Highest-rated brunch restaurants in Milwaukee
Highest-rated brunch restaurants in Milwaukee
The word brunch first appeared in a 1895 issue of "Hunter's Weekly," according to the Smithsonian Magazine. In the article, which was titled "Brunch: A Plea," author Guy Beringer suggested swapping out heavy, post-church meals for lighter spreads served later in the morning.
"Brunch… is cheerful, sociable, and inciting," Beringer wrote. "It is talk-compelling. It puts you in a good temper; it makes you satisfied with yourself and your fellow beings. It sweeps away the worries and cobwebs of the week." As a post-script to the piece, he writes that at brunch, "Beer and whiskey are admitted as substitutes for tea and coffee."
Fast forward 130 years, and brunch is now one of the most popular meals in the U.S. According to a 2025 industry report from Bar & Restaurant News, brunch is the #1 meal for both Gen Zers and parents: 39% of the former go out to eat during that time, and 47% of the latter.
Many brunch locations offer the same type of spread Beringer promoted in his article—pastries and marmalade, coffee and tea (or beer and whiskey), and main courses that include fish or other meats. However, a host of other trends like internationally inspired cuisines, pizza, and mimosa flights have come along to add a little variety.
Whether your preference is for a classic brunch or something with a little more spice, Stacker compiled a ranking of the highest-rated brunch restaurants in Milwaukee using data from Tripadvisor. Tripadvisor ranks places using a combination of metrics, including overall rating, reviews, and number of page views. As a result, a restaurant with a 5 out of 5 overall rating might rank lower than one with a 4 out of 5. Most chain restaurants were excluded from the ranking. Data is as of Sept. 16, 2025.
Read on to find out if your favorite local spot made our list!
#29. Beans & Barley Market and Cafe
- Rating: 4.3/5 (192 reviews)
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#28. Goodkind
- Rating: 4.4/5 (115 reviews)
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#27. Cafe at the Plaza
- Rating: 4.3/5 (133 reviews)
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#26. Miss Katie's Diner
- Rating: 4/5 (192 reviews)
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#25. Colectivo Coffee Third Ward
- Rating: 4.4/5 (68 reviews)
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#24. Centraal Grand Café & Tappery
- Rating: 4.2/5 (168 reviews)
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#23. BelAir Cantina
- Rating: 4.2/5 (194 reviews)
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#22. Build-a-breakfast Build-a-burger
- Rating: 4.2/5 (156 reviews)
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#21. Café Corazón Riverwest
- Rating: 4.4/5 (143 reviews)
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#20. La Masa
- Rating: 4.5/5 (91 reviews)
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#19. Sweet Diner
- Rating: 4.2/5 (109 reviews)
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#18. Café Hollander - Downer
- Rating: 4.1/5 (259 reviews)
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#17. Toast Milwaukee
- Rating: 4.6/5 (59 reviews)
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#16. Smoke Shack
- Rating: 4.1/5 (343 reviews)
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#15. ASH Milwaukee
- Rating: 4.9/5 (40 reviews)
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#14. Honeypie
- Rating: 4.2/5 (259 reviews)
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#13. Buckley's Restaurant and Bar
- Rating: 4.5/5 (219 reviews)
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#12. SafeHouse
- Rating: 3.9/5 (1426 reviews)
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#11. County Clare Pub and Restaurant
- Rating: 4.4/5 (264 reviews)
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#10. Wicked Hop
- Rating: 4.1/5 (438 reviews)
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#9. Cafe at the Pfister
- Rating: 4.4/5 (240 reviews)
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#8. The Social Milwaukee
- Rating: 4.7/5 (121 reviews)
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#7. Comet Cafe
- Rating: 4.4/5 (426 reviews)
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#6. Café Benelux
- Rating: 4.2/5 (1115 reviews)
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#5. Story Hill BKC
- Rating: 4.6/5 (213 reviews)
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#4. Mader's
- Rating: 4.3/5 (1871 reviews)
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#3. Bartolotta's Lake Park Bistro
- Rating: 4.5/5 (568 reviews)
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#2. Harbor House
- Rating: 4.3/5 (1242 reviews)
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#1. Blue's Egg + Bakery
- Rating: 4.6/5 (1095 reviews)
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