June Varney suffers so badly from asthma that even passing a person smoking on the street can trigger an attack. It comes as little surprise, then, that most of the city's bars and many restaurants are off limits; she simply cannot breathe in a smoky environment.
This is a pretty big concern for June and her husband, Tom, Third Ward residents who like to enjoy Milwaukee's vibrant nightlife as much as possible.
For the Varneys, dining out revolves around what June calls "the list," a catalog of Milwaukee's smoke-free restaurants she started two years ago when she caught pneumonia -- which led to a five-month bout with pleurisy -- after too many holiday parties in smoky environments.
"After getting so sick and being put on steroids I said, 'That's it. I'm never going to a smoking place again.'"
Though it makes up a mere fraction of the spectrum of eateries offered in the area, the non-smoking section of the city's dining landscape is ever-expanding. Two years ago Varney's lobbying convinced Eagan's owner Jim Pandl to create a non-smoking section at his restaurant's bar.
"We go there every 10 days or so -- before the Symphony, before a play or for something in that section of town," she says. "We know bar manager Bill Castagnozzi, so I asked him, 'Why can't you make the north end of the bar non-smoking since it's so close to the food?"
Pandl was initially hesitant but decided to try it when the Varneys said they couldn't dine there any more any more due to the smoke. Now, Varney says, Pandl is considering making the whole bar area smoke-free.
Eagan's, unsurprisingly, remains a Varney favorite, as did the smoke-free pioneer Ardor Pub & Grill (now closed) -- which she said has "a perfect fish fry" -- Riverfront Pizza Bar and Grill and Café Brucke. As more smoking bans pass in other states, as well as in Milwaukee suburbs, Varney says she's noticing more smoke-free options locally.
"My husband's favorite bar, Palm Tavern, just went smoke-free. I can't believe they had the guts to do it, but they did, so they must know something."
Varney shares her list -- and we've added a few of our own -- for others seeking a smoke-free dining experience. Know of more? Feel free to add them using the Talkback feature.
Apollo Cafe
1310 E. Brady St., (414) 272-2233
Barbiere's
5844 W. Bluemound Rd., (414) 453-3800
Beans & Barley
1901 E. North Ave., (414) 278-7878
beansandbarley.com
Bosley on Brady
815 E. Brady St., (414) 727-7975
bosleyonbrady.com
Brewed Cafe
1208 E. Brady St., (414) 276-2739
brewedonbrady.com
Buca di Beppo
1233 N. Van Buren St., (414) 224-8672
bucadibeppo.com
Buckley's Kiskeam Inn
801 N. Cass St., (414) 277-1111
buckleyskiskeaminn.com
Cafe 1505
1505 W. Mequon Rd., (262) 241-7076
Cafe Brucke
2101 N. Prospect Ave., (414) 287-2053
cafebrucke.com
Cempazuchi
1205 E. Brady St., (414) 291-5233
cempazuchi.com
Comet Cafe
1947 N. Farwell Ave., (414) 273-7677
thecometcafe.com
Smoke-free until 10 p.m.
Dream Dance
1712 W. Canal St., (414) 847-7883
paysbig.com/dining/dreamdance
Eagan's
1030 N. Water St., (414) 271-6900
eagansonwater.com
Eddie Martini's
8612 Watertown Plank Rd., (414) 771-6680
eddiemartinis.com
Fishbone's Cajun & Creole
1704 Milwaukee St., Delafield, (262) 646-4696
fishbonesrestaurant.com
Fuel Cafe
818 E. Center St., (414) 374-3835
fuelcafe.com
Harvey's Central Grille
1340 W Towne Square Rd., Mequon, (262) 241-9589
harveyscentralgrille.com
Izumi's
2150 N. Prospect Ave., (414) 271-5278
izumis.com
Jake's
21445 Gumina Rd., Pewaukee, (262) 781-7995
jakes-restaurant.com
Lagniappe Brasserie
17001 W. Greenfield Ave., (262) 782-7530
lagniappebrasserie.com
La Merenda
125 E. National Ave., (414) 389-0125
lamerenda125.com
Maxie's Southern Comfort
6732 W. Fairview Ave., (414) 292-3969
maxies.com/milwaukee
North Star Bistro
4515 N. Oakland Ave., Shorewood, (414) 964-4663
northstarbistro.com
Pizzeria Piccola
7606 W. State St., Wauwatosa, (414) 443-0800
pizzeriapiccola.com
Pleasant Valley Inn
9801 W. Dakota, West Allis, (414) 321-4321
Polaris
333 W. Kilbourn Ave., (414) 270-6130
Ratzsch's Old World Restaurant
320 E. Mason St., (414) 276-2720
karlratzsch.com
Restaurant Hama
333 W. Brown Deer Rd., (414) 352-5051
Ristorante Bartolotta
7616 W. State St., (414) 771-7910
bartolottaristorante.com
Riverfront Pizzeria Bar and Grill
509 E. Erie St., (414) 277-1800
Sanford
1547 N. Jackson St., (414) 276-9608
sanfordrestaurant.com
Seoul
2178 N. Prospect Ave., (414) 289-8208
Silver Spur Texas Smokehouse
19990 W. Greenfield Ave., Brookfield, (262) 821-1511
silverspurbbq.com
Solly's Grille
4629 N. Port Washington Rd., (414) 332-8808
Swig
217 N. Broadway, (414) 431-7944
swigmilwaukee.com
Tenuta's
2995 S. Clement, (414) 431-1014
tenutasitalian.com
Thai Kitchen
2851 N. Oakland Ave., (414) 962-8851
The Pasta Tree
1503 N. Farwell Ave., (414) 276-8867
Third Ward Caffe
225 E. St. Paul Ave., (414) 224-0895
Triskele's
1801 S. 3rd St., (414) 837-5950
triskelesrestaurant.com
Water Buffalo
249 N. Water St., (414) 431-1133
waterbuffalomilwaukee.com
OnMilwaukee.com staff writer Julie Lawrence grew up in Wauwatosa and has lived her whole life in the Milwaukee area.
As any “word nerd” can attest, you never know when inspiration will strike, so from a very early age Julie has rarely been seen sans pen and little notebook. At the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee it seemed only natural that she major in journalism. When OnMilwaukee.com offered her an avenue to combine her writing and the city she knows and loves in late 2004, she knew it was meant to be. Around the office, she answers to a plethora of nicknames, including “Lar,” (short for “Larry,” which is short for “Lawrence”) as well as the mysteriously-sourced “Bill Murray.”
