We definitely splurged on our hotel for the trip, staying with the wedding hotel block at the historic Pfister Hotel. I mean, it's the same place that the visiting MLB team was staying, so you know it's nice, right? I just couldn't resist making it a special weekend for Dan and me, knowing it was a short weekend trip. Our room was in the more modern wing, but I also visited my friend's room in the historic side. Both are absolutely stunning and high end!
Room at the Pfister Hotel |
The Pfister Hotel Lobby |
The Pfister is definitely where I'd stay again if I could return to Milwaukee, especially if I could try their Sunday brunch. We were able to walk to local restaurants and the wedding reception, and we felt like we were VIPs. The hotel itself had fantastic bars and food, so it's a great home away from home!
Blackened Chicken Bacon Avocado Sandwich at Swingin' Door Exchange |
Speaking of food, our group met up for dinner the night before the wedding and walked to the Swingin' Door Exchange. It was super busy, which is a great sign! We sat outside because it was easiest at the time for our big group, and the weather was gorgeous. Everyone sampled the local Wisconsin beer, while I (very newly pregnant at the time!) focused on the food. I chose the Blackened Chicken Bacon Avocado sandwich. It was HUGE and delicious. They had these special fried potato cakes that were incredible too. Yum yum yum.
When it came time for the wedding reception, we were treated to a beautiful panoramic view at the top of Pier Wisconsin's Discovery World. If Dan and I could get married again, we'd probably have a wedding at a library, observatory, zoo, or a science center like Discovery World! We're nerds at heart, so we totally ate up the venue.
I felt so safe walking around the city of Milwaukee's downtown area. It felt like a smaller version of Chicago in a way, super clean and just a very friendly city. And the water was absolutely stunning.
Friendship goals, too.
The morning after the wedding, before everyone headed to the airport, my friends got together for one more meal: brunch at Café Benelux. It was definitely slammed, so I recommend getting there well in advance of when you want weekend brunch! But again, crowded spots usually result in delicious food.
We started with hand-dipped breakfast corndogs, service with a dijon maple syrup. I mean, how brunch is that? They were really tasty, too. Definitely a fun way to start brunch out right.
For my main brunch, I had the Hodge Podge: melted cheddar, thick-cut bacon, sausage, fried eggs, potatoes, chorizo cream gravy, and pico de gallo. OMG. So much food and delicious flavor in one bowl. We were also really impressed with how our server managed like six different checks and two little kids and a bunch of stuff. They just knew what they were doing! Definitely a great way to wrap up our quick trip to Wisconsin.
Have you ever been to Milwaukee?