food," says Dale. "Eating family style can enhance that experience."
Milwaukee has a few restaurants with "family style" dining options. Here's a list of them and feel free to add others via the Talkback feature.
American Serb Memorial Hall
5101 W. Oklahoma Ave., (414) 545-6030
Serb Hall's Friday night fish fry offers "family style" bowls of coleslaw and bread. As far as the fish, Icelandic cod, perch and all-you-can-eat Alaskan pollock are available. On the flip side, if you're not up group dining and just want to spend the evening with your immediate family, Serb Hall has a drive-through.
Buca di Beppo
1233 N. Van Buren St., (414) 224-8672
bucadibeppo.com
Buca serves family-style food in two portion sizes: small, which feeds up to three people and large, which according to the Web site, "feeds an average-size country." For example, a small-size lasagna is $16.45 and a large (which actually feeds about six people) is $27.45. Small pizzas are $13-$15 and a large is $18-$22. At lunchtime, Buca also offers single servings.
Joey Buona's Pizzeria & Restaurant
500 N. Water St., (414) 272-8662
joeybuonas.com
Joey Buona's offers family-style lunches for $17.95 per person and family-style diners for $26.95 per person. Family meals come with two appetizers, two salads, two pastas, two entrees and two desserts. Parties can add extra side dishes for $1.75 each or may choose steak or salmon entrees for an extra $3 per person.
Maggiano's Little Italy
2500 N. Mayfair Rd., (414) 978-1000
maggianos.com
Maggiano's, at Mayfair Mall, offers either single-plate or family-style dining. Family-style dining is available to groups of four or more and features three options: "light" ($19.50 per person), "classic" ($26.95 per person) and "chef's choice" ($36.50 per person.) The right option for a party depends on group size, number of desired courses and whether or not steak and / or seafood is preferred.
Molly Snyder started writing and publishing her work at the age 10, when her community newspaper printed her poem, "The Unicorn.” Since then, she's expanded beyond the subject of mythical creatures and written in many different mediums but, nearest and dearest to her heart, thousands of articles for OnMilwaukee.
Molly is a regular contributor to FOX6 News and numerous radio stations as well as the co-host of "Dandelions: A Podcast For Women.” She's received five Milwaukee Press Club Awards, served as the Pfister Narrator and is the Wisconsin State Fair’s Celebrity Cream Puff Eating Champion of 2019.
