For the 10th straight year, October is Dining Month on OnMilwaukee, presented by the restaurants of Potawatomi Hotel & Casino. All month, we're stuffed with restaurant reviews, dining guides, delectable features, chef profiles and unique articles on everything food, as well as voting for your "Best of Dining 2016."
Pizza Man
The wine lovers in Milwaukee have spoken, and when it comes to the most swig-worthy selection of vino, Pizza Man is king.
A long-time favorite of Wine Spectator Magazine, Pizza Man has a well known and extensive list of offerings with over 200 bottles of wine currently stocked along with numerous tap wines – plus wine themed chandeliers to boot. And that beloved and award-winning wine collection is back and better than ever with locations on both the East and West Side, as well as a soon to be new location coming in Oak Creek.
Runners up:
2. Eddie Martini's
3. Bacchus
4. Balzac
5. Odd Duck
Lori Fredrich's pick: c.1880
I’ve got a particular affection for the wine list at c.1880, partly because there are stories behind nearly every wine on the list. There are also some fun outliers that don’t appear on many other lists, including selections from Roots Winery, owned by former Wisconsinite Chris Berg. Carefully chosen and artfully presented by general manager Joshua Wolter, it’s a collection that’s ripe to be explored.
This year we also asked a variety of prominent Milwaukeeans to weigh in on their pick for specific categories. For this category, we consulted Phil Bilodeau, certified sommelier of Thief Wine.
Bilodeau's pick: AP Bar & Kitchen
It's not the largest restaurant wine list in the city, but it's exceptionally well-chosen and food-friendly, and what sets it apart is its uncompromising ambition.
Justin Anthony refuses to dumb it down for his customers, focusing on eclectic varietals and regions instead of more mainstream selections – the ever-changing, risk-taking list introduces guests to such varietals as Nerello Mascalese, Jacquere, Freisa, and more. It's always an adventure and always delicious.
