If you love exploring Milwaukee’s restaurant scene, mark your calendar for Southside Dining Week. This culinary celebration is back for its fifth year, kicking off on Sept. 27 and running through Oct. 4.
The weeklong celebration, presented by North Shore Bank, shines a spotlight on the diverse flavors and family-owned gems that make the city’s south side one of the best places to eat.
What's new?
This year brings even more reasons to get hungry. Participating restaurants will not only be serving up brand-new, exclusive dishes created just for the occasion, they will offer special discounts that make it easier to try something new (or revisit an old favorite) as well.
The celebration kicks off with the always-lively Sunday Funday Fiesta, presented by Mastercard, on Sept. 28 from noon to 3 p.m. at Zócalo Food Truck Park. Expect a true community party with live music from Salsabrositas, Septeto Charambo and Cache, food and drinks, family-friendly activities and plenty of energy.
New this year are hands-on art activities with La Familia De Arte, an interactive trip inside North Shore Bank’s Virtual Reality Van and a free pop-up produce market presented by OneMKE in collaboration with the Victory Garden Initiative.
The growing line-up
Among the restaurants already on board for Southside Dining Week are Black Sheep, Braise Restaurant, Barnacle Bud’s, doh'p Wood-Fired Fare, Gold Rush Chicken, Paloma Taco & Tequila, Mother’s and more, with additional spots still being added to the lineup.
Southside Dining Week spans dozens of neighborhoods, including Silver City, Clarke Square, Historic Mitchell Street, Walker’s Point, Bay View, Lincoln Village, Morgandale, Saveland Park, and Tippecanoe, giving diners a perfect excuse to explore the one-of-a-kind offerings of the city's south side.
Whether you’re looking for your new favorite taco, a hidden gem for date night, or just an excuse to get out and explore, Southside Dining Week is your ticket to discovering Milwaukee’s culinary soul.
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.
