American Archives

This venerable spot (est. 1938) has shaken off the cobwebs. The rebuilt kitchen turns classics such as oysters Rockefeller, French onion soup, Dover sole, and sauteed perch. D Mon.-Sat. Read more...

Several recipes, including a signature thin waffle, are family owned at ex-NFL player Ron Bartell’s spot on the Avenue of Fashion. Think comfort food, kicked up a notch: fried catfish, salmon croquettes, biscuits and cornbread, and more. Try the shrimp and grits. Drink the Kool-Aid, too. B, L, & D Tue.-Sat., B & L Sun. Read more...

Jolly Pumpkin’s signature brews rule the offerings, with other Northern United Brewing Co. beverages such as North Peak and Grizzly Peak beers and Civilized Spirits liquor. There are 10 specialty pizzas with toppings such as lamb and Korean short ribs. Sandwich standouts include a warm artichoke, roasted red pepper, and goat cheese blend on Avalon bread. Don’t forget the truffle Read more...

The menu of sliders – with 20-plus eclectic bun toppings such as Cuban, Korean, and “mystery meat” – packs in fans. Local beers are spotlighted along with truffle and herb fries and chicken paprikash soup, the latter a bow to the neighborhood’s Hungarian origins. Read more...

A small but well-selected menu of burgers and sandwiches includes a fried green BLT. Mains include pan-seared whitefish, pesto pasta, and a chicken kabob. There’s a good selection of sharables, craft beer, and cocktails. Read more...

As many as a dozen daily selections from a repertoire of more than 100 varieties are served up for lunch or dinner, each bowl accompanied by a hunk of crusty sourdough, French, or multigrain bread. There’s always at least one low-fat selection, one vegetarian, one dairy-free and one spicy. The ladlers are happy to tip you to the fact that Read more...

This breakfast/lunch spot adds the right retro touch to a contemporary American menu, typified by omelets and benedicts early in the day; don’t miss the house-made chorizo. Later in the day, creative sandwiches such as the duck Reuben are available as well as snacks including spicy Korean fries and seared Brussels sprouts. Read more...

This Milwaukee Junction spot has been a “best-kept secret” for years. It’s a no-nonsense place with a solid diet of staples, under admittedly corny categories with a “Z” in them – like burgerz, sandwichez, nachoz, and soupz. One best bet is the perch dinner, topped with grilled onions (what they call a Ma “Z” touch, and it works). L & Read more...