Best of La Crosse County 2018: Food & Drink

Best of La Crosse County 2018: Food & Drink

Dining in La Crosse has come a long way from simple pub grub (though of course we still have plenty of great options in that department if it’s what you’re after). The area offers more options in ethnic, family, and fine dining every year, and now we have gastropubs, farm-to-table fare, and even a couple of food trucks.

Oh, and bars? We still have a few of those. Here are your favorites in just about every food and drink category you can think of. Congrats to all the big winners.

Bar: Overall

  1. Bodega Brew Pub
  2. Howies
  3. The Old Crow

Brewery / Brewpub

  1. Pearl Street Brewery
  2. Turtle Stack Brewery
  3. Bodega

College Bar

  1. Howie’s on La Crosse
  2. Brother’s Bar & Grill
  3. The Library

Place to Meet Singles

  1. Church
  2. Bodega
  3. Brother’s

New Brewery/Brewpub

  1. Turtle Stack Brewery
  2. Two Beagles Brewpub
  3. Lost Island-Skeleton Brew Crew

Place to Watch the Game

  1. Howie’s on La Crosse
  2. Buffalo Wild Wings
  3. Features Sports Bar

Winery (Within 45 miles)

  1. Elmaro Vineyard
  2. Vernon Vineyards
  3. Lost Island Winery

Dance Club

  1. Legend’s
  2. Twisted Moose
  3. The Brickhouse

Downtown Bar

  1. Bodega Brew Pub
  2. Del’s Bar
  3. The Old Crow

Neighborhood Tavern

  1. Red Pines Bar and Grill
  2. Bluffside Tavern
  3. Schmidty’s Bar and Grill

Rural Bar

  1. Red Pines Bar & Grill
  2. Leo & Leona’s
  3. Fox Hollow Golf Course & Banquet Hall

Sports Bar

  1. Howie’s on La Crosse
  2. Buffalo Wild Wings
  3. Flipside Pub

Wine Bar

  1. 4 Sisters Wine Bar & Tapas Restaurant
  2. The Wine Guys
  3. 4 Sisters 4th Street Bar

Beer Garden

  1. Stolpa’s Stein Haus
  2. Dublin Square Irish Pub & Eatery
  3. Oktoberfest Grounds

Pub Trivia

  1. Howie’s on La Crosse
  2. Red Pines Bar and Grill
  3. The Root Note

Karaoke

  1. Player’s
  2. All Star Lanes
  3. Features – Holmen

Cocktails

  1. The Starlite Lounge
  2. The Charmant Hotel
  3. The Freighthouse Restaurant

Bloody Mary

  1. Del’s Bar
  2. Fayze’s Restaurant & Bakery
  3. Flipside Pub and Grill

Old Fashioned

  1. Digger’s Sting Restaurant
  2. The Charmant Hotel
  3. Red Pines Bar and Grill

Bottled Beer Selection

  1. Bodega Brew Pub
  2. Fox Hollow
  3. Red Pines Bar and Grill

Tap Beer Selection

  1. Bodega Brew Pub
  2. Stein Haus
  3. Dublin Square

Wine List

  1. 4 Sisters Wine Bar & Tapas Restaurant
  2. Wine Guyz
  3. JavaVino

Happy Hour

  1. The Starlite Lounge
  2. The Waterfront Restaurant & Tavern
  3. Howie’s on La Crosse

Bartender

  1. Guido, John’s Bar
  2. Pete, Snuffy’s
  3. Branden Klish, Red Pines Bar and Grill

Restaurant: Overall

  1. The Freighthouse
  2. Waterfront Restaurant & Tavern
  3. Digger’s Sting Restaurant

Lunch Spot

  1. Piggy’s Restaurant
  2. Pickerman’s Soups and Sandwiches
  3. Senor Villa

Barbecue

  1. Big Boar Barbecue
  2. Famous Dave’s
  3. Piggy’s Restaurant & Blue Lounge

Asian Cuisine

  1. Hmong’s Golden Eggrolls
  2. Shogun Sushi and Hibachi
  3. China Star

Indian

  1. New Taste of India
  2. Royal Indian Cuisine
  3. Other

Italian

  1. Ciatti’s Italian Grill
  2. Kate’s on State
  3. Angelini’s Pizzeria & Ristorante

Japanese / Sushi

  1. Shogun Sushi & Hibachi
  2. Sushi Pirate
  3. Festival Foods

Mediterranean / Middle Eastern

  1. Gracie’s Gyros & Wraps
  2. New Taste of India
  3. Lovechild

Mexican / Southwestern

  1. Manny’s Mexican Cocina
  2. Señor Villa
  3. Fiesta Mexicana

Pizza: Dine-In

  1. Kate’s Pizza Amore
  2. Big Al’s
  3. Pizza Corral

Pizza: Delivery / Take-Out

  1. South Lanes
  2. Papa Murphy’s Take N’ Bake Pizza
  3. Pizza King

Vegan/Vegetarian-Friendly

  1. People’s Food Co-op
  2. The Mint
  3. Hackberry’s Bistro

Gluten-Free

  1. People’s Food Co-op
  2. Hackberry’s Bistro
  3. The Mint

Farm-to-Table

  1. The Mint
  2. The Charmant Hotel
  3. Hackberry’s Bistro

Restaurant Chain

  1. Culver’s
  2. Panera
  3. Texas Roadhouse

New Restaurant

  1. Señor Villa
  2. Lovechild
  3. Uptown Cafe and Bakery

Bar Food

  1. Howie’s on La Crosse
  2. Dublin Square Irish Pub and Eatery
  3. The Old Crow

Family Dining

  1. Fayze’s Restaurant & Bakery
  2. Hungry Peddler
  3. Schmidty’s Bar and Grill

Service

  1. The Freighthouse
  2. The Waterfront Restaurant and Tavern
  3. Red Pines Bar and Grill

Romantic Dinner

  1. The Waterfront Restaurant & Tavern
  2. Freighthouse Restaurant
  3. Le Chateau

Supper Club

  1. Digger’s Sting
  2. Freighthouse Restaurant
  3. Schmidty’s Bar and Grill

Upscale Dining

  1. The Waterfront Restaurant & Tavern
  2. Freighthouse Restaurant
  3. The Charmant Hotel

Caterer

  1. Big Boar Barbecue
  2. Pogy’s Catering
  3. Piggy’s

Food Truck

  1. Apothik
  2. Big Boar Barbecue
  3. The MOB Stop

Salad Bar

  1. Piggy’s Restaurant & Blue Lounge
  2. Freighthouse Restaurant
  3. Schmidty’s Bar and Grill

Buffet

  1. North Country Steak Buffet
  2. Piggy’s
  3. Pizza Doctors

Chef / Cook

  1. Chris Roderique, Piggy’s Restaurant & Blue Lounge
  2. John Temp, Freighthouse Restaurant
  3. Jay Sparks, Lovechild

Waiter

  1. Billy Poehling, Freighthouse Restaurant
  2. Mark Wuensch, Freighthouse Restaurant
  3. Will Gaines, Dublin Square Irish Pub & Eatery

Best Barista

  1. Molly Hinkle, The Charmant
  2. Jazlyn Schumaker, Java Vino
  3. Teresa Held, Bean Juice

Hostess

  1. Liz Wuensch, Freighthouse Restaurant
  2. Corinna Todd, Red Pines Bar & Grill
  3. Joan Ferris, Lovechild

Bakery

  1. Linda’s Bakery
  2. Addiecakes
  3. Fayze’s Restaurant & Bakery

Breakfast

  1. Rosie’s Cafe
  2. Fayze’s Restaurant & Bakery
  3. Nutbush City Limits

Brunch

  1. Fayze’s Restaurant & Bakery
  2. The Charmant Hotel
  3. The Breakfast Club and Pub

Burger

  1. Burger Fusion
  2. The Old Crow
  3. Culvers

Hot Dog

  1. Coney Island
  2. Rudy’s Drive-In
  3. Mob Stop

Cheese Curds

  1. Rocky’s Supper Club (Riverfest Booth)
  2. Dublin Square Irish Pub and Eatery
  3. Red Pines Bar & Grill

Fish Fry

  1. Red Pines Bar & Grill
  2. Fox Hollow
  3. Houghton’s Fine Food & Cocktails

Sandwich / Wrap

  1. Pickerman’s Soup & Sandwiches
  2. Lindy’s Subs & Salads
  3. Jimmy John’s

Seafood

  1. Freighthouse Restaurant
  2. The Waterfront Restaurant & Tavern
  3. Manny’s Cocina

Soup

  1. Pickerman’s Soup & Sandwiches
  2. Panera Bread
  3. Piggy’s

Steak

  1. Freighthouse Restaurant
  2. Digger’s Sting
  3. Texas Roadhouse

Tacos

  1. Senor Villa
  2. Iguana’s Mexican Street Cafe
  3. Manny’s Mexican Cocina

Burrito

  1. BA Burrito Co.
  2. Manny’s Cocina
  3. Iguana’s Mexican Street Cafe

Chicken Q

  1. Rooster Andy’s
  2. Pogy’s
  3. Big Boar Barbecue

Tapas

  1. 4 Sisters Wine Bar & Tapas Restaurant
  2. Lovechild
  3. JavaVino

Appetizers

  1. Buzzard Billy’s
  2. 4 Sisters Wine Bar and Tapas Restaurant
  3. The Old Crow

Wings

  1. Buffalo Wild Wings
  2. The Sports Nut
  3. Howie’s on La Crosse

Dessert

  1. The Pearl Ice Cream Parlor & Coffee House
  2. Addiecakes
  3. The Waterfront Restaurant & Tavern

Ambience

  1. The Charmant Hotel
  2. The Waterfront Restaurant & Tavern
  3. Lovechild

Outdoor Dining

  1. The Waterfront Restaurant & Tavern
  2. The Charmant Hotel
  3. Red Pines Bar and Grill

On the Water Dining

  1. The Waterfront Restaurant & Tavern
  2. Huck Finn’s on the Water
  3. Pettibone Boat Club

Best Late Night Eats

  1. Polito’s Pizza
  2. Perkin’s
  3. Bodega Brew Pub

Pet-Friendly Restaurant

  1. Rudy’s Drive In
  2. Pettibone Boat Club
  3. Stein Haus

View

  1. The Waterfront Restaurant & Tavern
  2. The Charmant Hotel
  3. Pettibone Boat Club

Coffee / Tea Shop

  1. Moka
  2. The Root Note
  3. Cabin Coffee

Candy / Ice Cream Shop

  1. The Pearl Ice Cream Parlor & Coffee House
  2. The Sweet Shop
  3. Ranison Ice Cream & Candy

Grocery Store

  1. Festival Foods
  2. Woodman’s
  3. People’s Food Co-op

Deli

  1. Festival Foods
  2. People’s Food Co-op
  3. Pickerman’s Soup and Sandwiches

Butcher Shop

  1. Holmen Meat Locker
  2. Festival Foods
  3. Bubba’s Meat Market

Farmer’s Market Stand

  1. Nordic Creamery
  2. Hoch Orchard and Garden
  3. Old Oak Family Farm

Farmer’s Market

  1. Cameron Park Farmers Market
  2. Onalaska Farmers Market
  3. La Crosse Hmoob Cultural & Community Agency Farmers Market

Community Supported Agriculture

  1. GROW La Crosse
  2. Driftless Organics
  3. Small Family CSA Farm