Wisconsin is absolutely full of amazing hole-in-the-wall, tiny, unassuming restaurants that actually serve up some of the very best food you’ve ever had. Every time I write about places like this, the comments are full of more places readers say just have to be tried. If you’re not finding wonderful, local and delicious food wherever you are in Wisconsin, you’re not looking hard enough. Here, in no particular order, are 13 more amazing, small and scrumptious Wisconsin restaurants:
- Jen’s Dinky Diner - Eagle River
TripAdvisor/AAAAwells
Facebook/Jen’sDinkyDiner Small in size, but big on taste (and portions) this place is open for breakfast and lunch and serves up fresh-made, down home, filling food. Open Monday and Tuesday from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and Wednesday through Sunday from 7:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Located at 121 S Railroad St., Eagle River, WI 54521.
- Cowbells - Lowell
TripAdvisor/ArthurR
TripAdvisor/Serendipitous534 A reader recommendation, this small spot keeps folks in Dodge County full and content with delicious burgers and wonderful breakfast. Cowbells is open from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and closed on Sunday and Monday. Located at 205 Columbus St., Lowell, WI 53557.
- Spork Cafe - Suamico
Facebook/SporkCafe
Facebook/CowmarkCafe The food here is great, but folks rave about the friendly staff. Meeting up here is like eating with family. It’s exactly what this kind of locally-owned place should be. Open 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. Located at 1760 Riverside Dr., Suamico, WI 54313.
- The Coffee Pot - Kenosha
Facebook/TheCoffeePot
TripAdvisor/GaryO This cash-only location gets a bit bigger in warmer months with some adorable outdoor seating. The breakfast and lunch restaurant has a throwback vibe, but the food is all fresh, thoughtful and locally sourced. Open 6 a.m. to 2 -p.m. Monday through Saturday at 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sundays. Located at 4914 7th Ave., Kenosha, WI 53140.
- Dairy Delite Depot - Suring
TripAdvisor/LakerFanToo
TripAdvisor/LakerFanToo This seasonal spot serves up delicious burgers and BBQ as well as some of the best ice cream and sundaes in the area. Open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily, it’s a perfect spot for a meal or an ice cream treat. Located at 628 E Main St., Suring, WI 54174.
- Cowmark Cafe - Trevor
Google/BryanMcMeen
Facebook/SporkCafe This picture is of chocolate French toast, which is really reason enough to go, honestly. This place is another breakfast and lunch only stop. The food here is elevated, using local ingredients in interesting ways and making me crave their stuff at all hours of the day. Closed on Mondays and Tuesday, open 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. Located at 1760 Riverside Dr., Suamico, WI 54313.
- Crystal Cafe - Iola
Facebook/CrystalCafe
Facebook/CrystalCafe The sign says “Pies 2 Die 4” and they are not messing around. Look, the other food is all really great, but you’re going here for the pie. In fact, just skip the meal and order pie. All the pie. Pie for days. A fourth generation of women has started training at this place that has amazing roots. Did I mention you should get the pie? Open every day from 6:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Located at 126 N Main St,, Iola, WI 54945.
- Hamburger Haus - Dundee
Facebook/HamburgerHaus
Facebook/TheHamburgerHaus Folks just can’t get enough of this fire-grilled burger and the awesome ice cream that goes with it. You know the warm weather is here when Hamburger Haus is open. Open seasonally from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Located at N3059 WI-67, Plymouth, WI 53010.
- Standing Room Only - Kenosha
Facebook/SROPhilly
Facebook/SROPhilly It’s all about the philly cheesesteak at this small spot that has some outdoor seating in warm weather. Every variation you can imagine and a few you never thought of in your wildest dreams grace the menu of this neighborhood spot that’s a bit of a hidden gem. Open Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. with the last order taken at 7:45 p.m. Located at 635 75th St., Kenosha, WI 53143.
- Solea Mexican Grill - Appleton
TripAdvisor/MaggieR
TripAdvisor/comesgoes What Solea lacks in space, it makes up for in flavor. The dishes here are delicious and amazing and you won’t leave hungry. These folks have three locations in the Fox Valley area - In Menasha at 705 Appleton Rd., Menasha, WI 54952, in Neenah at 1350 Gillingham Rd., Neenah, WI 54956, and in Appleton at 1104 Mutual Way, Appleton, WI 54913.
- Steve’s Deli Dog House - Janesville and Evansville
TripAdvisor
Facebook/Steve’sDeliDogHouse Simple and delicious, these spots have perfect hot dogs, hot beef and more. It’s a quick stop, but you and your family will fill up and be happy you came. The Janesville location is open 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and is located at 320 N Parker Dr., Janesville, WI 53545. The Evansville location is open Sunday through Wednesday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Thursday through Saturday 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and is located at 155 N Union Rd., Evansville, WI 53536.
- The Well Drive-In - Winneconne
Facebook/TheWellDriveIn
Facebook/TheWellDriveIn As retro as it gets, this seasonal spot has the best shakes you can imagine, plus burgers to blow your mind. Be smart like the locals and call your order in so it’s ready for pick up. Hours are Sunday through Thursday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Located at 705 E Main St., Winneconne, WI 54986.
- Mihm’s - Menasha
Facebook/Mihm’s
TripAdvisor/BrewCrewFan80 There might not be a more fervent group of devotees than the folks who love Mihm’s. This small spot is charcoal-grilling up butter burgers you just might become addicted to. They’re messy and delicious and totally worth any kind of wait. It’s cash only and open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and on Sundays from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Located at 342 Chute St., Menasha, WI 54952.
Most of these places were suggested by readers, so what other off-the-beaten path places do you love that we should about? Let us know in the comments!
TripAdvisor/AAAAwells
Facebook/Jen’sDinkyDiner
Small in size, but big on taste (and portions) this place is open for breakfast and lunch and serves up fresh-made, down home, filling food. Open Monday and Tuesday from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and Wednesday through Sunday from 7:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Located at 121 S Railroad St., Eagle River, WI 54521.
TripAdvisor/ArthurR
TripAdvisor/Serendipitous534
A reader recommendation, this small spot keeps folks in Dodge County full and content with delicious burgers and wonderful breakfast. Cowbells is open from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and closed on Sunday and Monday. Located at 205 Columbus St., Lowell, WI 53557.
Facebook/SporkCafe
Facebook/CowmarkCafe
The food here is great, but folks rave about the friendly staff. Meeting up here is like eating with family. It’s exactly what this kind of locally-owned place should be. Open 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. Located at 1760 Riverside Dr., Suamico, WI 54313.
Facebook/TheCoffeePot
TripAdvisor/GaryO
This cash-only location gets a bit bigger in warmer months with some adorable outdoor seating. The breakfast and lunch restaurant has a throwback vibe, but the food is all fresh, thoughtful and locally sourced. Open 6 a.m. to 2 -p.m. Monday through Saturday at 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sundays. Located at 4914 7th Ave., Kenosha, WI 53140.
TripAdvisor/LakerFanToo
This seasonal spot serves up delicious burgers and BBQ as well as some of the best ice cream and sundaes in the area. Open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily, it’s a perfect spot for a meal or an ice cream treat. Located at 628 E Main St., Suring, WI 54174.
Google/BryanMcMeen
This picture is of chocolate French toast, which is really reason enough to go, honestly. This place is another breakfast and lunch only stop. The food here is elevated, using local ingredients in interesting ways and making me crave their stuff at all hours of the day. Closed on Mondays and Tuesday, open 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. Located at 1760 Riverside Dr., Suamico, WI 54313.
Facebook/CrystalCafe
The sign says “Pies 2 Die 4” and they are not messing around. Look, the other food is all really great, but you’re going here for the pie. In fact, just skip the meal and order pie. All the pie. Pie for days. A fourth generation of women has started training at this place that has amazing roots. Did I mention you should get the pie? Open every day from 6:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Located at 126 N Main St,, Iola, WI 54945.
Facebook/HamburgerHaus
Facebook/TheHamburgerHaus
Folks just can’t get enough of this fire-grilled burger and the awesome ice cream that goes with it. You know the warm weather is here when Hamburger Haus is open. Open seasonally from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Located at N3059 WI-67, Plymouth, WI 53010.
Facebook/SROPhilly
It’s all about the philly cheesesteak at this small spot that has some outdoor seating in warm weather. Every variation you can imagine and a few you never thought of in your wildest dreams grace the menu of this neighborhood spot that’s a bit of a hidden gem. Open Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. with the last order taken at 7:45 p.m. Located at 635 75th St., Kenosha, WI 53143.
TripAdvisor/MaggieR
TripAdvisor/comesgoes
What Solea lacks in space, it makes up for in flavor. The dishes here are delicious and amazing and you won’t leave hungry. These folks have three locations in the Fox Valley area - In Menasha at 705 Appleton Rd., Menasha, WI 54952, in Neenah at 1350 Gillingham Rd., Neenah, WI 54956, and in Appleton at 1104 Mutual Way, Appleton, WI 54913.
TripAdvisor
Facebook/Steve’sDeliDogHouse
Simple and delicious, these spots have perfect hot dogs, hot beef and more. It’s a quick stop, but you and your family will fill up and be happy you came. The Janesville location is open 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and is located at 320 N Parker Dr., Janesville, WI 53545. The Evansville location is open Sunday through Wednesday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Thursday through Saturday 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and is located at 155 N Union Rd., Evansville, WI 53536.
Facebook/TheWellDriveIn
As retro as it gets, this seasonal spot has the best shakes you can imagine, plus burgers to blow your mind. Be smart like the locals and call your order in so it’s ready for pick up. Hours are Sunday through Thursday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Located at 705 E Main St., Winneconne, WI 54986.
Facebook/Mihm’s
TripAdvisor/BrewCrewFan80
There might not be a more fervent group of devotees than the folks who love Mihm’s. This small spot is charcoal-grilling up butter burgers you just might become addicted to. They’re messy and delicious and totally worth any kind of wait. It’s cash only and open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and on Sundays from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Located at 342 Chute St., Menasha, WI 54952.
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