Image via Tupelo Honey
Tupelo Honey is more than just a great Van Morrison song and a honey dripping with legend. The Milwaukee venue is the newest of nearly 20 Tupelo Honey Cafes around the country. It does not disappoint.
Our Tupelo Honey Cafe offers a fresh take on Southern cuisine but mixed with a little Milwaukee spirit infused in one beautiful restaurant. The food is responsibly sourced, scratch made and has all the qualities that define Southern food and hospitality. The staff was polite, kind, helpful and charming, and that good home cooking really shines through in classics from banana pudding to fried chicken.
“Snackin’” ($4-$9.95) at the top of the menu doles out big portions, and even bigger flavors for sharing. Two warm cathead buttermilk biscuits with blueberry jam and whipped butter ($4) is a great way to start the meal any time of day and those biscuits have a cause—the proceeds go to a relief fund for their employees in need.
There’s a “whole lotta fryin’” going on at Tupelo Honey and whether its beer battered, panko crusted or honey dusted, it’s prepared perfectly, resulting in crispy bites of Southern goodness. For snacking and sharing you can get their famous fried green tomatoes (a must), beer battered spicy cauliflower bites, fried cauliflower taco or fried pickles. They also have a crispy Brussels sprout (not breaded) and for a more healthful and very satisfying treat try the avocado toast points with a tangy goat cheese and a sweet and spicy sriracha drizzle—a great combination of flavors. The cauliflower taco on a flour tortilla includes fried jalapenos, sriracha honey and green tomato aioli.
If you are looking for a healthier meal, be sure to check out the greens and bowls ($10.50-$13.75). The dressings are scratch made and our favorite was the pecan vinaigrette on the Southern pecan salad. The only downfall to this salad was it was piled very high in a shallow bowl and was a bit hard to eat and dress. The cobb salad was easier to eat and juxtaposed on a long flat platter. Both the rainbow avocado bowl and mountain harvest bowl are vegetarian delights and packed with well-prepared vegetables. You can add chicken or shrimp for an additional $6.50
Tupelo Honey’s famous bone in chicken ($12.95-$18.25) is so juicy from the 18-hour brining process and fried to perfection. You can get your choice of white or dark meat, or half a bird. Then comes the hard decision of choosing their signature “bee dust” (honey granules blended to powder ) or the sriracha honey sauce that accompanies many of the menu items. There are several chicken and waffle selections ($15.50-$15.75) and even a mac and cheese waffle—yes that’s right, crispy mac and cheese waffle topped with spicy fried chicken, buttermilk ranch dressing drizzled on top and pickles.
For a more classic C&W, the country style fried chicken and waffles is notable and what Southern dreams are made of with honey dusted chicken over buttermilk waffles, topped with milk gravy and basil and two fried eggs on the side.
Lots of chef specialties ($14.50-$23.75) grace the menu including shrimp and grits. These heirloom grits with wild caught gulf shrimp have addition of chorizo sausage, pepperonata and goat cheese with a balance of flavors that really work together. The slow cooked pork shoulder in duck fat, bourbon peppercorn meatloaf and blackened mahi mahi are some of the other featured chef specials on the menu.
Sandwiches ($10.95-$14.95) are typical fare with a Southern twist including fried chicken BLT or avocado chicken. A good ole farm burger on a challah bun is always a good choice and is a straight up good burger. The mahi mahi tacos are on the lighter side of things and come with a fresh peach pico de gallo to balance out the smoked jalapeno aioli. All the sandwiches are served with one farm side and all the sides are available ala carte ($4-$5).
Brunch ($12.95-$15.50) is served all day and you can add waffles or sweet potato pancakes to any of the brunch all day items for only $5. The “Old Skool” breakfast bowl with the addition of rosemary potato craklins, cheese, bacon, salsa, red pepper sauce and two fried eggs over grits had me singing their praises. I can’t wait for many return trips to try some of their other brunch specials. They do offer traditional eggs breakfast dishes, waffles and pancakes, but feel free to jazz them up with additional items like chicken or bacon. Eggs benedict ($14.50) traditional or avocado are on a biscuit and only available Saturday and Sunday until 4 p.m.
When Tupelo Honey learned of our long-standing tradition of a Friday fish fry, they knew it had to be added to their menu, but the tupelo honey way. Just for Milwaukee, the marble rye/pumpernickel biscuit was born and available only on Friday with your choice of fried perch or cod ($15.99) and again—go crazy because there are lots of additions for a minimal upcharge to have it your way!
The drinks, including such craft nonalcoholic drinks as turmeric ginger tonic, are house made specialties and lots there are many variations of the mimosa and bloody Mary on the menu.
The only two desserts are banana pudding or pecan pie, but with the option of regular or mini size or a mini combo of the two. Tupelo Honey offers happy hour specials and snacks, but one more tip, you can sign up for their email and receive one of their signature glasses!
Tupelo Honey 511 N. Broadway Milwaukee, WI 53202 414-207-4604 Daily from 11a.m.-10 p.m. CC, FB, OD, SB, FF, RS, GF Handicap $$
