Casablanca has become a bright spot in local dining, not only for its vegetarian buffet and its omnivorous Sunday brunch buffet, but also for its extensive menu of Near Eastern delicacies. The bar is a comfortable hideaway, usually with Arab music videos streaming quietly from a pair of screens.

Next time you feel like escaping the bustle of the city, this Holy Hill-area eatery should do the trick. With a quaint, country-style charm, and simple, uncomplicated dishes, Fox & Hounds’ casual atmosphere will keep you relaxed all the way through dessert.

Three Brothers’ cozy dining room feels like an old kitchen, with bare, Formica tabletops and mismatched china. Make yourself at home, because you’ll be there for a while. This old-fashioned restaurant specializes in slow-cooked food, and one of their signature dishes, burek—

The Downtown eatery offers carryout, delivery and a steam table for those in a hurry. Those who care to sit down can choose from dishes fresh from the wok, including Mongolian beef, kung pao chicken, shrimp with lobster sauce and sesame chicken.

Formerly a pump-house along Memorial Drive, Alterra at the Lake has been serving patrons since 2002. Whether a bleary-eyed student in need of a morning pick-me-up or a professional strolling in search of a scenic setting, the interesting and lively architecture will please the eye.

Wedged into a busy strip of Downtown Milwaukee, Cubanitas led the way in exposing the city to the delicious cuisine of Cuba. Try the sandwiches served on distinct, flat Cuban bread, with fried yucca as a side dish.

I’ve seen many a Midwesterner turn up their noses at our neighbors south of the Mason-Dixon line, but few can resist the delights of a hot, freshly glazed Krispy Kreme doughnut. From cream filled to jellies, crullers to sprinkles, the opportunities for indulgence are infinite.

Lunch, dinner or cocktail hour, this Third Ward mainstay is bursting with crowds and French flair. The angular, centrally located bar provides a prime vantage point for people-watching over a cheese plate and Cotes du Rhone;

The dinner menu offers a nice array of Indian entrees, but it’s the expansive and inexpensive lunch buffet, with its rotating selection of vegetarian and meat delights, that has introduced the local crowds to Maharaja.

Not just any city is capable of supporting a gourmet grocery store devoted to food in its purest state. But because we Milwaukeeans have proven our allegiance, we not only have all-natural meats, seafood, groceries and produce at our fingertips...

Not just any city is capable of supporting a gourmet grocery store devoted to food in its purest state. But because we Milwaukeeans have proven our allegiance, we not only have all-natural meats, seafood, groceries and produce at our fingertips...

An East Side mecca, Oakland Gyros has become a right of passage for the after-bar crowd, UW-Milwaukee students and anyone who’s looking for delicious Greek food. Open until 3 a.m., Oakland Gyros has more than just their famous gyros and shish-kabobs...

The bodacious grilled chicken wings at Points East Pub have hordes of young professionals and students descending on the refurbished corner bar on Thursday nights for “25-cent Wing Night.” The demand for these crowd-pleasers sometimes brings an hour-long wait—

Benji’s specializes in Jewish dishes that are nearly impossible to find anywhere else in Milwaukee. Their corned beef, long hailed as the city’s finest, is their biggest claim to fame, but the menu also includes an impressive assortment of herring, borscht, brisket and matzo, as well as plate-dwarfing clubs and sandwiches.

If you live in Milwaukee, there’s no escaping the Friday-night fish fry. The one served at Serb Hall is as much an event as a meal, which explains why any serious political candidate must make the pilgrimage to this South Side institution.

Really, you can’t go wrong with any frozen custard—by nature of its rich ingredients, this treat is inherently delicious no matter who serves it up. Still, plenty of Milwaukeeans will drive miles out of their way for Leon’s, which they loyally tout as the city’s one true custard stand.

Surrounded by condos that seemingly sprung up overnight, this trendy restaurant has a knack for sweet and spicy sauces. The mango mahi mahi bathes in a pool of pomegranate reduction and mango salsa, while the roasted Red Stripe chicken is...

In the dead of winter, where can Milwaukee get fresh fish? Try Empire Fish’s retail store. Local hotels and restaurants have long counted on Empire Fish for the freshest salmon, scallops, crab and lobster.

In a Midwest city bred primarily on cheese and beer (at least in national perception), Rip Tide, in the resurgent Third Ward, will have many believing they’ve been transplanted to the seafood-heavy East Coast.

In a society where megawatt grocery stores eliminate the need to visit small specialty shops for a particular type of product, there’s something to be said for doing just that.

An East Side alternative to the more haute Thai restaurants Downtown, EE Sane offers cuisine every bit as tasty and usually quite a bit cheaper. With more than 100 items, most of which can be made with your choice of meat or tofu...

Foreign food without being too out-there, the kitchen at Phan’s Garden consistently serves authentic, well-prepared Vietnamese dishes that don’t alienate our delicate American tongues.

Though George Watts & Son is a favorite haunt for Christmas shoppers or those looking for a special gift for an auspicious occasion, the tearoom occupying its uppermost level is a rather well-kept secret.

The funkadelic mishmash of original art, spirited souvenirs and seemingly random collections give this small, cozy Walker’s Point dining room the feeling of a lived-in family kitchen.

Forget about coffee; six days a week, residents near Brady and Humboldt wake up to the aroma of fresh-baked bread wafting from Sciortino’s.