Winter sports lovers know how to work up an appetite on the Badger State’s numerous slopes, rinks and trails. We have a gazillion places to sled, ski, skate, snowboard or snowmobile in Wisconsin.
It doesn’t matter whether you are a powderpuff, content with making snowmen, or an elite athlete racing in the Birkie. You need to eat, and here’s just the ticket for eating well in the neighborhood.
What’s an apropos way to celebrate finishing the American Birkebeiner, the continent’s largest cross-country ski marathon? Head 14 miles east of your Hayward endpoint, toward the Chippewa Flowage and Chequamegon National Forest. Authentic German food, in addition to traditional supper club fare, is just a whiff away at “The Chip.”
What began as a neighborhood tavern after Prohibition is a cozy haven for dining today. When owners Tom and Debbie Landgraf bought the place in 1995, German recipes were a part of the property transaction. Son Eric cooks up schnitzels, sauerbraten, spaetzle and strudel – enough Bavarian fare to fill a page of the menu.
Cimaroli’s Supper Club – Portage
Sashay about one dozen miles north of “Tube Town” – Cascade Mountain, home to an 800-foot-long snow-tubing chute and three dozen downhill trails) – to family-friendly Cimaroli’s, flanked by farmland and now in its third generation of family involvement.
For kids: a special menu that includes chicken strips. For grown-ups: a friendly bar with affordable cocktails. Order a 6- to 32-ounce slab of prime rib, 5- to 16-ounce flat iron steak or slow-roasted barbecued ribs. Ribbit … frog legs are an entrée option, too.
Live musicians entertain on weekends, and the bustle of downtown Wisconsin Dells is just a 15-minute drive away.
Within five miles of Wilmot Mountain Ski Resort, which began with downhill runs in 1938, is a rural supper club that’s been around nearly as long. Settle near the fireplace at Colony House, whose name is a nod to the nation’s original 13 colonies, and hear all about it from the two couples who are owners.
Rumaki appetizers are made the old-time way, as skewers of bacon-wrapped chicken livers and water chestnuts. Regardless of the entrée, add honey-glazed carrots with onions (available by request and for no extra charge).
Your location, merely one mile from the Wisconsin-Illinois border, means fans of both the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers are welcome and at home here.
Pinewood Supper Club – Mosinee
Close to Granite Peak and its 74 bunny to double-black diamond runs at Rib Mountain State Park is the skier’s ultimate reward: a hearty meal. Pinewood began business in 1974 and has been serving classic supper club fare on the shores of Half Moon Lake ever since.
Expect dishes topped with house-made sauces in a no-stress setting, where the original stone fireplace dominates the dining room. Start with a Pinewood favorite, the Flowering Onion, served with a spicy sauce.
Looking for a classic choice for dining out? Try these four historic supper clubs across the state, all more than 50 years old!
