By Julie Lawrence Special to OnMilwaukee.com Published Dec 10, 2008 at 11:29 AM

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

Julie Lawrence Special to OnMilwaukee.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.”