Restaurants in Greendale

In 1963, Sal Barbiere founded his eponymous Italian Inn on the principles of “Family, Superb Food, and Quality Ingredients,” according to the restaurant's website. So it was no surprise that he decided to keep the eatery in the family, passing Barbiere's to his son Steve when he retired. And when, 34 years later, Steve was ready to retire in his turn, he also passed the mantle to someone trustworthy: employee Mark Dempsey, who is himself nearly family—he has been working at the restaurant since he was 16 years old.

Today, Dempsey has expanded the restaurant to two locations, both still serving Sal's signature garlic bread and other tried-and-true Italian dishes. Chefs in his kitchens prepare pans of lasagna and spaghetti with meat or meatless sauce. Baked-to-order pizzas feature an array of topping choices including italian sausage, fresh mushrooms, and sliced tomatoes. Grand Marnier from the full bar fortifies pitchers of housemade red sangria, which enhance the food's bold, Italian flavors as well as boring white napkins that definitely look better in tie-dye.

Brick 3 Pizza’s chefs make their pies so easily accessible, it’s a wonder the city’s residents are eating anything else. While most pizza places are content to deliver their pies to doorsteps, Brick 3 Pizza offers eat-in, delivery, catering, and curbside service for clients craving their menu of specialty New York-style pizzas. The shop’s doors even stay open until 4 a.m. on weekends, allowing barhoppers to finish their night with a slice of mac ‘n’ cheese, mostaccioli-and-meatballs, or pesto-chicken pizza. Brick’s gigantic 34-inch extra-large pizza is a meal boon for guests with a lot of mouths to feed or as bait to catch Sylvester Stallone. Alongside their pizzas, the staff creates handheld calzones and traditional desserts such as cannoli and cheesecake.

Within the cream-colored brick exterior of a century-old city building, Papa Luigi’s II marries an Italian restaurant with a bowling alley. Amid the wood paneling, wine-red carpet, and chandeliers of the dining room, taste buds can warm up with the house’s favorite appetizer—sicilian eggplant lathered in Papa’s special marinara sauce. Thin-n-crispy pizzas, which Papa Luigi’s II has been perfecting for 23 years, come loaded with canadian bacon or shrimp.

After meals, guests can adjourn to the newly remodeled, smoke-free bowling alley. Here, shining orbs hurtle down 10 lanes whose automatic bumpers forgive shaky aim, and an automatic scoring system lets bowlers tuck their personal mathematicians back into the trunks of their cars. Between rounds, players can refuel at a pub-style bar by tipping back chilled mugs brimming with imported tap beers and gazing at a trio of plasma televisions. Those seeking a new arena for competition can drop by the game room or rent the upstairs gym for shooting hoops.

At España Tapas House, owner Joey Elbiadi wants his customers to sit down and stay awhile, inspired by the Spanish tradition of sharing a long, intimate meal among friends. In doing so, he hires entertainment—such as flamenco dancers on Thursday evenings and Spanish guitarists on Tuesday nights—and focuses his menu on small, shareable plates with modern twists on traditional tapas. Bowls of olives stuffed with white anchovy were described as "salty little umami bombs that are perfect with a beer" by a food critic at the Journal Sentinel, while other dishes pair with signature martinis and specialty sangrias. The newly remodeled dining room’s bright red linens and orange walls are reminiscent of the warm Spanish sun reflecting off the shell of a blushing lobster.

Even a detective might not realize at first that Terra Restaurant Bar deals in Mexican food. Outdoors there's an unassuming table for two and inside, a handcrafted bar and tables with wooden chairs. No sombreros or depictions of southwestern scenery adorn the walls. But investigate the kitchen and the smell of grilled meats and cochinita pibil are a dead giveaway.

Founders Mauricio, Paco, and Nibardo honed their skills for 15 years in the service industry before teaming up to begin a restaurant of their own. In addition to signature Mexican eats—enchiladas verdes, carne asada, tacos—the menu crosses the border with omelets, pancakes, and burgers often unseen in a Mexican restaurant. Extending its devotion to Hispanic culture beyond just food, the eatery hosts salsa lessons on Thursday nights.

The Loaf & Jug Restaurant was opened more than 35 years ago to serve the customer overflow from the nearby Proud Topover Restaurant. Serving fresh, deli style meals for the lunchtime rush has been their goal, and over the years the restaurant has gathered its own loyal following. Recently they moved to a new, more modern space to accommodate their growing clientele and this spot is also available for private parties and events.

When customers enter, the first thing they see is a large menu board and below that, a pastry chef tossing and pressing fresh piecrust. Once, they’ve torn their eyes away from that hypnotic sight, customers start their order by filling out a form for a sandwich or quiche, soup, and toppings. As the request goes down the line, staff members prepare dishes using the best quality ingredients available, including locally grown apples and sourdough bread from Boudine in San Francisco. Patrons move along the counter, keeping their eyes focused on their orders, and trying not to drool when looking at slices of banana crème and Door County cherry pie. Once meals are complete, patrons can take a seat by the two-sided fireplace that divides the dining room or–in the summer months–they can eat on the outdoor patio to enjoy a side of fresh oxygen with their meals.