BEER SELECTION / LIQUOR STORE
Discount Liquor Multiple locations discountliquorinc.com
A liquor store with its own shopping carts is obviously intended as a place where drinkers can stock up. For many years Discount Liquor has been a one-stop supermarket for all things alcohol. Its narrow aisles are stocked with game-day staples, along with beer and wine from all over the world, liqueurs in many flavors, raki and unusual varieties of whiskey and brandy. You name it: If it’s accessible to American importers, chances are you’ll find it at Discount Liquor. And, yes, the prices are reasonable. (David Luhrssen)
Runners-up Beer Selection: Downer Avenue Wine & Spirits Ray’s Wine & Spirits Woodman’s Food Market Runners-up Liquor Store: Ray’s Wine & Spirits Otto’s Wine & Spirits Woodman’s Food Market
BUTCHER SHOP / MEAT SELECTION
Bunzel’s Meat Market 9015 W. Burleigh St. 414-873-7960 bunzels.com
Sweeping the retail meat awards this year is Bunzel’s Meat Market, a West Side institution that recently moved into a gleaming new space at 90th and Burleigh. It is almost impossible to pick a favorite product from the butcher’s case here, but certainly the house-made sausages and hearty, double-smoked bacon would place at the top of any proper carnivore’s list. Bunzel’s is still family owned and the care they take with their products is evident in every bite. (Matthew J. Prigge)
Runners-up Butcher Shop: Kettle Range Meat Co. Bavette La Boucherie Ray’s Butcher Shoppe Runners-up Meat Selection: Metcalfe’s Market Rupena’s Fine Foods Kettle Range Meat Co.
CHEESE SELECTION
West Allis Cheese & Sausage Shoppe Multiple locations 414-543-4230 wacheese-gifts.com
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The café at West Allis Cheese & Sausage Shoppe is a place to stop for a hearty breakfast or lunch and a potent Bloody Mary. The adjacent store is a go-to place for Wisconsin cheese. Most enticing are its amazing selections from Sartori Cheese and Carr Valley Cheese, two of the top cheese-makers in the state. You can also find a wide array of cheese from outside of Wisconsin as well as curds, spreads and wax-covered cheddar shaped like a cow, beer mug or Green Bay Packer. (Morton Shlabotnik)
Runners-up: Wisconsin Cheese Mart Metcalfe’s Market
CHOCOLATIER
Indulgence Chocolatiers Multiple locations indulgencechocolatiers.com
Indulgence is owned by Chocolatier Julie Waterman and is a founding member of Wisconsin Artisan Food Producers Association. The company’s signature creations are its handcrafted chocolate truffles that come in a variety of decadent flavors. Indulgence also offers gourmet chocolate bars, toffees, s’mores kits, cocoa mixes and gift sets, as well as chocolate pairing classes, special event favors and dessert catering. The use of globally inspired ingredients and the finest chocolates provides Indulgence’s treats their rich flavor and melt-in-your-mouth qualities. Give in to your sweet tooth and try some of Indulgence’s luscious morsels today. (Amanda Sullivan)
Runners up: Red Elephant Chocolate Kilwins Buddy Squirrel LLC
FARMERS MARKET
West Allis Farmers Market 6501 W. National Ave.
Established in 1919, the West Allis Farmers Market is one of the oldest in southeastern Wisconsin. It has survived long after the concept of open-air food markets ceased to be commonplace and maintains one of the area’s best selections of fresh produce, meat and baked goods. The Market is open May through Thanksgiving, three days per week. (Matthew J. Prigge)
Runners-up: Tosa Farmers Market Fondy Farmers Market South Shore Farmers Market
FISH MARKET
St. Paul Fish Company 400 N. Water St. 414-220-8383 stpaulfish.com
Once again, top honors for local fish market go to the St. Paul Fish Company, located in the Milwaukee Public Market. Known for its excellent dine-in menu, St. Paul Fish also offers a full line of fresh seafood, flown in daily from catches as far off as Alaska and Mexico. Atlantic salmon and Alaskan halibut are among their top sellers with mahi-mahi, monkfish and skate wing among their more exotic offerings. (Matthew J. Prigge)
Runners-up: Empire Fish Company Sendik’s Food Market
GROCERY—ALL PURPOSE
Metro Market Multiple locations metromarket.net
In 2016, Roundy’s Supermarkets Inc. opened their first store since being acquired by Cincinnati, Ohio-based Kroger Co. The result was a 90,000 square-foot, two-story Metro Market located in Shorewood. The beauty of Metro Market is their ability to provide Whole Foods-level quality and experiences (take a look at the Shorewood location’s in-house Starbucks, wine bar, barbecue restaurant and sushi bar) without the now infamous “whole paycheck” prices. Whatever you’re looking for, Metro Market has you covered. (Rob Hullum)
Runners-up: Woodman’s Food Market Metcalfe’s Market Outpost Natural Foods Sendik’s Food Market
GROCERY—ETHNIC GROCERY / GOURMET / TAKE-OUT DELI
Glorioso’s Italian Market 1011 E. Brady St. 414-272-0540 gloriosos.com
Alexis Amenson
Glorioso's Italian Market
It could probably thrive on just its status as an historical Brady Street landmark, but Glorioso’s is also the best place for Italian, Mediterranean and even artisanal Wisconsin foods and drinks. Prices are great and there’s more than you’d ever imagine in luscious gelatos, bakery, cookies, candies, nuts, imported and artisanal cheeses, olive oils, vinegars, olives, fresh sausages, sauces, pastas, pizzas, paninis, coffees, sandwiches, produce, wines and beers and every sort of salad, even octopus. (John Schneider)
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Runners-up Ethnic Grocery: Parthenon Foods - European Market El Rey Sendik’s Food Market Cermak Fresh Market Runners-up Gourmet Grocery: Sendik’s Food Market Outpost Natural Foods G. Groppi Food Market Metcalfe’s Market Runners-up Take-Out Deli: Bunzel’s Meat Market Beans & Barley Benji’s Deli Sendik’s Food Market
GROCERY—NATURAL FOODS / ORGANIC PRODUCE SECTION
Outpost Natural Foods Multiple locations outpostnaturalfoods.coop
Along with Beans & Barley, Outpost Natural Foods was an urban pioneer during the 1970s as one of the first dependable and enduring outlets for healthy food. Outpost has the additional distinction of being a co-op owned by its shoppers. Not only does it provide fresh, nutritious produce and meat (and top-notch beer, wine and snacks), but it was also at the forefront of the movement, which encourages shoppers to spend their money in locally owned businesses to boost our community’s economy. Even better? The Outpost staffers are unfailingly kind and helpful. (Morton Shlabotnik)
Runners-up Natural Foods Grocery: Fresh Thyme Farmers Market Good Harvest Market Whole Foods Market Runners-up Organic Produce Section: Fresh Thyme Farmers Market Whole Foods Market
NEIGHBORHOOD BAKERY
Peter Sciortino’s Bakery 1101 E. Brady St. 414-272-4623 petersciortinosbakery.com
Everyone knows these are the best rolls in town. The Italian cookies are heavenly, too. Happily, they’re small—two bites and then the memory—and sold individually, so you can sample many different flavors. For 70 years, Sciortino’s has been a constant in its ever-changing neighborhood. Today it shares the Brady Street and Humboldt Avenue intersection with noble St. Hedwig’s church, heady Art Smart’s Dart Mart and Juggling Emporium and a sparkling new housing complex. (John Schneider)
Runners-up: Blooming Lotus Bakery Jen’s Sweet Treats Rocket Baby Bakery Grebe’s Bakery
PRODUCE SELECTION
Cermak Fresh Market Multiple locations cermakfreshmarket.com
One of the recent, out-of-town-based entries into the competition for Milwaukee foodies and grocery shoppers, Cermak’s spacious stores boast good prices and an emphasis on food of Mexican origin. Little surprise that the produce department should feature fruits and vegetables seldom seen elsewhere in town. Alongside the expected apples and grapefruit are bins of tomatillos, persimmons and dragon fruit. (David Luhrssen)
Runners-up: Sendik’s Food Market Woodman’s Food Market Metro Market
SAUSAGE SHOP
Usinger’s Famous Sausage 1030 N. Old World Third St. 414-276-9105 usinger.com
Think Usinger’s, think sausage, but more specifically, think brats. But it’s so much more than that! Usinger’s wurstmachers—still working at the site of the original store on Old World Third Street—continue to adhere strictly to the original family recipes that hail back to 1880. The deli boasts sliced meats, hams, bacon, sausage and snack sticks. The Gift Store offers applewood-smoked pit ham, Angus beef, cheese and crackers and more. For your carnivorous cohorts far afield, Usinger’s will ship gift packages to them via FedEx two-day delivery. (John Jahn)
Runners-up: Bunzel’s Meat Market European Homemade Sausage Shop (now closed) Kettle Range Meat Co.
URBAN FARM
Growing Power, Inc. (now closed)
Urban farming was still a largely unknown concept in 1993 when Growing Power began as a program that offered inner-city Milwaukee teens an opportunity to work by growing food for their community. Over the ensuing years, Growing Power received national attention for its efforts and expanded into one of the most successful urban farms in the country. Founder and CEO Will Allen started the nonprofit organization by purchasing a few acres of land just blocks from Milwaukee’s largest public housing project, transforming it into a multi-site urban farm that produced 40 tons of fresh fruits and vegetables and raised more than 100,000 fish annually. Alas, Growing Power has recently closed its doors following a vote to do so by its board of directors. (Jenni Herrick)
Runners-up: Alice’s Garden Golden Rod Cottage/Urban Farm Victory Garden Initiative
WEDDING CAKE DESIGNER
Simma’s Bakery 817 N. 68th St. 414-257-0998 simmasbakery.com
The saga of Simma’s Bakery begins in 1979 with the eponymous Simma emigrating from Russia with her husband, two children and intergenerationally perfected family recipes for cheesecake and pastries. Nearly 40 years on, Simma’s Bakery garners international recognition for their nonpareil pastries and towering wedding cakes with frosting skillfully made to resemble silk ribbons or delicate ironwork: cakes whose ironic fate it is to be smooshed into bridegrooms’ faces and served in slight slivers. (Tyler Friedman)
Runners-up: Jen’s Sweet Treats Eat Cake! Aggie’s Bakery & Cake Shop Rich’s House of Cakes
WINE SELECTION
Ray’s Wine & Spirits 8930 W. North Ave. 414-258-9821 rayswine.com
Ray’s has a superb selection of beer and liquor as well as wine, but wine carries the day—8,000 varieties of wine in stock as well as 2,000 brands of spirits and a thousand or so of beer plus a growler gallery. Ray’s provides a concierge service with a certified sommelier, offering wine consultation for special events. (Morton Shlabotnik)
Runners-up: Corvina Wine Company Thief Wine Shop & Bar Discount Liquor Total Wine & More
