Lately the Waukesha dining scene seems to be exploding, offering a broader range of options for area diners.

Last year was a big year for downtown Waukesha, which saw the addition of the Black Trumpet Restaurant in the Clarke Hotel, Ray's on South and Sakura Japan Sushi & Grill, its first sushi restaurant.

Here is an updated account of what the city is bringing to the dining table. While this list doesn't cover every last eatery, it includes the newcomers as well as several perennial favorites.

Albanese's Roadhouse
2301 Bluemound Rd., (262) 785-1930
albanesesroadhouse.com
A family-run business since 1941, Albanese's has been a Waukesha favorite for decades. Similar to the Milwaukee location in Riverwest, you'll find a casual, Italian dining experience with homemade pastas, sauces and pizza.

Alexis Restaurant of Waukesha
500 E. Broadway, (262) 446-4600
This restaurant open daily at 6 p.m. to offer classic American cuisine -- burgers, soups and sandwiches -- but the menu also delves into Italian and Mexican favorites.

Big Guy's Grille
701 N. Grandview Blvd., (262) 650-3000
bigguysgrille.com
Black Angus burgers, homemade pizza and Friday night fish fries reign supreme here at Big Guy's. Dine in or carry out.

Black Trumpet Restaurant
314 W. Main St., (262) 549-3800
theclarkehotelwi.com
This posh new restaurant is inside the brand new Clarke Hotel, a neoclassical boutique hotel in the historic sector of Downtown Waukesha. Executive chef Dean Schmitz uses locally-sourced organic ingredients to create a traditionally fine dining menu with a modern twist.

Brewers Two Café
821 Meadowbrook Rd., (262) 513-1883
brewerstwocafe.com
This specialty coffee and sandwich shop prides itself on being heart healthy and offering many organic eating options. The menu features bakery, soups, sandwiches and desserts.

Casa Del Rio
408 E. Main St., (262) 542-4080
Casa Del Rio is a popular Mexican restaurant, specializing in seafood. Like a good Wisconsin restaurant, it even has a fish fry (all you can eat fish fry on Wednesdays and Fridays and baked cod on Fridays only).

Ching Hwa
1947 E. Main St., (262) 544-1983
Serving lunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and dinner from 5 to 9:30 p.m., Ching Hwa has been a downtown Asian staple for years. It's a good place to bring a group.

Dady-Oh's Restaurant
250 W. Broadway, (262) 547-7011
Dady-Oh's is perhaps best known for its extensive Friday night fish fry selections, but the restaurant is also open for breakfast and lunch Tuesday through Sunday.

Divino Gelato Cafe
227 W. Main St., (262) 446-9490
divinogelatocafe.com
While the focus here is obviously gelato (and how divine it is!), Divino delves into lunch and dinner menu items, such as soups, sandwiches and a variety of pizzas.

Eric's Porter Haus
229 Wisconsin Ave., (262) 542-1300
Eric's is known for its juicy steaks, but it also specializes in German foods, like sauerbraten and schnitzel. It's a comfortable place to enjoy a Friday night fish fry or have a few beers at the bar.

Famous Dave's Bar-B-Que
2137 E. Moreland Blvd., (262) 522-3210
famousdaves.com
If you want ribs out west, this is your spot. Famous Dave's has won awards for its classic BBQ fare, which includes, chicken, fish, burgers and sandwiches.

Fuzzy's on Main
627 E. Main St., (262) 524-8899
fuzzyssportspubandgrill.com
It's a sports bar, so expect a good selection of bar food: wings, tacos, ribs and a Friday night fish fry. It's also not a bad place to grab a breakfast Bloody Mary.

Generations at the Five Points
294 W. Main St., (262) 446-3300
This Waukesha newcomer brings small-plate dining to the area. Enjoy an eclectic menu of international tapas.

Golden Gate Restaurant
1427 E. Racine Ave., (262) 547-2171
ggr.5u.com
Golden Gate is a Milwaukee and Waukesha area favorite. It features affordable Cantonese and Hunan / Szechwan cuisines, available as hot, medium or mild.

Jack's Café
N4W22496 Bluemound Rd., (262) 521-2444
Jack's is where good taste and Wisconsin's charming history meet. You'll find classic Americana fare at this quaint restaurant with small store attached.  Page 1 of 2 (view all on one page)

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6 comments about this article. Post a comment / write a review.

Recent Talkbacks ...

Posted by scottfeldstein on April 21, 2009 at 3:44 p.m. (report)

I highly recommend Generations at 5 Points. The food is excellent and the staff are friendly.

Posted by justapalooka on Feb. 14, 2009 at 11:09 a.m. (report)

Ching Hwa: WORST. MEAL. EVER. Standards for Chinese food in Waukesha must be pretty low. Wrong on so many levels. MSG laden yet still no flavor. Just the taste of sodium. AVOID. Don't let the nice decor fool you.

Posted by sbukosky on Jan. 19, 2009 at 6:55 p.m. (report)

How could you miss Christina's on Delafield? The place is Waukesha's busiest breastfast spot for over 20 years besides a great lunch and dinner. Worth going just to pester Barb and Georgia. Mateo's on Sunset makes fantastic pizza and has a great soup called Italian Chili. You have to try it! Michael's further down Sunset has Pizza that reminds me of Ned's in Milwaukee, and I say that as a positive! Did you mention Murf's on Sunset also? Besides great custard they have a fantastic monster hamburger and killer onion rings. Don't forget Suburpia on Grandview.

Posted by mousemmw on Jan. 17, 2009 at 12:43 p.m. (report)

We had a great fish fry at Rays South. The food was great. The owner, the waitress and bartender all very efficient and friendly.

Posted by lamplan on Jan. 15, 2009 at 3:15 p.m. (report)

a ponza is "like a calzone" like a french fry is like a baked potato... Also, 100% agree that Matteo's is a very good place and somehow a well kept secret.