Milwaukee, Wisconsin, often conjures images of beer, brats, and cheese. While these staples are undeniably delicious and deeply ingrained in the local culture, Milwaukee also boasts a thriving wellness community with a wide array of health-centric businesses and restaurants catering to diverse dietary preferences and health-conscious lifestyles. This article explores the best healthy food restaurants in Milwaukee, highlighting establishments that prioritize fresh, local, and nutritious ingredients.
Farm-to-Table and Sustainable Dining
Several Milwaukee restaurants champion the farm-to-table movement, emphasizing sustainability and locally sourced ingredients.
Bavette: This butcher shop is dedicated to sustainable and organic meat. They honor traditions of quality and excellence by sourcing whole animals raised responsibly on small, local farms, striving for sustainability and less waste.
Braise: Braise is a farm-to-table restaurant perfect for a special dinner.
Good Harvest Market Cafe: Located inside Good Harvest Market in Pewaukee, this cafe serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner using 100% certified organic produce, pasture-raised meats, and sustainably sourced seafood.
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Riverwest Co-op & Cafe: This local co-op features a coffee bar and cafe, offering fresh juices, smoothies, smoothie bowls, sandwiches, and vegan/gluten-free bakery items. It is a market co-op where you can buy healthy food and products, as well as a cafe with freshly prepared sandwiches, smoothies, and more.
Outpost Natural Foods: A market co-op where you can buy healthy food and products, as well as a cafe with freshly prepared sandwiches, smoothies, and more.
The Green Kitchen: Located inside the Milwaukee Public Market, The Green Kitchen offers fresh and delicious salads that are never boring.
Beans & Barley: Beans & Barley is a health food mecca
Vegetarian and Vegan Options
Milwaukee's vegetarian and vegan scene is vibrant, with numerous restaurants offering plant-based meals made from scratch using local ingredients.
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Beerline Cafe: This low-environmental-impact vegetarian restaurant has earned a three-star Green Restaurant Association rating, the first in the city of Milwaukee and only the second in the greater Milwaukee metro area. They have lots of vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options available.
Cafe Manna: Also holding a three-star Green Restaurant certification, Cafe Manna is 100% vegetarian, made from scratch, and uses local ingredients. They have three locations.
Juice Bars and Healthy Treats
For those seeking a quick and nutritious boost, Milwaukee offers several juice bars and cafes specializing in organic cold-pressed juices, smoothies, and healthy treats.
Daily Dose: Daily Dose sells organic cold-pressed juices, açai bowls, and smoothies without added sugar or preservatives.
Juiced!: Juiced! uses a handcrafted, cold-pressed process to protect all the benefits of raw fruits and vegetables: nutrition (live enzymes, natural phytonutrients, antioxidants), integrity (never heated and no additives), and community support (local, straight from the farm when available).
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Nourish: Located inside Delafield’s Well House 1900, Nourish serves organic juices, smoothies, adaptogenic mocktails, wellness shots, bowls, teas, and bakery treats. The owner, Allie, packs everything with nourishing superfoods.
Pilcrow Coffee: Since coffee is one of the most heavily chemically treated foods in the world, it’s super important to drink organic. Those chemicals include synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, and insecticides.
Donut Monster: These are my favorite donuts in Milwaukee! And they use high-quality ingredients (no nitrates, artificial flavors, or colors) and incorporate local/organic when possible. Okay not exactly healthy, BUT
Nonfiction Natural Wines: Focuses on wines that are low intervention, biodynamic, organic, no additives, and use native yeasts.
Valentine Coffee Co.: Since coffee is one of the most heavily chemically treated foods in the world, it’s super important to drink organic. Those chemicals include synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, and insecticides.
Anodyne Coffee Roasting Co.: Since coffee is one of the most heavily chemically treated foods in the world, it’s super important to drink organic. Those chemicals include synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, and insecticides.
Specialty Restaurants
Beyond the general categories of healthy eating, Milwaukee also features specialty restaurants that cater to specific dietary needs and preferences.
Fresh Fin: Milwaukee’s first poké restaurant allows you to “BYOB” (build your own bowl) with the option to customize your protein, base (rice or greens), sauces, and ingredients.
Flour Girl & Flame: This restaurant offers the best wood-fired pizza, using organic, heritage flour and wild yeast for the dough. They also offer a yummy gluten-free crust that doesn’t taste like cardboard and use sustainable practices and sources ingredients locally.
Local Markets and Farms
Supporting local farmers and producers is a key aspect of healthy eating. Milwaukee offers several farmers markets and farm stores where you can buy fresh, local, and organic food directly from the source.
Farmers Markets: Farmers markets are a great way to buy fresh, local, and organic food directly from a farmer. If they don’t display “organic” anywhere you can always ask them how their food is grown. Sometimes they practice organic methods but don’t pay for the certification.
Peck & Bushel: Located in Colgate, Peck & Bushel is an orchard with a large variety of apples, all of which are organic.
Grassway Organics: A farm and health food store in the East Troy area, Grassway Organics sells grass-fed beef, raw A2 dairy, pastured pork, chicken, and eggs. You have to be a member to buy their raw milk, but the quality is top-notch; they do testing to ensure it’s safe to drink, and the calves are always fed first.
Meadowlark Acres: Located in Waukesha, Meadowlark Acres has an adorable self-serve farm stand where you can get grass-fed meats, raw honey, heritage grains and flour, and organic, pastured, soy-free eggs.
Blue Moon Community Farm: This CSA box is available weekly from June through October.
Nature's Best Family Market: Located in Oconomowoc, this picturesque little market has its own organic veggie garden and greenhouse but also sells food from local farms and vendors.
Wellness Services
Milwaukee's commitment to health extends beyond food, with a variety of wellness services available to support a holistic lifestyle.
Aura Skincare & Sugaring: Located in Tosa, Aura Skincare & Sugaring is owned by Alex, a holistic esthetician who offers natural facials using organic Botnia products.
Deep Roots Massage: Located in Bay View, Deep Roots Massage are holistic and sustainable in many aspects.
Nourish Skin & Sugar Studio: Nourish Skin & Sugar Studio is where I go for sugar waxing, a natural alternative to regular waxing.
Salt Room Lake Country: Located a bit outside the city in Pewaukee, Salt Room Lake Country offers halotherapy which has so many health benefits (you sit in a salt room!) and also infrared saunas.
Stark Esthetics: Located in Wauwatosa, Stark Esthetics is where I go for facials. The owner, Ashley, is so sweet. She uses natural and sustainable skincare brands which you know I am all about.
Tippecanoe Herbs & Apothecary: Tippecanoe Herbs & Apothecary is a MUST visit! Kyle Denton is a local herbalist who offers a huge selection of organic, local, and wildcrafted herbs plus skincare and so much more.
Viva Wellness Clinic: Viva Wellness Clinic has some unique services such as colonics and enemas.
Bionica Dental Wellness: Located in Delafield, Bionica Dental Wellness is the biological dentist I go to. They take a whole-body approach, use non-toxic materials, lower radiation X-rays, don’t use fluoride, and are more focused on preventative care in general.
Dr. Integrative Veterinary Service: Dr. Integrative Veterinary Service is where I take my dog to the vet. They advocate for fresh and raw feeding instead of kibble which is rare to find! My dog tends to be very nervous, but they are very kind and make it a fear-free experience.
Lakeside Natural Medicine: Located in Shorewood, Lakeside Natural Medicine is where I see a naturopath doctor.
Wellnest Chiropractic: Wellnest Chiropractic is where I receive chiro care! Dr. Hannah is the best. She specializes in gentle prenatal, pediatric, and women’s health and focuses on the nervous system.
Samantha Wolk Wellness: I’ve worked with her for a Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis.
Other notable restaurants and establishments
East Town Kitchen & Bar: Conveniently located on Wisconsin Avenue and Milwaukee Street, East Town Kitchen & Bar offers a classic menu, approachable vibe, and one of the best whiskey lists in all of Wisconsin. Come join us in our restaurant for dinner and locally-loved craft beers and cocktails!
Café at The Pfister: Café at The Pfister features a casual full dining area available for breakfast and lunch, as well as a barista counter and patisserie in downtown Milwaukee. We proudly brew Starbucks® Coffee on the go and serve freshly baked-in-house pastries. Whether a quick meeting over coffee, a power breakfast, or a business luncheon, we offer a varied menu from Starbucks® favorites and traditional breakfast items to homemade soups, seasonal salads, a multitude of fresh sandwiches, as well as delicious gluten free and heart-healthy options.
Craft: Craft features a cuisine including locally sourced foods, hand crafted cocktails, and a vast selection of local beer.
The Knick: Come enjoy an upbeat, contemporary dining experience at one of Milwaukee's favorite restaurants. The Knick offers an exciting menu and great nightly specials. A big city feel with friendly service, we offer an unique specialty drink menu and feature over 60 different vodkas from around the world. Enjoy our homemade desserts or a "Great Maltini" as a nightcap after a night on the town. End your weekend with our fabulous brunch and indulge with our signature "Queen Mary".
Sorella: Sorella serves healthy foods with elegant flavors, which are often made with locally sourced products.
Anchorage Restaurant: Anchorage Restaurant is our favorite place to eat in Milwaukee! Located on our first floor, the restaurant is open for breakfast and dinner, with happy hour specials running from 4 pm to 6 pm. Stop in for happy hour and enjoy specially discounted wines, beers, and small plates.
Mallards: Mallards is serving up award winning seafood & Cajun fare with southern hospitality.
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