Modern Forage: Milwaukee, WI
The cannibal sandwich (raw ground beef on rye, a German/Polish-immigrant Christmas tradition) survives in Milwaukee at Bunzel's Meat Market despite annual health-department warnings. Wisconsin's brandy old fashioned uses brandy instead of bourbon and is the state cocktail signature; Korbel brandy arrived via the 1893 Chicago World's Fair and Wisconsin's German-immigrant population embraced it. The state consumes more brandy per capita than anywhere else in the US.
Milwaukee anchors two Wisconsin foodways: the German/Polish-immigrant cannibal sandwich (raw ground beef on rye, a Christmas tradition) and the Wisconsin brandy old fashioned (the state’s signature cocktail using brandy instead of bourbon).
This list is almost certainly incomplete; Milwaukee and southeastern Wisconsin hold further hyper-local dishes that have not yet surfaced in the survey.
A note on the Where-to-eat blocks. Every entry below carries a list of restaurants and, where available, star ratings as of the date this post was published. These are a snapshot. Verify hours and addresses before driving anywhere.
Cannibal Sandwich / Tiger Meat — Wisconsin (esp. Milwaukee)
Raw ground beef on rye bread with raw onion, salt, pepper. German/Polish immigrant tradition (a variation on Zwiebelmett). Christmas/holiday tradition that persists despite annual health department warnings. Bunzel’s Meat Market in Milwaukee grinds fresh beef specifically for enthusiasts. “Horrifying to outsiders; beloved by Wisconsinites.”
Sources: Wikipedia (Cuisine of Wisconsin); everafterinthewoods (2025); Chef Standards (2025); Decorhint (2025). Four+ sources.
Where to eat: Bunzel’s Meat Market, 9015 W Burleigh St, Milwaukee (the canonical Christmas-season fresh-grind source). Schwai’s Meat Market, Wauwatosa (alternate). Most Milwaukee-area German butcher shops grind to-order during December.
Brandy Old Fashioned — Wisconsin (statewide)
Wisconsin’s signature cocktail. Brandy (not bourbon or whiskey) with muddled orange, maraschino cherry, bitters, topped sweet (lemon-lime soda), sour (Squirt), or press (half/half). Korbel brandy arrived in WI via the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair. Wisconsin’s sizeable immigrant population embraced it. WI consumes more brandy per capita than anywhere else in the US. Ordering an Old Fashioned with bourbon marks you as an outsider.
Sources: Wikipedia; City Tours MKE (2025); Cheapism (2025); everafterinthewoods (2025). Five+ sources.
Where to eat: Any Wisconsin supper club. The Five O’Clock Steakhouse, 2416 W State St, Milwaukee (canonical brandy old fashioneds at the bar). Bryant’s Cocktail Lounge, 1579 S 9th St (since 1938). Order “brandy old fashioned, sweet” or “press” depending on your taste.
More from the series
Browse the rest of the Modern Forage survey.
Research & primary sources
Methodology, validation logs, and the entries that didn’t make this post are in the modern_forage/ on GitHub. Every entry here passed a 2+ independent-source check; the citations under each dish list them.