<![CDATA[Eating Normal - Restaurant Reviews]]>

<![CDATA[Eating Normal - Restaurant Reviews]]>Mon, 24 Aug 2026 10:49:41 -0500Weebly<![CDATA[Celebrating at Orsetta Craft Kitchen and Bar]]>Thu, 20 Aug 2026 11:51:45 GMThttps://www.eating-normal.com/restaurant-reviews/celebrating-at-orsetta-craft-kitchen-and-barOn my birthday, I had only one plan: To go to Orsetta Craft Kitchen and Bar for dinner. I’ve walked past their windows and seen a full restaurant on many a warm summer night while out and about in De Pere and imagined myself seated at their cozy bar with a brandy old fashioned and a big pizza all to myself. What more could a girl ask for, really? I made reservations for myself and my father on the evening of my birthday, and I waited anxiously for my chance to finally arrive.

These walls were once home to La Nostra Strada, a pizzeria I find myself missing a lot these days. Today, they house a high end eatery that appears to be at the heart of De Pere’s dining community these days. When my father and I arrived for our reservations, there were tables open everywhere we looked. By the time we put in our drinks order, all of those tables were filled. By the crowd alone, I knew that I made the right choice for dinner that night.

We were seated in the back of the restaurant, right beneath one of the windows looking out in the direction of the Fox River. Our visit took place just as the smoke from the Canadian Wildfires was starting to pour into the area, and it did put a damper on the view. The interior of the restaurant was gorgeous, at least, and one could forget about all of the smoke in the clean, cool air inside. The natural lighting at our seat turned out perfect for the pictures I’d take for this article.

We started with their focaccia and whipped ricotta appetizer. The retro plating with that big swoosh of cheesy spread was delightful, and the focaccia looked beautifully bouncy in every slice. The drizzle of balsamic all around the plate adds some pops of acidity to each bite when you swipe the bread through the smooth cheese. I probably could have eaten the entire plate on my own, but thankfully, I had my dad around to keep me honest so that I didn’t spoil my appetite before our pizzas arrived.

Orsetta offers sourdough thin crust and Sicilian Pan style pizzas in all varieties listed on their menu, and it was difficult for my father and I to decide which ones we wanted. The easy thing was choosing to do one of each crust style. We ordered the Hot Honey Pepperoni on the thin crust and The Brooklyn Supreme on the Sicilian pan. This seemed like the best compromise to get the best of both worlds.

The Hot Honey Pepperoni is exactly what it says on the label. Cups of pepperoni lay on a blanket of cheese, and those cups are filled with a little pool of their own fat and tasty calabrian chili honey. Getting this combination on the crunchy sourdough thin crust was a slam dunk. The hint of sweetness from the honey punched up the spice in the pepperoni AND that of the calabrian chili mixed in. Even in leftovers days later, it helped keep a balance between the other ingredients on the pizza.

The Brooklyn Supreme was the perfect choice for the Sicilian Pan. That thick crust carried the weight of pepperoni, sausage, peppers, onions, and olives, and it taught me to love a combination that I have avoided for a large part of my life. Little me would be disappointed in adult me, but Supreme on a thick crust made every slice feel like a meal.

The prices at Orsetta do keep this restaurant firmly in the special occasion category for my current budget, but by ordering their pizzas, that special occasion was able to keep going through the rest of the week. I do intend to visit again and try their entree and pasta menus another time, but pizza is definitely the way to go if you want the most bang for your buck here.

You can take a look at their website to see their menu and make reservations of your own to plan your own trip. Their social media is the best place to keep an eye on any specials going on. I’ll be going back again soon, for sure.

]]><![CDATA[Waking Up With Cafe Con Crema]]>Thu, 30 Jul 2026 11:27:15 GMThttps://www.eating-normal.com/restaurant-reviews/waking-up-with-cafe-con-crema

Right off of 172 at Packerland Drive stands Cafe Con Crema, frequently voted as a brunch favorite in many of Green Bay’s restaurant awards. I drive by it during business hours weekly, and when I do, I see a packed parking lot. Every single time, I tell myself I’ve got to check it out. I’ve been telling myself that for two years. That changed very recently. My time to find out just what those crowds were all about had finally come when a friend reminded me of this promise when we got together one weekend.

We arrived shortly before 9 am, and the parking lot was full as it always looked. I was concerned we may need to look elsewhere for brunch that day, but we were fortunate enough to be seated quickly due to our smaller party size. We took our seats, placed our order, and waited with our coffee and water for our meals to come to the table.

The interior of the building is super cute. You can see the bones of what used to be yet another sports bar on Packerland in the arrangement of the booth and the beams sticking out of the ceiling that were probably supports for TVs in the building’s past life. Cafe Con Crema has smoothed over those old bones to craft a cozy brunch spot to catch up with friends and family in booths that feel isolated from the noise of the restaurant. It’s a welcoming and comforting place.

Their name prepares you for what you can find on the menu. It implies the standard breakfast classics like biscuits and gravy and eggs benedict of several varieties– all of which are there to be chosen from if that’s your decision– and a few Latin classics and spins as well. If you’re feeling adventurous, the chilequiles looked delicious, but I opted for a chicken breakfast skillet myself that came with toast. On an upgrade, I got a few of their mini pancakes instead.

That breakfast skillet reminded me of a fajita platter, only tossed with some spiced breakfast potatoes and eggs. The blanket of swiss cheese over the top served as a creamy binder to the complimentary flavors between the potatoes and the chicken. It was just spicy enough for breakfast without going over the top. It comes in at a cost of sixteen dollars, and I felt this a reasonable price since I wound up going home with enough leftovers to feed me for a second day.

The pancake upgrade that I chose for myself wound up being one of my better ideas that Saturday. The short stack of mini pancakes came with a sprinkle of powdered sugar over the top and a pad of butter. Maple syrup landed on the table with them to be drizzled on whenever you wanted. They had a crisp, perfectly brown exterior and a soft, fluffy interior perfect for soaking up the sauce formed by butter, syrup, and sugar coming together. It provided a much needed sweet break between bites of my breakfast skillet, and it made me consider getting only pancakes on a future visit– which there definitely will be.

I see why Cafe Con Crema is always up for consideration as one of the Best in the Bay. The staff provides excellent service, and their meals are well executed with little wait. If you’re looking to try something a little off the beaten path of Downtown’s Tried and True brunch spots, head down the highway. If you have to wait at the door, I promise it’s worth it.

]]><![CDATA[Visiting Steel Belly BBQ at the Lawrence Food Truck Rally]]>Sun, 05 Jul 2026 10:32:14 GMThttps://www.eating-normal.com/restaurant-reviews/visiting-steel-belly-bbq-at-the-lawrence-food-truck-rally

This past weekend, the Green Bay Food Truck Coalition held their annual Food Truck Rally at Quarry Park in Lawrence, and of course, I made my way out to grab a quick dinner. I haven’t been able to make it to some of these events in a long time. I looked forward to making the short trip to a small but pleasant neighborhood park to see what was available on a Sunday evening. These events are known for bringing folks together with good food, music, and a little beer tent if you’re so inclined. I didn’t have the time to take in the latter, unfortunately, but I did get my hands on the food.

The Food Truck Coalition never ceases to provide options at these rallies. Local Food trucks come from all over the region to take part, and there is something for everyone. For those reasons, it took me a little bit of wandering the semi-circle of trucks to make my choice. I came to the conclusion that there are few things better on a summer evening than barbecue.

@eatingnormal I stopped in to the Lawrence Food Truck Rally last weekend to try Steel Belly BBQ out of Algoma. Their brisket and mashed potato bowl was a delicious indulgence for a summer evening. You can find a full written review at eating-normal.com, or if you want to check out other food truck rallies in the Green Bay area, wait til the end of the video! #food #foodblog #foodblogger #greenbaywisconsin #greenbaywieats #greenbayfoodie #restaurantreview #foodtruck #bbq ♬ original sound - Eating Normal

Steel Belly BBQ had brisket and pulled pork on offer that day with both meats served on either a bowl of mashed potatoes or mac and cheese. The brisket could also come as a sandwich, but I was personally inclined toward one of the bowls. To make my decision, I asked the woman taking orders for the truck about which she considered the best. Apparently, they hadn’t made their mashed potatoes for these sorts of events in nearly two years. I made my choice accordingly.

Before the next group behind me had their order in, my brisket and mashed potato bowl appeared in the window dressed in sauce. It smelled and looked fabulous. Even though the brisket was shredded, the pieces clearly had a strong and peppery bark. The truck had all the fixings that one might want for the sandwiches or bowls in a cooler out front, but I decided to take the bowl back home as it was.

That first bite of brisket comes on with a gentle, peppery heat to accompany the smoke. It’s tempered by the sweetness of the sauce drizzled over the top of the bowl and the creaminess of the loaded mashed potatoes underneath. It’s been so long since I’ve had barbecue that I nearly forgot how much I loved it. Steel Belly helped remind me, and they’ve got me thinking about all of the other places in the Green Bay Area that I could go to see what’s out there. Without a doubt, they’ll be high on my list the next time I get out to a food truck rally.

That said, there is only one more food truck rally on the Coalition’s schedule: the Suamico Firefighter’s Festival on Saturday, July 26th. That event will run from 3-9 pm at the Suamico Fire Department. Consider visiting them this month to support your local trucks (and of course, the fire department).

As for other food truck rallies in the region, there are still a few on the schedule at Ashwaubomay Lake this year. Their rallies run on Thursdays starting at 4:30 pm, and their website shows that the last two rallies of the year are on July 16th and September 10th.

]]><![CDATA[Mexico Lindo's West De Pere Outing is a Welcome Addition to the Neighborhood]]>Sun, 26 Apr 2026 17:16:28 GMThttps://www.eating-normal.com/restaurant-reviews/mexico-lindos-west-de-pere-outing-is-a-welcome-addition-to-the-neighborhood

Is there anything better than a Margarita and a plate of tacos after a long day of shopping? It’s hard to think of a greater treat to cap off a busy day running around town and taking care of errands I’ve been putting off for weeks.There are plenty of options all over town to fulfill those criteria, but I wanted to find somewhere new after taking so long away from writing restaurant reviews for the website. Where does a girl get back into the game?
West De Pere gained a branch of Howard’s Mexico Lindo in the last few months. I finally made it out there to try it for myself on a chilly Saturday afternoon after a long, long day of running errands with a friend. It’s located in the old Sgambati’s location, and it fills an important spot on that little strip. The restaurant space between offices and hair salons served as an anchor.
For a Saturday afternoon, it wasn’t particularly busy. I have a feeling that the location itself is to blame for some of the lower foot traffic since it is so far out of the way. Maybe during the work week, the crowd is a little thicker with all of the industrial parks in the area. I wasn’t upset to be there without too many other patrons. It was easier to talk to my friend that accompanied me on my errands even if the music was a touch loud.

As with many of these neighborhood Mexican spots, chips and salsa are one of the first things to arrive on the table. Mexico Lindo does something that I’m not used to in other similar restaurants, however: they make their guac tableside. There’s no doubt that it’s fresh because you watch them slice the avocados right in front of you. They let you decide what you want mixed into it. We went for the whole spread, of course.

The avocados were perfectly ripe. The guacamole came together smoothly, and the chunks of tomatoes, jalapeno, and onions inside were a pleasant change in the texture. If you’re like me, however, and tend to eat your body weight in the chips and salsa before your meal even arrives, that makes this guacamole dangerous. You will double your chip eating capacity. God knows I did.

The value of their lunch menu was one of the draws to the location when my friend and I were considering where to go after our errands, and I landed on a taco platter for this visit. Tacos al pastor, Mexican style (of course), with a plate of refried beans and rice on the side, became my lunch and dinner due to the sheer number of chips and dips I ate before the plate arrived.

If you watch my video content, you know that I’ve undergone a change of heart in regards to refried beans in the last year or so. Under normal circumstances, I might have subbed out the restaurant’s refried beans for more rice. I didn’t do that this time around. I’ve been missing out all my life just because I thought the pile of greyish, refried pinto beans on most fajita plates in my youth looked icky. These were well spiced, loaded with cheese, and contained a few whole beans for good measure. They were the perfect accompaniment to my tacos.

Did I mention that they have a short mocktail menu for those of us that don’t really drink anymore? The strawberry margarita mocktail scratched every itch I had to get a real one when I walked into the restaurant, and I was still able to drive myself and my friend back out at the end of the meal.

Mexico Lindo fills the important role of a neighborhood spot in an area of De Pere that’s low on restaurants to sit down for dinner, and the guac made right in front of you is a special treat that helps it to stand out. If you’re in the West De Pere area and looking for a place to belly up to a big margarita while you gossip with the girls, try Mexico Lindo!

]]><![CDATA[Brunch at Delilah's is Another Perfect Weekend Treat]]>Tue, 03 Jun 2025 13:20:59 GMThttps://www.eating-normal.com/restaurant-reviews/brunch-at-delilahs-is-another-perfect-weekend-treat

It feels like ages ago when Delilah’s opened in downtown Green Bay, and for whatever reason, I never made it out there despite countless Farmer’s Market Saturdays taking me within blocks of the location. Perhaps it was because I loved their sister location, Toast and Co., in East De Pere so much that I expected to find very similar things at Delilah’s. This past weekend, however, I shook those expectations to visit with some friends when they came up to Green Bay for Memorial Day.

The proprietors of Delilah’s made the most out of the small restaurant space by setting up a bar for those that come to dine alone, and the table arrangement allows for a variety of party sizes to be able to enjoy brunch together. We were able to get in without a wait when we arrived around 8 am, but throughout our meal, the crowd waiting for tables grew. The Farmer’s Market season brough more diners behind us as we sat down to the glasses of water poured for us by the hostess.

Delilah’s serves both lunch and breakfast items much like their sister location, and they had a shareable menu if that’s how you want to approach brunch. Donuts, pimento cheese dip, and a plate of pork related goodies are all there for you to choose. The lunch menu offers everything from a simple grilled chicken sandwich to a lobster roll. If you want a more traditional, substantial breakfast after a trip to the market, those options are there for you with everything from the classic American breakfast to a big ol’ plate of pastrami hash.

It was that pastrami hash that I chose for myself that day. That plate comes with two eggs cooked to your liking and a buttermilk biscuit, both of which are welcome palate cleansers alongside the strong pastrami hash that features poblano peppers as well. I often employ ketchup with my hashbrowns at most locations, but this hash was so well composed that I didn’t feel the need for it. Sweet vidalia onions balanced out the pastrami and the peppers in nearly every bite.

After having enjoyed breakfast at Delilah’s, I now feel like I need to order something from the lunch menu on another occasion to see if I’ll enjoy it just as much. I caught myself looking at the oyster mushroom po’boy and the gumbo on offer that morning, and I’m still thinking about them now. The intriguing options will keep me coming back now that I’ve finally broken through, and I think that may be the same for you.

Delilah’s also has a drink menu featuring local coffee producers and brunch cocktails if that’s more your speed on a Saturday morning. I’ll be covering that in detail over in our Green Bay Coffee section. Consider Delilah’s for your next weekend brunch and check out their menu on their website to plan your visit today.

]]><![CDATA[The Pizzas at this Ledgeview Brewery Are Worth the Trip]]>Wed, 26 Mar 2025 11:38:10 GMThttps://www.eating-normal.com/restaurant-reviews/the-pizzas-at-this-ledgeview-brewery-are-worth-the-trip

It’s been two years since Cocoon Brewing first opened in Ledgeview on the far southeastern end of Green Bay. Back then, I walked in during one of the first weeks in business and had high hopes for its future. I have, unfortunately, not been back since. That changed one cold March afternoon, and I finally got myself back in the doors to see how time had treated the little baby brewery. A hankering for pizza and a lunch with a friend made for the perfect excuse to visit again.

Improvements have been made on all fronts. The private shacks they call cocoons have increased in number. New art and signage has been added to the entryway of the building. Just the day before my visit, they added additional seating toward the back of the dining area. Even better, the spring menu was only a few weeks old. The rotating menu set to feature as many seasonal ingredients as possible is still one of the defining features of their pizzas to me.

They may be a brewery, but they also feature a robust bar program for cocktail aficionados and those visiting the location with friends that may be avoiding alcohol. I had a yuzu margarita during my visit that was refreshingly tart and a perfect foil to the rich pizzas I ate that afternoon, and they employ Non-Alcoholic spirits in most of their feature cocktails if you request it. If you prefer to drink a Non-Alcoholic beer at the brewery, they carry what I consider to be the best brand in this front, Athletic.

With a drink chosen, there was nothing left to do but select the meal for the afternoon. Two people don’t need two pizzas, but my friend and I were both interested in trying more than one option. We decided on the burrata and prosciutto pizza as well as their Spring Green pizza in order to try one from the seasonal menu and one from the traditional menu. It was a hard choice to make, but we got there.

@eatingnormal I have another Green Bay restaurant review for you, and this time it's Cocoon Brewing out in Ledgeview. If you're in the area next month for the draft and are looking to eat well beyond the bright lights of Lambeau, these unique pizzas are just a short drive away. Escape the sports bars and dine well with the lovely folks at Cocoon Brewing. A full written review is available at eating-normal.com! #pizza #restaurants #eatlocal #dinelocal #reviews #greenbay #greenbaywi #greenbayeats #greenbayfoodie #wisconsin #NFLdraft ♬ original sound - Eating Normal

The burrata and prosciutto pizza is one of their long term pizzas for the menu this year, and it's gorgeous. When the pizza is finished cooking, burrata is laid cold on the pie with slices of prosciutto, pistachios, basil, and a drizzle of hot honey. The combo of the sweet honey against the fattiness of the cheese and meat made this my favorite pizza between the two. What leftovers I took home were gone before the end of the night.

The Spring Green stood out to me as one of the more unusual offerings on their seasonal menu. I consider potatoes on a pizza to be one of the greatest challenges for a place to pull off efficiently, and they once more appeared on this pizza’s list of ingredients when I had tried a pizza with potatoes on it during my first visit. Of course, I had to see if they managed to nail the cook between pizza and potato. I can safely say that this time, they did.

The purple potatoes used to bring a pop of color to the Spring Green were shaved so thinly that they cooked in the short amount of time that a pizza of this variety needs in the tremendous, custom pizza oven that Cocoon Brewing has in their brewhouse. The pesto that gives the Spring Green its namesake is acidic and bright to counterbalance the heavy cheese, and the pea shoots add a pleasant, fresh pop to the slice.

Green Bay has no shortage of great pizza on offer, but Cocoon has proven itself to be able to stand among some of the best in town. Whether you’re a local looking to try something new or a visitor trying to branch out beyond the lights of Lambeau, it’s worth giving Cocoon Brewing a try. You can find their hours and any menu changes on their website, cocoonbrewing.com, or at their facebook page.

]]><![CDATA[The Pancake Place is Diner Breakfast]]>Mon, 28 Oct 2024 13:05:04 GMThttps://www.eating-normal.com/restaurant-reviews/the-pancake-place-is-diner-breakfast

Fifteen time Best of the Bay Breakfast recipient, The Pancake Place, has been on my list for a long time. It is, however, just far enough from my apartment that I often don’t choose to make the trip. On a crisp October morning, I finally stepped out of my comfort zone and drove past Mason Street for once to check it out before the sun had even risen. It’s lucky I left that early. By the time I was finished, the restaurant was nearly full.

The restaurant serves both breakfast and lunch all day. However you want to eat, you can eat, and I tested that by ordering an appetizer sampler for myself and my friend. It’s quite the simple offering that you’d expect from an appetizer platter– battered french fries, chicken strips, mozzarella sticks, onion rings, and fried cheese curds. For ordering these at seven am, each item was crunchy and a perfect vehicle for the requested ranch and honey mustard. They’ll revive well in the air fryer, and that was all to plan.

Despite being named The Pancake Place, they offer some incredible house specials that go beyond special flavors of pancakes. I was fascinated by the stuffed hashbrowns concept on the menu. I saw pictures on their facebook page and thought myself prepared. When the plate landed on my table, I realized that even a half order was too big for me. A mountain of hashbrowns were delivered piled over sausage and scrambled eggs. Country gravy buried that too.

I couldn’t get through it, but I do consider the stuffed hashbrowns to be the most unique item on their menu and a good way to find out what The Pancake Place is all about. Biscuits and Gravy fans like myself can decide from this plate if the gravy is for them. Hashbrown connoisseurs like myself can decide in the hashbrowns are for them. The possibilities are endless from there with a variety of different stuffed hashbrown combinations on the menu such as chili cheese and gyro.

It helps that the waitstaff are wonderful, accommodating people. They’re happy to see you when you walk in the door. They take care of you when you sit. It seems to me that they remember every customer. Sitting by the door, I saw more than one exchange with new customers involving friendly ‘welcome backs’ and small reminders that they were remembered and valued in that little diner. That’s part of what makes a good American Diner Breakfast. The Pancake Place remembers that.

If you’re a coffee drinker like myself, they bring a carafe and a bowl of assorted creamers and sweeteners to the table to keep you going for your whole visit. No need to stop in to refill when things get busy– not that the ladies weren’t visiting often enough to refill a coffee if necessary. It’s the perfect way to sit down for a long overdue coffee chat with an old friend or family member you haven’t seen in a long time with zero expectations. Simple coffee. Simple environment. Great food.

The Pancake Place has won Best of the Bay fifteen times for a reason. You don’t need me to tell you that, but if you haven’t stopped in yet yourself, consider this article a reminder to plan your visit soon. Beat the rush by getting in as early as you can! Tell them Eating Normal sent you.

]]><![CDATA[Rebellions Truly are Built on ‘Ope at Cheesesteak Rebellion]]>Wed, 02 Oct 2024 12:34:01 GMThttps://www.eating-normal.com/restaurant-reviews/rebellions-truly-are-built-on-ope-at-cheesesteak-rebellion

Green Bay’s Broadway District is a flagship location for a number of the town’s hottest bars, restaurants, and breweries, but Broadway Street keeps going long past the Mason Street bridge. A number of hidden gems can be found if you just keep driving, and Cheesesteak Rebellion is one of these restaurants. Their little bar has been on the receiving end of some online publicity from tiktok creator Wonderfully Wisconsin in recent weeks with a video that has garnered more than 200,000 views as of the writing of this article. Before this video, I had never been.

I had heard of Cheesesteak Rebellion. I was vaguely aware of its existence in the dark recesses of Broadway Street’s many residential areas between factories, but I never stopped. Without company or cause, a cheesesteak is a hard sell for me. Even when I lived on the east coast and could visit Philly at the drop of the hat– I just didn’t want to eat a cheesesteak. I had both company and cause after the Wonderfully Wisconsin video– my father was in town. My father started me on Star Wars before I knew how to read.

So of course, I took him to Cheesesteak Rebellion for a late lunch during his visit. I expected a smaller crowd at 2 pm, but the lunch rush hadn’t yet ended! We did not have to wait long as a group of two, and we were seated at the bar among a cluster of other parties of two in order to keep the tables for bigger groups and families. We got cozy, ordered drinks, and settled in with the menu.

@eatingnormal Trying a video format for my restaurant reviews this time around. Is this something ya'll would be interested more? Please let me know. I clearly need to work on my filming technique here. Shoutout to @wonderfullywi for bringing the joint to my attention! #greenbaywisconsin #greenbayeats #foodblogger #wifoodie #greenbaywi #food #greenbay #greenbaywieats #restaurant ♬ Cantina Band (From "Star Wars") - Die Musikstudenten

Cheesesteak Rebellion is built into the bones of a neighborhood dive bar. If it weren’t for the Star Wars memorabilia on every available surface, you’d have a hard time convincing me to think of it as anything but another Wisco dive. Our dive bars are special, sure, but every neighborhood has one. Not every neighborhood has a Cheesesteak Rebellion.

They muddle their brandy old fashioneds, and if you sit at the bar, you can watch the cooks crank out every order with efficiency. I could have used the time we waited on our order talking to my dad about a hundred things. I couldn’t look away from the order counter, however. Watching cheesesteaks, burgers, and fried sides fly from the hands of the nearest cook and awaiting a hard working barstaff to take them to their tables was a mesmerizing experience for me.

These people were clearly overwhelmed. I have to imagine that they hadn’t had a chance to breathe since the doors opened that morning if the 2 pm crowd was anything to judge by. They didn’t appear to let it get to them, and they busted their asses to take care of the folks that showed up that Saturday before the Packers game the next day. You’ve really got to give it to the folks working weekends out there during this heightened exposure online.

Garlic ranch cheese curds, curly fries, and a cheesesteak with pepperjack landed in front of me by the time I was on my second old fashioned. I took one bite from the garlic butter basted Amoroso roll encased cheesesteak and understood I made a mistake by not going sooner. They had those traditional Philly rolls. The meat was cut thin and piled high. It was going to feed me for at least two days.

Their garlic ranch cheese curds were a fun twist on what you can get at almost any bar in town, but they weren’t the appetizer that most had my attention. They sell fried pickles wrapped in wonton skins and cheese that I will have to get the next time I go. I just couldn’t convince my father to venture into fried pickle territory. Next time I drag a visitor in these doors, they’re getting ordered.

They rotate a specialty fry selection each week and also keep a selection of soups in the kitchen for folks that want to eat something lighter. I didn’t get a bowl of soup, but the few that I saw leave the serving area looked delicious that day. There will be something for anyone in your party if you decide to trek down Broadway to visit the folks at Cheesesteak Rebellion.

Affordability is a concern at any outing these days, and the folks here seem to know that. A cheesesteak and a basket of fries will run you around 15 bucks depending on which variety of sandwich you get. For someone like me, that turned into two meals. This was yet another example of being able to eat well at a local restaurant for less than the cost of going through a fast food drive thru per meal.

You can get the Philly experience in Green Bay Wisconsin at Cheesesteak Rebellion. It’s a midwestern rebellion against an east coast ideal, and I for one fully support it. To plan your own visit, watch their facebook page for specials and hours. Let them know that Wonderfully Wisconsin and Eating Normal sent you.

]]><![CDATA[Great Breakfast for a Great Price at Black Honey Hashery]]>Mon, 30 Sep 2024 12:59:30 GMThttps://www.eating-normal.com/restaurant-reviews/great-breakfast-for-a-great-price-at-black-honey-hashery

The meat lovers omelet special at Black Honey Hashery

Black Honey Hashery has been on the list for a long time. Their lines are out the door every time I’ve tried to go to brunch on the weekends. All of those times, I was already too hangry to wait. This time around, I finally had the ability and the pleasure to show up on a Friday morning while other people were at work. My father came into town the night before, and I knew this was our chance. So we got in the car and went in search of the restaurant tucked away off of route 32 south. I’ve driven past it a hundred times before without ever knowing it was there. It had to be good if it survived the pandemic AND stayed in that cozy location.

When we arrived, it was the first time I never had to struggle for parking. We managed to get in at their actual parking lot and be seated well before the hangry rage kicked in and made me go elsewhere. I once made it a goal to go in search of the best traditional american breakfast in Green Bay, but this wasn’t the visit for that. I wanted myself a plate of biscuits and gravy and a good cup of coffee.

First came the coffee. Collectivo out of Milwaukee is a common choice for a lot of the breakfast joints in Green Bay that do not also roast their own beans, so the standard cup at Black Honey Hashery is a familiar one in town. It does the job. It wakes you up, and it keeps you busy while you wait for your meal. Given that we came in early on a weekday, there wasn’t much waiting to be done.

The BHH potatoes notated on their menu are neatly cubed and gently pan fried so that you get a mixture of textures. Fluffy centers like home fries and crunchy edges like hashbrowns. These potatoes too survived a night in a styrofoam leftovers container, revived the next morning in the airfryer. There is something to be said for that in an era where fast food breakfasts are so expensive.

Almost all meals on their breakfast menu come with your choice of eggs and their signature potatoes. The biscuits and gravy arrived steaming and accompanied by these accompaniments. The classic white sausage gravy draped over garlic cheddar biscuits proved to be a good way for me to start a busy morning exploring town with my father. The biscuits held their own under the weight of the gravy, refusing to sog out entirely over the course of the meal. I took my leftovers home to enjoy the next morning, and by replacing the biscuit with one of my own, I managed two meals.

Their feature for the weekend was a meat lovers omelet, which had my father’s attention immediately. The omelet came stuffed to the gills with ham, bacon, and polish sausage and served beside a plateful of those BHH potatoes. Their features rotate almost every day, so it may be awhile before you see the meat lovers’ omelet again. He couldn’t finish it in one sitting. His appetite is much greater than my own. Black Honey Hashery proved the value of its meals twice over by feeding us both for two days.

A meal at Black Honey Hashery can run you anywhere between ten and fifteen dollars depending on the choice you make, and that meal can last through two days rather than one at a fast food chain for nearly the same price. Supporting local in the mornings is becoming more and more preferable even if your finances once kept you in the drive thru lane.

They are now open seven days a week from 6 am to 2 pm with lunches available as well. If ever you are in De Pere and feel the call to get breakfast outside of your own kitchen, consider Black Honey Hashery. Their menu is available for viewing on their facebook page if you want to plan ahead, and they announce their specials for the day first thing in the morning on their facebook as well. Their outdoor seating remains open while the traditional Fall chill remains mysteriously absent in Northeast Wisconsin. Take advantage of that while you can at all of our local restaurants.

]]><![CDATA[Breakfast To Go At Two Birds Bakery Cafe]]>Sun, 11 Aug 2024 12:14:40 GMThttps://www.eating-normal.com/restaurant-reviews/breakfast-to-go-at-two-birds-bakery-cafe

Tucked away just one block from Main Street in De Pere is Two Birds Bakery Cafe, a small breakfast location that I drove past often and yet never stopped at to try. There is something odd about the building when you only know it from sight– clearly a bank at point point. Is it drive thru only? Do you order at the window? What’s there?

I now have the answers to those questions. You can go inside to order. You can also order at the window. There are a variety of breakfast options, baked goods, and drinks to try out from their menu to please any pallet. Upon first visit, it’s certainly hard to decide on what to get. I recommend checking out the online version of the menu ahead of time if you want to go inside to order. The indoor waiting area is tiny with almost all of the interior of the building dedicated to their cookspace. It’s a sight to see.

I live close by, so ordering to go and taking my breakfast home did not result in any kind of texture loss in the bacon breakfast burrito that I ordered for the morning. It’s very well wrapped by the staff, and it took them practically no time to get it to the counter for me. Thirty seconds passed between the arrival of my dragonfruit lemonade and the burrito after that. In the amount of time it took me to get out to my car, there were multiple cars in the drive thru that also appeared to be moving through their orders quickly

I took the burrito home, unwrapped the foil, and discovered that they did the hardest part perfectly. This fully loaded burrito was not only stuffed to the gills, but also cut in half so I didn’t have to eat through multiple layers of tortilla at the end before getting to the filling itself. It was like eating a traditional breakfast of bacon, egg, home fries, and cheese in a handheld package. Well seasoned on its own, I treated it like any other american breakfast with a liberal application of ketchup from home.

The lemonade itself is handmade in the building, and that delicious work was augmented wonderfully by the flavored dragonfruit syrup that I ordered with it. The 24 ounce container carried me through til noon, and I caught myself wishing I ordered a larger size to have it to sip on for longer skill. Their drink menu rotates frequently, but this dragonfruit variety appears to be available at nearly all times.

And this was my very limited breakfast order. They also serve quiche, strata, and a myriad of other baked goods alongside an extensive drinks menu. I’ve heard good things about this little gem for some time now. I regret not making my way to such a nearby location sooner. I’ll be back to try out their other offerings, but in the meantime, I can only encourage you to do the same if you’re often in the West De Pere area of town.

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