Moving to a new city can bring a mix of emotions. You’re hoping to have the most fluid transition and the last thing you want is to find yourself in a spot that just doesn’t feel like “home.”
A lot of larger cities rely on public transportation to get you to your favorite restaurants and events, and residents often stay in their neighborhood because it’s less of a hassle. Not in Milwaukee.
The best part is that we are a “10-minute city.” A commuter city, we do have a great bus system and the first phase of the Milwaukee Streetcar Project is near completion, but the majority of us drive or call an Uber. If you’re looking to get out of your ‘hood for a while, you’re less than 10 minutes away from a change of pace.
Here are some of the best neighborhoods to consider in your move to the Brew City and the quirky things they have to offer.
1. The East Side
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One of the larger neighborhoods in Milwaukee, the East Side spans from the northern edge of Downtown, north to University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee’s campus and east of the Milwaukee River.
A charming neighborhood feel, the Upper East Side is lined with early 20th century Craftsman-style homes and historic mansions. Boasting a range of residents; college students, young professionals, families and retirees call these parts home. Small grocery stores, cute restaurants, vintage movie theaters and some of the best greasy spoons are found here, with good reason. The neighborhood has stood the test of time thanks in part to UWM being so close. The students keep some of the best small businesses afloat.
There’s a liveliness unlike any other found on the Lower East Side. Home to Brady Street, Peter Scortino’s Bakery and Glorioso’s Italian Market have called this famed address home for decades, providing eats and treats to yuppies and small families for generations. Nightlife is vibrant and holds an option for any occasion: Gameday, date night, dive bars, late-night coffee talk and live music.
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High-rise condos intermingle with converted apartments that once operated as 1920s hotels, down Prospect Ave, one of the glitziest addresses in Milwaukee. The proximity to convenience on Brady, while being on major bus routes and steps from the Oakleaf Trail makes this neighborhood very desirable for the traditional urbanite without a car. Parking is brutal in these parts, but Milwaukeeans know what they’re in for when they move for the views atop the bluff looking over Lake Michigan and Downtown.
2. Bay View
Stayed with Mary & Andrew at The Muse Gallery Guesthouse in Bay View, Milwaukee (10+). Close to the Lk Michigan ferry. pic.twitter.com/NwiqnxVRMC
— CanadiansOn2Wheels (@CyclingWP) July 16, 2017
Located just south of Walker’s Point, Bay View is the trendy neighborhood for hipsters and first-time home buyers. Bohemian, perchance? Food lovers from far and wide flock to Kinnickinnic Ave. There is a dining option for everyone. From authentic to “unapologetically unauthentic” Mexican, Greek, Indian and European flavors, you’re bound to find a dinner option in Bay View.
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Beer and cocktail bars with killer patios, enviable beer selections and casual dress codes are found in converted houses along KK. Grab your best flannel and beanie and there’s an Brandy Old Fashioned with your name on it at Burnhearts.
3. Third Ward
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Easily the most cosmopolitan of all neighborhoods in Milwaukee, the Third Ward was the birthplace of Downtown Milwaukee’s renaissance 20 (or so) years ago. Old warehouses in a once dilapidated Italian produce district, were transformed into high-end lofts and apartments. A desirable neighborhood with views for days, the Third Ward is easily the priciest to buy or rent.
As the years passed, the welcoming of local restaurants and major retailers like Starbucks, West Elm, Anthropologie, Pendleton and Warby Parker have filled the store fronts, with the Milwaukee Public Market just blocks away as your go-to grocer/quick bite spot. You also have The World’s Largest Music Festival at your backdoor, literally. Summerfest and all of Milwaukee’s Heritage Festivals are located along the lake in the Third Ward come the warmer months.
4. North End/Brewer’s Hill
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Time has done wonders for the North End neighborhood that cradles the Milwaukee River near the western start of Brady Street. An area that was once poorly lit and laden with post-recession vacancies, new developments have popped up almost quarterly for the last five years along Water Street just north of the bar district. An organic grocery store, a major fitness brand and local businesses now occupy what used to sit empty. A trendy spot for young professionals, college students and newly married couples looking for a shiny new place.
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Directly over the river, Brewer’s Hill is aptly named for good reason. Home to Schlitz Park (“The Beer That Made Milwaukee Famous”) and Lakefront Brewery, these hometown heros were the stepping stones of the neighborhood. Condos and large townhomes line what used to be the Beer Line railway, with stunning period homes perched atop the “Hill.” A quiet and quaint neighborhood, you’ll find every walk of life here.
5. Riverwest
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Seeing a band this weekend? More than likely they are playing in Riverwest. This music and community-driven neighborhood west of the Milwaukee River (in case you didn’t catch that…) is home to passionate Milwaukeeans. At the root, its residents have either grown up in Milwaukee or came for one Locust Street Festival or the Riverwest 24 Hour Bike Ride and never wanted to leave. Both happen quite a bit.
Riverwest is a mix of incredible breweries, one-of-a-kind ma & pa restaurants and music venues/festivals unlike any other in the Midwest. It’s even home to a famed pickled herring manufacturer with a 90 year cult following! (Apparently it’s good luck to eat it on New Year’s Eve!) Riverwest is more than just towny bars with hipster fare–It’s for the true city dweller, young or old.
6. Walker’s Point
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Over the last decade, this neighborhood nestled between the Third Ward and Bay View has seen a complete transformation. Roads that were nearly desolate now have new development. Affordable apartments with great views of the city have popped up next to major grocers and local chefs are cashing in on the budding neighborhood to bring their following to new parts of the city.
Jazz clubs, gay nightlife, craft breweries and a new “Hotel” that sleeps no one, can be found in this ten block radius. Basically, if you can’t find something you like in Walker’s Point, Milwaukee might not be for you.
