What’s where

The lakefront

Photo: Peter DiAntoni

Map it: Click here for a Google map of these spots, along with our other favorite Milwaukee restaurants, shops, bars and attractions.

Brady Street between Van Buren Street and Farwell Avenue
Brady Street is a shopcentric part of the hip East Side. It’s the kind of ’hood in which you’re likely to discover your new favorite coffee shop—in fact, we found two: Anodyne Coffee Roasting Co. (1208 E Brady St, 414-276-2739) and Rochambo Coffee & Tea House(1317 E Brady St, 414-291-0095). During the day, this half-mile strip buzzes with shoppers scouting kitschy vintage finds at Dragonfly Vintage Goods & Gifts(1117 E Brady St, 414-271-1244) and Annie’s Second Hand Chic(1668 N Warren Ave, 414-727-5586).—Lauren Viera

Bay View
For a long time, you could spot bumper stickers that read bay view: milwaukee’s other east side, meaning it was almost as cool. Then, after boutiques like Fashion Ninja (2671 S Kinnickinnic Ave, 414-481-3865) moved into the ’hood, many began to refer to Kinnickinnic Avenue as Brady Street South. The boom continued as cafés like Hi Fi(2640 S Kinnickinnic Ave, 414-486-0504) and Sven’s(2699 S Kinnickinnic Ave, 414-483-2233) set up shop. And now, watering holes like the Palm Tavern(2989 S Kinnickinnic Ave, 414-744-0393) uphold Milwaukee’s reputation as a beer mecca. That’s not even mentioning culinary delights like DeMarini’s pizza—two locations, Dom & Phil’s DeMarinis (1211 E Conway St, 414-481-2348) and Mama DeMarinis (2457 S Wentworth Ave, 414-481-1770)—or Three Brothers(2414 S St. Clair St, 414-481-7530) that have residents drooling. Could it be Bay View finally has developed its own identity?—TM

Downtown Lakefront
Rent a bike at Veterans Park downtown ($15/30 mins) and cruise Milwaukee’s 100-mile Oak Leaf Trail, the lakefront portion of which will take you past the Milwaukee Art Museum, a kite store, a marina and a pond with paddleboats. You can rent those canopied four-person bikes ($17/30 mins), but just like in Chicago, you and your friends will look like total douches on those things. Veterans Park, 1010 N Lincoln Memorial Dr.—Laura Baginski

Riverwest
This nabe’s low-rent charm is supported by the music-filled bars and unpretentious storefront boutiques that dot Center and Locust Streets, the area’s two main thoroughfares. Walk just a few blocks and you can browse dozens of vibrators at the ladycentric sex-toy shop the Tool Shed(804 E Center St, 414-562-9338), catch a live rock show at Mad Planet (533 E Center St, 414-263-4555), pick up a caffeine buzz at Fuel Café(818 E Center St, 414-374-3835) or browse stacks of small-press lit mags at Woodland Pattern bookstore (720 E Locust St, 414-263-5001).—MS

Third Ward
Imagine Wicker Park if half the storefronts were vacant and there were little to no foot traffic. That’s the Third Ward, a former warehouse district that’s just south of downtown and a few blocks in from the lake. There’s a lot of potential here: restaurants with sidewalk seating; cute boutiques; the Broadway Theatre Center(158 N Broadway, 414-291-7800), which puts on popular musicals and plays; and art galleries. Hell, there’s even the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design(273 E Erie St, 414-276-7889), but where are the disaffected art students?—LB