Midwestern mecca for Chicagoans is overflowing with restaurants serving solid resort food: steaks, ribs, pizza, burgers, pasta, almost all of it tasty and filling.
But finding a memorable meal can be a bit more challenging. From my previous trips, we knew of two places we could rely on: Ristorante Brissago and Geneva ChopHouse, both in the Grand Geneva Resort. (7036 Grand Geneva Way, 262-248-8811, grandgeneva.com).
Brissago is an oasis of fine Italian dining with a wine list to match. It serves inventive pasta dishes, fine seafood and an outstanding cioppino. The ChopHouse specializes in satisfying meat lovers and also serves excellent salmon.
But we went beyond those to sample a cross section of the resort area’s culinary offerings. My first stop was Popeye’s on Lake Geneva, a local lakefront institution that has been around since 1972 and that often has a wait line in high season. Its menu is an eclectic mix ranging from bar food (nachos and wings) to burgers and sandwiches to a series of chicken and meat dishes prepared rotisserie-style and, at the high end, lobster tail. (811 Wrigley Drive, 262-248-4381 popeyesonlakegeneva.com)
The rotisserie chicken was fine; the clam chowder and the pulled pork both were OK but underseasoned. A second visit to try what had been voted the best burger in Lake Geneva made me hesitate about trying another during my visit. The burger was slightly overdone and greasy, and the cheese wasn’t melted.
But the burger at Sprecher’s Restaurant & Pub, about a block east, restored my faith. It was excellent: juicy and prepared precisely to the temperature ordered, and it came with superb fries with just the right amount of seasoning. A side benefit is choosing among a number of Sprecher’s beers. There were 14 on tap the day we visited. Sprecher’s suffered a setback in September with a kitchen fire but is expected to reopen in early December (111 Center St., 262-248-7047, sprecherspub.com).
On the northern edge of downtown, the Tuscan Tavern & Grill, previously known as Ryan Braun’s Tavern & Grill, offers several dishes that take Italian fare a step above the ordinary. The Caprese salad wrap is a great way to start: fresh mozzarella, tomatoes and basil wrapped in a soft tortilla, then sliced into wheels and drizzled with balsamic glaze.
Scallops Florentine with lots of garlic, spinach and tomatoes on angel hair pasta was very good, and a slightly sweet version of chicken Marsala got a nice twist served over rigatoni. A well-chosen, diverse wine list makes this a go-to spot for Italian food. (430 N. Broad St., 262-248-0888, thetuscantavernandgrill.com)
The Tempura House, also on the north side of downtown and perhaps overlooked because of its more residential location, was a delightful find. Selecting among 26 kinds of sushi as an appetizer wasn’t easy, but all were pristinely fresh and beautifully presented. The namesake tempura was superb. The batter was almost fluffy, and the oil obviously extremely hot, so there was no oiliness to the dish.
A diner at a neighboring table had sukiyaki, and it smelled luscious. From the way it disappeared from his plate, it must have tasted even better.
Even though it is just two blocks from the main intersection of town, Tempura House is in a relatively low-traffic area, which makes dining on its porch a delightful way to spend an evening in warm weather. (306 Center St., 262-249-8822, tempurahouselakegeneva.com)
We had very high hopes for NuVo, the new restaurant that opened in mid-June in the French Country Inn. The location on Lake Como, west of town, is spectacular, with a glorious view of the water. A spot with that name had to be looking forward in the dining spectrum, and a number of the appetizers clearly were on that path.
The Southwest tuna nachos had three beautifully seared slices with roasted corn and cilantro salsa as a counterpoint to the fish’s richness. The Wild Grill trio of free-range turkey, grass-fed beef and pork tenderloin was a delightful contrast in flavors and textures.
Some of the entrees, however, seemed stuck in the last century — steak au poivre and chicken Florentine — and the preparations did not elevate them. And, as much as we like mussels, we wouldn’t eat them at a restaurant where they were spelled “muscles” in both the appetizer and entree categories. The misspelling has since been corrected, but it gave me pause when we first visited. (W4190 West End Road, 262-245-5105, restaurantnuvolakegeneva.com)
If you are looking for seafood, consider Bistro 220. In warm season the balcony makes a great vantage point on the western edge of downtown. This delightful bistro offers numerous fishy alternatives to the prevalence of meat and Italian dishes that dominate the Lake Geneva dining scene. It has an extensive cocktail list, specializing in innovative sake martinis (its liquor license restricts these to recipes without hard spirits), and it has a very good wine list. The seared tuna steak came at precisely the right temperature, and its accompanying red pepper sauce was an excellent accent. The seafood lasagna was chock-full of shrimp and crab, and cheese sauce was remarkably light for the depth of its flavor. (220 Cook St., 262-248-4220, bistro220.com)
3 hidden gems
Bittner’s Bakery, 495 Interchange North, 262-248-1740, bittnersbakery.com: It’s easy to drive right by, because the bakery is in a gas station strip set back from the street. Those 50 or older will recognize this as one of the great joys of childhood, with bakery cases so full of delicious, reasonably priced goods that you won’t know where to start. We keep going back for frosted doughnuts because we can’t help ourselves. There are a few tables, plus coffee, for those who can’t wait. Unfortunately it’s closed Sunday-Tuesday.
Lake Geneva Pie Co., 150 E. Geneva Square, (at the south end of the shopping center with the Piggly Wiggly, just off the U.S. Highway 12 interchange with Wisconsin Highway 120), 262-248-5100, lgpie.com: Quite a few explorers have discovered this pie palace, but, even so, we’ve always wondered why it didn’t move downtown, where it likely would be overrun. Maybe that’s why it doesn’t move there. The simple ambience plays host to exceptional fruit pies. If you haven’t reserved one to take home, you’d better get there early. It also serves lunch: Think quiche, but also deli sandwiches.
Gooseberries Fresh Food Market, 690 W. State St., Burlington; 262-763-5955, gooseberriesmarket.com: If you didn’t hit a Whole Foods or Fresh Market for groceries on your way to Lake Geneva, this is a great alternative, even if you have to drive 15 minutes or so over to Burlington. Beyond great deli choices, the meat and Wisconsin/imported cheese selections are impressive, as are the wine and beer options.
Next time
We couldn’t hit every spot in town for this go-round, but here are some we’re putting on our futures list:
Baker House, 327 Wrigley Drive, 262-248-4700, bakerhouse1885.com: You may have seen it without realizing it. It’s in the beautifully restored Victorian mansion on the east end of the commercial lakefront. It has a tempting menu of small and large plates, and diners eat in the cozy comfort of couches and wing-backed chairs on the first floor. There’s also a Sunday brunch.
Simple Cafe, 525 Broad St., 262-248-3556, simplecafelakegeneva.com: This bright farm-to-table cafe draws a crowd, even at its outpost on the north edge of downtown. Breakfast and lunch only.
Medusa Grill & Bistro, 501 Broad St., 262-249-8644, medusagrillandbistro.com: This fine-dining restaurant is tucked into what used to be a hole-in-the-wall breakfast joint. Now you’d just call it cozy. But with limited space, tables can go quickly, though there is dining at the bar.
