The Flavors of West Allis

Foodie lovers, this one’s for you…Today, we’re heading to one of Wisconsin’s most flavorful communities–none other than West Allis! West Allis is the perfect balance, with a small town feel, home to roughly 60,000 residents, and charming city life, located in Wisconsin’s biggest region. Many residents have found their way to West Allis–a friendly, FLAVORFUL place to call home. Because the community is home to an array of vibrant cultures, West Allis has had many flavorful influences, including international, sport, nature, and history inspired cuisines. What are you waiting for? Let’s explore the flavors of West Allis!

International-Inspired Cuisine

Ready to mix it up with West Allis’s international-inspired cuisine? We’ve got a long list of must-trys. Without any time to waste, let’s dive into the deliciousness!

Up first, we’re starting our flavorful exploration at Chef Paz Restaurant, where Chef Paz herself cooks behind the scenes, making delicious concoctions from her home country–Peru. She shares that in Peru, there are many international influences, including Chinese, Japanese, African, French, Italian, and Inca, which all come through in her delectable dishes. Moving to West Allis, Chef Paz has stayed true to her Peruvian roots and is dedicated to sharing the savory goodness with the entire community of West Allis. 

Next on the list of must-trys is Antigua Latin-Inspired Kitchen, owned by Citlali Mendieta-Ramos and her husband. Originally born and raised in Mexico for the beginning of her young childhood years, Citlali grew up in restaurants, as her parents were owners themselves, crafting authentic and flavorful meals. Now, she runs her own restaurant, as third generation, with plans to pass on the tradition to her own children. 

Given Citlali’s upbringing, she derives her inspiration from central Mexican cuisine, as well as surrounding countries of Ecuador, Columbia, Peru, Argentina, and even Spain! Most of her inspiration, though, has come from home-cooked meals by friends and family, which is what started her local, and flavorful, West Allis business.

Nature-Inspired Cuisine

From international flavors to fresh, forest flavors, this is only the beginning of West Allis’s foodie scene. Many restaurant owners are dedicated to using local, natural, and sustainably sourced ingredients, which leads us to our next few savory (and sweet) stops!

Meet Thi Cao and Carly Weber, owners of Wild Roots. With natural inspiration on their mind (and in their palates), they set out to the forest to forage for organic ingredients–like the delicious morel mushroom. From the forest to the farmer’s market, Thi and Carly always make a stop at the West Allis Farmers Market, where local vendors come three times a week, from May to November, bringing all the fresh goods. In addition to their natural ingredients, they have a little-to-no-waste philosophy, when it comes to decor, food storage, and one particular dish…Nasty Bits. Nasty Bits is a delicious delicacy, made from unconventional parts that many cultures utilize in their own meals. You have to taste it to believe it.

Nearby, Dana Spandet–owner of Flour Girl & Flame–has her own spin on nature-inspired cuisine. Using sustainably sourced ingredients, she offers two American food classics: pizza and ice cream! First, for their pizzas, serving a sourdough and Detroit style, to name a few, are made from both a women-owned mill and a Wisconsin mill. Just when you think it can’t get more local…Dana shares that one of their secret ingredients–honey–comes from their 4 bee hives that produce about 450 pounds of honey per year! 

Sustainably Sweet Staples

Did we hear a scream for ice cream? We all scream for ice cream at Everyone’s Ice Cream, sourcing from small-batch makers across the city. As the name implies, one and all are welcome, including those with dietary restrictions! Scoop up your favorites in a flight or classic egg carton that holds 6 different flavors. 

Speaking of sweets and summer treats, right down the way lies Pete’s Pops, owned by Pete Cooney. What started as a side gig quickly turned into all the buzz, going on year 10 and serving over 100 flavors! Pete’s sweets begin and end with high quality and fresh fruit, which he finds at the West Allis Farmers Market.

Sport-Inspired Cuisine

It’s game time! We’re off to explore West Allis’s flavorful, sport-inspired cuisines scattered throughout the city.

Pedal your way to Bread Pedalers, owned by biker, baker sister duo Sam & Skyler Schneider. If you didn’t know, biking is a BIG deal in West Allis, as it is home to the Tour of America’s Dairyland–the longest race series in the entire country, totaling 11 days. Besides their passion for biking, they’ve got quite a knack for baking. It all started with a bread club and transformed into baking for the entire community, spreading smiles one loaf at a time.

Another popular West Allis activity is skating, where Lisa Coons shines, combining the sport with a flavorful food truck. Owner of both Transaction Skate Shop and My Auntie’s Kitchen, she captures West Allis’s sporty and savory scene. At the skate shop, located 3 blocks from the skate park, she invites visitors to browse the selection, as well as carries parts and tools, if you’re in need of a quick fix. The best part? She keeps irresistible snacks and ice cold drinks for riders to refuel and refresh. 

Want to watch your favorite sports game? Perspective Brewing Company is the ultimate hub for watch parties. Who knows, you may even get lucky and see the popular community event, Tour of America’s Dairyland live! Between watching a game and sipping on an indulgent brew, it’s going to be hard to leave. 

History Inspired Cuisine

Get ready as we dig into another flavorful adventure discovering West Allis’s history inspired cuisine! 

Our next stop: Layman Brewing. Kyle Ida, the head brewer, uses an old family recipe and primitive brewing technique to craft tasty concoctions. All you have to do is sit back, relax, and relish in these West Allis-made flavors.

Looking to taste more family traditions? Head to this West Allis hotspot, Kegel’s Inn, that uses their own old family recipe! Julian Kegel lets us in on ALL the family secrets. Opened by his family in 1924, Julian shares that soon it will be a tradition of 100 years old. He not only has kept the nostalgic look, but also the impeccable tastes, including Bavarian foods and brews. 

Digging deeper, we discover Freese’s Candy, another sweet and historic business of West Allis. Owned by Wendy Mafel and opened in 1928, Freese’s Candy has been the hit of downtown for quite some time. After trying a few morsels, whether it’s their famous fairy food turtles or whipped cream bars, you’ll be hooked on this piece of history. 

From history to a long-lasting legacy, the West Allis staple, Grebe’s Bakery, is an indulgent icon. Started in 1937, Grebe’s Bakery is not only going on 86 years of making baked goodness, but also 4 generations of business owners. And, believe it or not, it all started with butterhorns! Today, among their other notorious flavors, taste their homemade crawlers and hot ham sandwiches. Soon, it will become your new Sunday morning ritual.

The Start of a New Legacy

While these historical cuisines have generations of flavor, Double B’s BBQ is starting its own generation of legacies, one brisket at a time. As the saying goes, it only gets better with time, and that’s certainly the case for their brisket. Each roast is smothered with seasons, like herbal pesto. Then, they’re placed in the smoker, where they cook for 12-14 hours. The final product? Juicy perfection.

From The Host

Discover Wisconsin host, Apurba Banerjee, shares her experiences filming the episode, ‘The Best of West Allis: Local Scenes of a Thriving City’:

The West Allis episode was really a great way for me to get to know my own backyard. The best thing is that I get to go back to all the places we filmed at and build a stronger relationship with the entrepreneurial community. 

While filming, I remember how kind every single business was to us and gave us so much confidence in us telling their stories. The group of regulars we met at Chef Paz was the most fun group who have such a great camaraderie and love pulling each other’s leg.

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West Allis is FULL of flavor, all thanks to the local residents that call the community home. Because of their vibrant cultures and values, West Allis has become the ultimate foodie destination, with international, sport, nature, and history inspired cuisines. 

Is your mouth watering yet? It will be after watching this Discover Wisconsin episode, ‘The Best of West Allis: Local Scenes of a Thriving City’ below:

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Hailey Rose: Writer for Discover Mediaworks. A born & bred Wisconsinite with a love for fishing, hunting, and enjoying the great outdoors.