Nostalgia Meets Trendy at Fitzy’s Cafe in Whitefish Bay

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As a community, Whitefish Bay elegantly balances itself between the historical beauty of its past and the modernism of today with both its residential and retail spaces. Anyone who’s ever lived in Whitefish Bay has likely stopped into Fitzgerald Pharmacy at 424 E. Silver Spring Drive at one time or another to pick up something you need quickly. Back before everyone got used to drive-thru at CVS and Walgreens on every corner, these Americana shops were at the epicenter of each community. 

Before closing in 1976, the back of Fitzgerald’s was a dedicated soda fountain where people met for fresh fizz and ice cream. In 2022, the soda fountain made a comeback and is now a fully operational restaurant called Fitzy’s Cafe featuring top-tier coffee and pastries as well as both breakfast and lunch menus.

Fitzy’s offers a variety of seating that caters to whatever type of meeting you have there. There are communal tables perfect for sharing a meal or doing some work, a few reading chairs with tables good for coffee and snacks, and window seating if you’re looking to people watch while pursuing the menu. My dad and I chose the communal table, so we had enough room to order a couple of items to share. 

We were too late for the breakfast menu but were happy with what the lunch menu had to offer. My dad is a through-and-through Whitefish Bayer and was very happy to be meeting in a new version of old stomping grounds. He shared stories of past times at the soda fountain over the avocado toast (lemon balsamic avocado mash, burrata, pickled onions, cherry tomato and find herbs on sourdough), a horsey beef sammy (shrredded beef, horseradish aioli, rocket radish, pickled vidalia and Calabrian on horseradish ciabatta) and the salmon BLT (salmon bacon, lettuce, tomato and garlic aioli on sourdough), each served with a side salad. 

These were three very distinctive dishes with a lot of thought put into each—I don’t think I can tell you to order one over the other. Looking down the communal table I also spotted a few salads that looked deliciously filling as well. Next time, I want to work my way through the breakfast menu as it looks equally savory and sweet.

Silver Spring Drive seems like it’s ever evolving, and Fitzy’s Cafe is a welcome “new” addition to the furthest east end of the street. Across the street a lot of change has been happening with Bruegger’s cutting back on seating and Stone Creek Coffee taking over the old City Market space, but Fitzy’s Cafe beats to its own drum. Not only can you walk in to get your medication, but you can find some high-end bathroom products, fashionable orthotics, cutsey greeting cards, and specialty Asian candies before or after sitting down to a delightfully delicious meal or satiating coffee. 

After speaking with the general manager of the cafe, it sounds like Fitzy’s is really on to something with their concept of old and new coming together to serve multiple generations in an ever-growing community like Whitefish Bay. If you’re ever cruising down Lake Drive and want to stop for a bite or want to stop for a little shopping, Fitzgerald’s is truly one of a kind and personifies the community in which it serves.