Restaurants in Bellevue

Backed by 100 years of deli experience, Hansen’s Dairy and Deli keeps loyal regulars nibbling year-round. Like a Norman Rockwell painting with a side of ketchup, the bill of fare is an edible piece of Americana, regaling taste buds with creamy milk shakes, crispy thin-crust pizzas, and savory fried-chicken dinners. The deli’s crew also crafts more than 20 different hot and cold sandwiches, stacking bread with everything from turkey and bacon to philly steak and perch.

At both the Green Bay and De Pere locations, an old-fashioned charm washes over visitors. The uniformed staff greets each guest with a friendly smile, and shiny display cases keep a colorful array of ice creams chilled to perfection.

Sometimes, the seats seem to vibrate at Pearly Gates Bar and Grill. Maybe it’s because of the bikes revving outside, or perhaps stomachs are the culprit, rattling chairs as they clamor for grilled-to-order steaks, beer-battered fish, and build-your-own pizzas. Either way, this neighborhood bar buzzes with activity seven days a week, hosting bands, Packer parties, and another Wisconsin tradition: the meat raffle. The taps funnel more than a century of history into each mug, recalling times when breweries dotted Lake Michigan’s shores and the scent of hops powered Model Ts. In addition to flaunting community pride, the bar salutes the nation’s troops with a collection of American flags and yearly fundraisers for Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 224 and Desert Veterans of Wisconsin.

Soon after John Issac immigrated to the United States from Lithuania, he opened a small restaurant whose simple, one-word sign conveyed all patrons needed to know—there was chili. As John's recipe caught on, he earned the moniker Chili John, and today—nearly a century since John first dipped his ladle into the American melting pot—chefs still cook up his time-honored blend of beans, spaghetti, and four varying levels of spiciness. At the Green Bay restaurant that bears his name, John's legacy tops everything from hot dogs to burritos, complementing a full menu of Tex-Mex and homestyle favorites that includes Cajun-steak subs and quarter-pound cookies.

Although steak, seafood, chicken, salads, and wines share the spotlight, it's the fondue pot that transforms the dining experience at The Melting Pot of Appleton into an interactive one. Bubbling at the center of the table, steel cauldrons steam with cheese blends such as aged cheddar and lager beer, or fontina, butterkäse, and buttermilk blue. Spear slices of granny smith apples, artisan breads, and veggies before dipping them into the thick, creamy cheese. Although a wine and cheese fondue pairing may suit the evening on its own, a fresh salad followed by lobster, steak, chicken, and shrimp turns the experience into a three-course event. Continue the dipping feast by adding one of nine velvety chocolate fondues; diners can gather around the table to dunk strawberries, marshmallows, or chunks of cheesecake.

In 1892, a grand Victorian hotel hosted traveling gentlemen in luxurious $1-a-night rooms supplied with fine liquor and cigars. The proprietor’s sons, prominent Milwaukee businessmen, brought 20th-century celebrities such as Liberace to the hotel for evening performances; today, the piano he played is still displayed in the building’s grand lower level.

The carefully restored building now also houses Koehring's Grand Central House, which is both a restaurant and a bed and breakfast. Bartenders pour signature ice-cream drinks from behind a replica of the original front desk as diners eat butter-grilled steaks and seafood beneath elegant chandeliers. Despite the changes, antique dishes and photographs hang throughout the entire restaurant, and ghost hunters claim that the eatery is still overbooked with the spirits of the unquiet dead.