Milwaukee eats well. The city's German-American heritage still shows up in the abundance of good bratwurst, pretzels and lager, but the food scene has diversified considerably. The Historic Third Ward and Bay View have the densest concentrations of worthwhile restaurants.
Odd Duck in Bay View is the best in the city right now — farm-to-table small plates with genuine ambition and a wine list that takes risks. Ardent on the east side does fine dining that would hold its own in Chicago. For something more casual, Maxie's Southern Comfort on the near west side does solid Southern cooking — shrimp and grits, fried chicken, biscuits — in a large, loud room that fills every night.
For the classic Milwaukee experience: bratwurst from one of the carts along Wisconsin Avenue during Summerfest or a Brewers game. Usinger's on Old World Third Street has been making sausage in Milwaukee since 1880 and the shop is worth visiting even if you are not buying in bulk.