Highest-rated restaurants in Appleton by diners

Humans are creatures of habit. We tend to stick to our morning routines, rewatch movies we've seen time and time again, and hit up the same tried-and-true restaurants when going out for a meal. In fact, 35% of Americans say they rarely or never try a new restaurant they haven't been to before, according to a 2024 survey of more than 1,500 diners from TouchBistro.

But those numbers look quite different when you focus on younger generations—67% of Gen Zers and 40% of millennials in the U.S. say they visit new restaurants once a month or more. When it comes to deciding which new restaurant to try, younger generations are also more likely to rely on social media or online restaurant reviews, through sites like Yelp or Google. The TouchBistro survey found that 52% of Gen Zers have opted to try a new restaurant due to positive feedback on social media, and 67% of millennials have gone to a new dining spot solely because of favorable reviews online.

New restaurants in particular tend to garner a lot of online attention. About 50,000 new restaurants open each year in the U.S., and that number continues to rise. An analysis by Yelp published in June 2024 found that new restaurant openings were up 6% from May 2023 to April 2024. But some of the best restaurants in your neck of the woods might be those established eateries that customers have been visiting for decades.

To help you determine which spots—both new and long-standing—to try out, Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated restaurants in Appleton, according to Yelp reviews from diners as of January 2025. Only restaurants with at least 20 reviews and a 3.0 rating were considered. Read on to find some inspiration for the next time you dine out.

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#30. Thai Ginger Bistro

- Rating: 4.3/5 (100 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1619 West College Ave. Ste F Appleton, Wisconsin
- Categories: Thai, Salad, Soup
- Read more on Yelp

2 / 30

#29. Bowl Ninety-One

- Rating: 4.3/5 (167 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 100 East College Ave. Appleton, Wisconsin
- Categories: Pan Asian, Desserts, Ramen
- Read more on Yelp

3 / 30

#28. Camelot Bar and Grill

- Rating: 4.3/5 (29 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1700 East Wisconsin Ave. Appleton, Wisconsin
- Categories: American, Barbecue
- Read more on Yelp

4 / 30

#27. Draft Gastropub

- Rating: 4.3/5 (177 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 664 West Ridgeview Drive Appleton, Wisconsin
- Categories: Gastropubs
- Read more on Yelp

5 / 30

#26. Chicago Grill

- Rating: 4.3/5 (52 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 110 South Locust St. Appleton, Wisconsin
- Categories: Mediterranean, Wraps, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp

6 / 30

#25. Home Burger Bar

- Rating: 4.3/5 (97 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 205 West College Ave. Appleton, Wisconsin
- Categories: Bars, Karaoke, Burgers
- Read more on Yelp

7 / 30

#24. Pierri Pizza

- Rating: 4.3/5 (27 reviews)
- Address: 815 West College Ave. Appleton, Wisconsin
- Categories: Pizza
- Read more on Yelp

8 / 30

#23. Mark's East Side

- Rating: 4.3/5 (234 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1405 East Wisconsin Ave. Appleton, Wisconsin
- Categories: Steakhouses, German, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp

9 / 30

#22. The Tipsy Taco & Tequila Bar

- Rating: 4.3/5 (37 reviews)
- Address: 129 South Memorial Drive Appleton, Wisconsin
- Categories: Mexican, Bars, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp

10 / 30

#21. Tempest Coffee Collective

- Rating: 4.3/5 (151 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 181 South Riverheath Way Ste 1100 Appleton, Wisconsin
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp

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11 / 30

#20. Urban Modern Kitchen

- Rating: 4.3/5 (62 reviews)
- Address: 800 East Wisconsin Ave. Appleton, Wisconsin
- Categories: New Mexican Cuisine, New American, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp

12 / 30

#19. Basil Cafe

- Rating: 4.3/5 (263 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1513 North Richmond St. Appleton, Wisconsin
- Categories: Vietnamese, Thai, Asian Fusion
- Read more on Yelp

13 / 30

#18. Copper Rock Coffee Company

- Rating: 4.4/5 (198 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 210 West College Ave. Ste B Appleton, Wisconsin
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp

14 / 30

#17. Fronteras Mexican Restaurant

- Rating: 4.4/5 (32 reviews)
- Address: 2311 West College Ave. Appleton, Wisconsin
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

15 / 30

#16. My Lee's Egg Roll House

- Rating: 4.4/5 (63 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 305 North Richmond St. Appleton, Wisconsin
- Categories: Vietnamese, Thai
- Read more on Yelp

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16 / 30

#15. Taco House

- Rating: 4.4/5 (25 reviews)
- Address: 135 East Wisconsin Ave. Appleton, Wisconsin
- Categories: Tacos
- Read more on Yelp

17 / 30

#14. Carmella's

- Rating: 4.4/5 (463 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 716 North Casaloma Drive Appleton, Wisconsin
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp

18 / 30

#13. Schreiner's Diner

- Rating: 4.4/5 (38 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2437 South Oneida St. Appleton, Wisconsin
- Categories: Diners
- Read more on Yelp

19 / 30

#12. Mai's Deli

- Rating: 4.4/5 (248 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 104 South Memorial Drive Appleton, Wisconsin
- Categories: Delis, Asian Fusion, Thai
- Read more on Yelp

20 / 30

#11. Ellinor

- Rating: 4.5/5 (29 reviews)
- Address: 1016 East Pacific St. Appleton, Wisconsin
- Categories: Pizza, Desserts, Salad
- Read more on Yelp

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21 / 30

#10. SAP Brunch

- Rating: 4.5/5 (522 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 708 North Casaloma Drive Appleton, Wisconsin
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Bakeries
- Read more on Yelp

22 / 30

#9. Josef's Gyros Kabob

- Rating: 4.6/5 (69 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 118 Soldiers Sq Appleton, Wisconsin
- Categories: Greek, Mediterranean
- Read more on Yelp

23 / 30

#8. 592 Korean Bbq

- Rating: 4.6/5 (23 reviews)
- Address: 4421 West Wisconsin Ave. Appleton, Wisconsin
- Categories: Korean, Barbecue, Bubble Tea
- Read more on Yelp

24 / 30

#7. ACOCA Coffee

- Rating: 4.6/5 (77 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 500 West College Ave. Appleton, Wisconsin
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp

25 / 30

#6. The Jerk Joint

- Rating: 4.6/5 (63 reviews)
- Address: 1619 West College Ave. Appleton, Wisconsin
- Categories: Soul Food, Comfort Food, Trinidadian
- Read more on Yelp

26 / 30

#5. OB's Brau Haus

- Rating: 4.6/5 (83 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 523 West College Ave. Appleton, Wisconsin
- Categories: Dance Clubs, German, Gastropubs
- Read more on Yelp

27 / 30

#4. Mill City Public House

- Rating: 4.6/5 (88 reviews)
- Address: 1103 West College Ave. Appleton, Wisconsin
- Categories: Burgers, Beer Bar, Barbecue
- Read more on Yelp

28 / 30

#3. Apollon

- Rating: 4.6/5 (143 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 207 North Appleton St. Appleton, Wisconsin
- Categories: Greek, Mediterranean
- Read more on Yelp

29 / 30

#2. Hop Yard Ale Works

- Rating: 4.7/5 (26 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 512 West Northland Ave. Appleton, Wisconsin
- Categories: Pizza, Breweries, Italian
- Read more on Yelp

30 / 30

#1. Author's Kitchen + Bar

- Rating: 4.8/5 (126 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 125 East College Ave. Appleton, Wisconsin
- Categories: Bars, American
- Read more on Yelp

This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Jaimie Etkin, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 318 metros.