Season's eatings! The weather may be getting colder, but Dining Month on OnMilwaukee is just cooking up, dishing out your winning picks in this year's Best of Dining poll. Dining Month is brought to you by Fein Brothers, your premier food service equipment and supply dealer in Wisconsin since 1929. Congratulations to all of the winners, and happy eating for all those who voted! See all the winners for the month so far here.
Cafe Lulu
From 2008 to 2013, the beloved Bay View bar and cafe won this category every single year. But for the past three years, Milwaukee readers voted a different restaurant "best sandwich" – Benji's (2014), Glorioso's (2015) and Jake's Deli (2016). And those three made it a close race again, along with Bavette La Boucherie, but Cafe Lulu reclaimed its throne this year.
Cafe Lulu's combination of sandwiches, pitas, falafel, melts and baguettes – plus their house-made potato chips and amazing Asian slaw – hits the mark for meat eaters and vegetarians alike, and it proved once again (or, at least, for now) that it's just too tasty to top.
Meanwhile, the OnMilwaukee staff decided to eat like it's 2015, picking Brady Street staple Glorioso's.
Runners up:
2. Glorioso's
3. Bavette La Boucherie
4. Benji's
5. Jake's
OnMilwaukee editors' pick: Glorioso's
Lori Fredrich's pick: Bavette La Boucherie
When it comes to creative combinations, the sandwiches at Bavette La Boucherie are still among my favorites in town. And that’s largely due to Chef Karen Bell, whose creations are spot-on in flavor and balance. She’s also masterful with unexpected combos, so there’s always something interesting and new to try. Steak with truffled mushroom duxelle and roasted grapes? Pork cheek with roasted squash? They’re both good, and so are all of the others. Trust me. When in doubt, opt for the tongue Reuben. It doesn’t disappoint.