Recommendations on Italian restaurants in the Milwaukee Area?

[augoman]

Zarletti's oso bucco is superb.

[JoeSmith1721]

Porcini?

[WellsstreetWanderer]

For those on the west coast (or who travel to the better coast)

San Francisco has the finest collection of Italian restaurants this side of Tuscany. I travel to San Jose a lot but make a point of getting up north for at least one dinner:

Uva Enotecca
Catogna
La Ciccia
Acquerello
Seven Hills
Delfina
Quince


Napa/Sonoma:

Della Santina's
Scopa
Alex
Tra Vigne
Cook St Helena
Bistro Don Giovanni
Stella Alpina Osteria


Seattle:

Go to the Bay Area if you want good Italian

    Try Perbacco next time in SF

[Marquette Gyros]

    Try Perbacco next time in SF

+1. Great spot. Probably better for business than pleasure.

[keefe]

    Try Perbacco next time in SF

I've heard. Ate next door at Barbacco which is more trattoria. It was excellent.

Thanks, raker, I'll give it a try!

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

C'mon Nutmeg. You've never been to the Bay Area? Joltin' Joe would be ashamed of you...

Unfortunately, I've never visited SF.  It's on the family visitation list for sure.  My cousin and family live in Sacramento and has been pestering my family to visit for a very long time.  San Francisco has been the carrot she's been dangling to entice us to visit. 

Around here, everyone's of Italian descent (including myself) and there's a mom & pop Italian restaurant in every town.  My wife and were upset when our local decades old Italian restaurant closed a few years ago.  The granddaughter who was going to take over died tragically in her 40's and the grandmother kept running it for another 3 years or so until she just couldn't do it anymore in her 80's.  She sold to someone who stupidly changed everything that was right about the place and it went under. 

[keefe]

Unfortunately, I've never visited SF.  It's on the family visitation list for sure.  My cousin and family live in Sacramento and has been pestering my family to visit for a very long time.  San Francisco has been the carrot she's been dangling to entice us to visit. 

Around here, everyone's of Italian descent (including myself) and there's a mom & pop Italian restaurant in every town.  My wife and were upset when our local decades old Italian restaurant closed a few years ago.  The granddaughter who was going to take over died tragically in her 40's and the grandmother kept running it for another 3 years or so until she just couldn't do it anymore in her 80's.  She sold to someone who stupidly changed everything that was right about the place and it went under. 

The Bay Area has a large, vibrant Italian community and that heritage is reflected in the excellence of its restaurant scene and the exquisite depth and quality of viticulture in Napa and Sonoma. People may not realize it but cioppino was created in San Francisco's North Beach by fishermen from Genoa. 

[Benny B]

Is Mimma's still open?  If so, then that's #1, #2, and #3 on my list.  Though I have heard that the quality there has dipped since I lived in MKE; if that's the case, I guess I would default to Calderone Club.

Anyone who goes to Buca's, Magianos, or Olive Garden for Italian cuisine needs a big wet kiss from a burly old Italian, slick-haired type.  If you sit down for a 5:00pm reservation and there isn't someone in the kitchen who's been minding the sauce and rolling sheets of double-zero since 8:00a, you might as well open a jar of Prego.

Italian food is like BBQ... to do it right takes time, which is a luxury that most restaurants don't have.

[hairy worthen]

Chef boy ar dee rocks. The spaghetti-o's with little smoked sausages is exquisite

[4everwarriors]

Yeah, back in my hood we used ta stuff those little sausages inta the spaghetti O's and get a rise outta the school chicks.

[WellsstreetWanderer]

Did you take 'em out of the can before adding the sausages?

[real chili 83]

Angelo's

[keefe]

Angelo's

I still think it's f ucked up that Marquette played the decisive role in the destruction of so many institutions...People always mention the Plankinton Mansion but where is the anguish for the true heritage sites - The Lanche, Hegarty's, Angelos...Jesus wept.

[🏀]

Angelo's turning into Sobelman's is a huge campus upgrade.

[keefe]

Angelo's turning into Sobelman's is a huge campus upgrade.

depends on whether one is hungry or thirsty

[WellsstreetWanderer]

Angelo's turning into Sobelman's is a huge campus upgrade.

  I was in there about two years ago for the first time and was underwhelmed. Sorry, after hearing the praise for so long I guess my expectations were unrealistic. Fond memories of Angelos but can only remember it being dark and no recollection of décor.

[🏀]

depends on whether one is hungry or thirsty

There's plenty of drinking you can do at Sobelman's and at least they clean out their beer lines. Angelo's never did and that's unnatural carnal knowledgeing disgusting.

[MUsoxfan]

Let's be honest, Angelo's brought nothing to the table other than a great place for 18 year olds to drink. The food was at best average bar food and the beer was always skunky

[keefe]

Let's be honest, Angelo's brought nothing to the table other than a great place for 18 year olds to drink. The food was at best average bar food and the beer was always skunky

It was a treat watching the dine and dash action from McCormick, though.

[real chili 83]

Let's be honest, Angelo's brought nothing to the table other than a great place for 18 year olds to drink. The food was at best average bar food and the beer was always skunky

THe pepperoni pizza was one of a kind. The pepperonis would shrink up into a cup, and each would hold a small pool of grease.  Nummy.

[Skatastrophy]

THe pepperoni pizza was one of a kind. The pepperonis would shrink up into a cup, and each would hold a small pool of grease.  Nummy.

They still have a booth at summerfest. The pizza is still amazing!

Sobleman's has mediocre burgers. Louie D's was better.

[Galway Eagle]

They still have a booth at summerfest. The pizza is still amazing!

Sobleman's has mediocre burgers. Louie D's was better.

The meat itself I agree isn't great but I love the topping selections like that mexican one or the hangover. 

[WellsstreetWanderer]

It was a treat watching the dine and dash action from McCormick, though.

  Couple of my roomies tried the dash and Angelo's sons chased them down 16th to our house  and made them pay up.  At least they didn't beat the crap out of them.

[mu-rara]

  Couple of my roomies tried the dash and Angelo's sons chased them down 16th to our house  and made them pay up.  At least they didn't beat the crap out of them.

We would sit in the window on McCormick 10 and watch it.  Some of those waitresses could of played linebacker in the NFL.  Chase and tackle.

While students of later years of Angelo's never knew it, Angelo's pizza of the late 70's was some of the best.

[drewm88]

I still think it's f ucked up that Marquette played the decisive role in the destruction of so many institutions...People always mention the Plankinton Mansion but where is the anguish for the true heritage sites - The Lanche, Hegarty's, Angelos...Jesus wept.

My understanding is that Angelo's was simply a matter of the owner in poor health with nobody to take over. Didn't Sobelman's get the pizza recipes as part of the lease and say they'd start making it once they'd settled into the place?