Midwest Sad — Restaurant in Milwaukee

I was so excited to eat my food I didn’t take a photo until it was all gone!

Ordered post-work Happy Hour snacks (wait, SAD HOUR) for carry-out enjoyment at Cathedral Square. Located inside the weird basement area - same as Shah Jee’s (iykyk) - next to Sport Club on Jackson Street. Met the owner and chef, got to chat about the food, had a fabulous time.

To the food: so good! Split among 3 friends: Cloud Bun (spicy chili oil & shallots) Mozzarella & Tomato Bun (pizza vibes) Spinach & cheese puff pastry pocket (lots of filling) Savory Monkey Bread (pesto) Basic brownie (what it sounds like)

Everything was delicious. The two buns were my favorite - soft and moist and tender with excellent filings. I was surprised by how spicy the cloud bun was, but I liked it! I thought the pesto monkey bread was good but didn’t stand up to the competition with the buns.

The puff pastry pocket was filling and delicious. It’s a better version of what you can find at many bakeries.

The brownie was a brownie. It is very chocolatey including chocolate chunks. Wouldn’t be my go-to order but don’t regret getting it.

I could only order so much but next time I will get whatever savory buns are in stock, try a sweet bun, and also want to try the...

Midwest Sad. First I loved the name. But then I tasted the food. WOW. There aren't enough superlatives to describe it. Here I was, visiting Milwaukee where I grew up, perhaps a bit homesick for old times and old recipes after an adult lifetime in Colorado. This bakery is nostalgic in that it includes some of the treats you grew up with, but it's innovative in that this chef reinterprets them in ways that make them feel fresh. Your mom never made egg salad as delicious as this. The desserts must include the best Wisconsin butter, because you can't get depth of flavor like this without it. And every dish and pastry I tasted includes unique little flourishes, unexpected, yet somehow just right—to me, the mark of a talented chef. Sometimes, even in super sunny Colorado, the old Midwest SAD gets to me. When it does, I will remember my afternoon overeating at Midwest Sad, and look forward to the next time...

I’m not from the Midwest and even though I’m a bona fide and credentialed cultural anthropologist, sometimes it’s still hard for me to wrap my head around the nuances and intricacies of what denotes “Midwest culture”. Midwest Sad has gone deep into the realm of what Midwest comfort snacks feel and taste like, and I feel finally after eating a humongous brownie from here like I finally kinda get it. The brownie was absolutely perfect, completely delicious, and even though I was super satisfied with it, I was actually kind of jealous that I couldn’t try all the other goodies that they have for sale. Do yourself a solid and go now; Get yourself a treat, beat those midwinter blues, and set yourself up to be a repeat customer for the most delicious bakeshop In...