Each week on This Bites, sponsored by Whiskey Brown, dining critic Ann Christenson from Milwaukee Magazine and Radio Milwaukee’s resident foodie Tarik Moody dig into the city’s culinary and restaurant culture to help you find new spots, old favorites and the best ingestibles around Milwaukee.
Amid the recent sad news about one East Side institution, we’re starting this episode on a much happier note from right up the street, as Von Trier continues its steady pace on the corner of Farwell and North avenues.
As Ann pointed out in her Milwaukee Magazine tidbit, we didn’t have much to worry about when the nearly 50-year-old establishment changed hands earlier this year — primarily because those hands belonged to the city’s unofficial preserver of cocktail lounges, John Dye. The man has a demonstrated respect for history, and Von Trier’s first few months under his watch reflect that approach.
You can get Ann’s full report (plus a healthy amount of sausage conversation) in the full podcast, which also sees us chatting about the December 2025 cover story of Milwaukee Magazine that reveals the area’s 51 can’t-miss food and drinks — according to Ann anyway. I think she’s more than earned our trust on this sort of thing, so here are just a couple of the highlights:
- “The Bocce Ball” at Santino’s Little Italy
- Musaka at Three Brothers
- Filet mignon at Henry Flach’s
- Moules marinières at Lake Park Bistro
By my count, that leaves 47 items yet to be revealed. We drop plenty of clues in this episode, and you can find the full list in the print version of the magazine.
We finish things off rapid style (well, rapid for us) by covering the Hanukkah dinner being cooked up by chef Gregory León at Amilinda, the Japanese restaurant set to take over Glorioso's Appetito space on Brady Street, and a fun little discussion about why hot pot just might be the best way to create a perfect communal Thanksgiving.
