9 Milwaukee dining experiences for your summer bucket list

We wait for this moment for months on end, emerging from the depths of winter and dampness of spring to arrive at Milwaukee's golden season: summer. On any given day, there are roughly 500 things to do around town on a Milwaukee summer day, but you gotta eat, and it wouldn't hurt to wash that food down with something special, either.

While we'd argue there's plenty to eat, drink and see around Milwaukee any time of year, there's just something about summer that makes these experiences feel almost magical. Add them to your list of must-try Milwaukee moments to scratch off your summertime checklist.

Travel to lunch via Milwaukee’s waterways

One of my favorite ways to experience Milwaukee is seeing it from the water, and every summer I look forward to renting a kayak for an afternoon spent paddling down the Milwaukee, Menomonee and Kinnickinnic rivers.

But all that paddling works up a hunger, so when I’m out on the water with friends, we usually make a plan to break up the day tied up at any of the restaurants with public docks. There’s just something so fun about pulling up to a restaurant on the water — like you’ve unlocked some sort of summer cheat code when you arrive.

On the Milwaukee River, Lakefront Brewery, 1872 N. Commerce St., is a favorite stop, and its famous cheese curds are a must on any visit. Blue Bat Kitchen & Tequilaria, 249 N. Water St., has a public slip on the Milwaukee River, too, and who doesn’t love a good taco or two on a summer day?

The Kinnickinnic River isn’t the most scenic paddle, but it takes you by two of Milwaukee’s best patios with public docks: Barnacle Bud’s, 1955 S. Hilbert St., what I lovingly refer to as the Key West of the Kinnickinnic, and The Bridgewater, 2011 S. First St., whose patio and dining area are more refined but still a ton of fun.

The Menomonee River is often overlooked, but I love paddling west to City Lights Brewing, 2200 W. Mount Vernon Ave., for a beer and a burger — they have wings, chicken sandwiches and other tasty pub fare, too. And I love sticking my toes in the sand at The Twisted Fisherman, 1200 W. Canal St., when I need a break from paddling — it has laid-back beach vibes and seafood specials to spare.

Of course, you don’t have to kayak to visit any of these places on the water. They’re all accessible by car, and most by boat, but if you want to mix a little exercise in with your eating, going by kayak is the way to go.

— Rachel Bernhard, dining critic

Get an elevated river view at Lakefront Brewery

1872 N. Commerce St.

This Milwaukee brewery has about 200 feet of beer drinking space along the Milwaukee Riverwalk. And that doesn’t even include a 2023 second-floor patio that also overlooks the Milwaukee River, and a beer garden in its parking lot.

Lakefront Brewery’s outdoor space is fully activated in the summer with an outdoor bar and food truck, which is fully gluten-free and popular for gluten-free cheese curds and fish fries.

The brewery also has access to a kayak launch on the Milwaukee River, making it a destination for those on the water.

— Jordyn Noennig

Soak up coastal vibes at Barnacle Bud's

1955 S. Hilbert St.

This casual coastal-themed spot is a Milwaukee summer staple, so much so that when Barnacle Bud's Facebook page announces its hours are expanding, you know a Milwaukee summer is on its way.

The mostly outdoor space along the Kinnickinnic River is made up of a maze of patios, picnic tables, tiki bars and nautical decor. The menu includes seafood, burgers, sandwiches and a variety of fruity drinks. The restaurant and bar also has an annual seafood boil, plays host to live music and has a dock on the river for tying up a boat or kayak.

— Jordyn Noennig

Take in views of the Hoan while sipping a cocktail at Boone & Crockett

818 S. Water St.

Boone & Crockett offers craft cocktails and nonalcoholic drinks in Milwaukee's Harbor District. The bar takes up nearly 10,000 square feet along the Kinnickinnic River and includes a large patio with a perfect view of the Hoan Bridge, making it the ideal spot for anyone wanting to soak up some sun.

A repurposed shipping container serves as a bar outside, where two food trucks — Taco Moto and Dooby Dogs — are parked year-round. Featured cocktails and draft beers change throughout the season, offering refreshing options during the warmer months.

You can plan the perfect summer day drinking, dining and boating with two companies that offer rentals off a dock along the river. Brew City Kayak offers kayak tours and rentals while Milwaukee Duffy rents 12-person Duffy boats.

— Jessica Rodriguez

Shuffle between beer gardens along the Oak Leaf Trail

It’s long been a goal of mine to bike all 135 miles of the Oak Leaf Trail, and while I typically favor the southern stretch that winds along Lake Michigan, there’s a certain segment that captures my heart for less-than-athletic reasons.

Two of Milwaukee’s best beer gardens are located less than two miles apart, and you can get to both from the Oak Leaf Trail’s Milwaukee River Line segment. It’s so fun to spend a warm afternoon beginning at Estabrook Beer Garden, 4600 Estabrook Drive, with a giant pretzel, Obatzda cheese spread and maybe a piece of landjäger or two to fuel the day. And, of course, those dimpled half-liter mugs filled with a German lager, dunkel or hefeweizen is a must.

Look west of the beer garden toward the trees lining the Milwaukee River and you’ll find the Oak Leaf Trail. Whether by biking, walking, roller blading or whatever your preferred mode of transportation, you can get to the Hubbard Park Beer Garden, 3565 N. Morris Blvd., Shorewood, in a snap — it's less than two miles down the trail.

Hubbard is one of my favorite beer gardens in the city for its tucked-away, almost secret-garden feel. But it’s not secret — this spot is bumping with folks who flock there for its selection of Wisconsin craft beers from breweries like Third Space, New Glarus, Three Sheeps and more.

Simple snacks like giant pretzels and sausages are offered all the time, but did you know you can order Hubbard Park Lodge’s fabulous fish fry from the beer garden on Friday evenings? You can’t get much more Wisconsin than that.

— Rachel Bernhard, dining critic

Take advantage of Nomad World Pub's expanded patio

1401 E. Brady St.

This Brady Street spot has more outdoor bar than indoor bar, and for the fifth summer it will partner with neighboring Club Brady to open Brady Beach, where Nomad’s colorful patio will expand onto a closed portion of North Warren Avenue.

The large outdoor space has a covered bar with plenty of picnic tables and additional bars that open during high-volume times.

Nomad is also a popular soccer bar and will have large outdoor screens for the European Cup and Copa America this summer.

— Jordyn Noennig

Find food for everyone at Zócalo Food Truck Park

636 S. Sixth St.

This food truck park in Walker’s Point offers diverse food options with outdoor and some indoor seating in its newly renovated tavern. The tavern, inspired by Mexican artist Frida Kahlo, is vibrant and cozy.

But Milwaukee's only food truck park is best enjoyed at one of the picnic tables outside in the summer. The outdoor space allows for plenty of events, including live music and pop-up businesses on select weekends, Cinco de Mayo Celebrations, the 414 Flea market from June through October, and outdoor dance classes hosted by Daync Academy.

It’s the perfect spot for a group of indecisive friends, with nine food trucks offering a variety of cuisine. Diners can enjoy Venezuelan arepas from Anytime Arepas, Japanese sushi from Modern Maki, bagels from Ruby’s Bagels, or a scoop from Scratch Ice Cream to cool down on a warm summer night.

— Jessica Rodriguez

Head to a nearby pizza farm

Picnic blankets sprawled out across the lawn, kids waving joyously to grazing Jersey cows nearby and plumes of smoke wafting from the on-site pizza ovens, burning red hot and ready to serve fresh-made pizza with uber-local ingredients on an idyllic summer night.

That’s the Wisconsin pizza farm experience, and we’ve got a couple in the area that are well worth the drive.

At Grassway Organics, W2716 Friemoth Road, East Troy, pizza nights are held every Friday from 4 to 8 p.m. and Saturday from 2 to 8 p.m. May through September. There’s live music both days, and the pies are made with cheese and meat from the farm, with toppings provided by local CSAs and crust made from organic wheat grown in Elkhorn.

And in Oconomowoc, the Mapleton Barn, W359 N9370 Brown St., calls in West Allis-based Flour Girl & Flame to bring its wood-fired specialty pizzas to the farm on select Thursday evenings from 4 to 9 p.m. May through September. It has live music, too, and you can make reservations online for up to six people to secure your spot on the farm.

These family-friendly events are both laid-back and buzzy, perfect for kids who want to play in wide-open spaces and adults who’d like to kick back with a drink and a slice in the bucolic Wisconsin countryside.

— Rachel Bernhard, dining critic

Stock up on Georgia peaches from Tree-Ripe Fruit Co.

Every summer growing up, I looked forward to the boxes of fresh Georgia peaches my grandparents returned with after visiting family in the South. I miss those days dearly, but I’ve found the next best thing here in Wisconsin: summertime shipments from Tree-Ripe Fruit Co.

The company is headquartered in Johnson Creek, and every summer it brings juicy Georgia peaches to locations across Wisconsin. I’m lucky to have a stop nearby, where, usually around the middle of June, you can find me almost every week waiting in a line with dozens of others for those incredible peaches and pecans from Georgia. Later in the summer, I always stock up on their tart and tasty Michigan blueberries, too.

The line can stretch far, but it’s worth the wait for the peak-season produce that comes straight from the places it's grown best.

Tree-Ripe Co. hasn’t announced its 2024 schedule yet, but follow online at facebook.com/treeripefruit or instagram.com/treeripefruit to see whether there’s a stop by you this summer.

— Rachel Bernhard, dining critic

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: 9 Milwaukee dining experiences for your summer bucket list