My annual article, 52 Restaurants for your Bucket List, was originally created to provide readers with an easy way to explore the wealth of restaurants in the Milwaukee scene over the course of one year (52 weeks). Today, as we navigate the COVID-19 pandemic, it provides a fun and equally compelling guide for folks who’d like to bring variety to their weekly meals while providing vital support to some of our finest local restaurants.
The Tandem
1848 W. Fond Du Lac Ave., (414) 885-1919
tandemmke.com
Both Southern and soul food are filled with heart. And you'll find fewer restaurants with a bigger heart than The Tandem, a venue that has proven its commitment to community throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
The restaurant is currently CLOSED for dining. However, they're busy helping others. Early on in the pandemic, they served up free community meals; currently they are hosting a one-on-one after school tutoring program, complete with meals for students.
Dish it forward:
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Learn more about the work The Tandem is doing in this podcast with owner Caitlin Cullen.
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Consider taking the money you would ordinarily spend on a night out at a restaurant and donating it to support their work. [Click here to donate directly]
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.
