When you have your go-to restaurants and your usual, it’s sometimes a challenge to venture out of your comfort zone and try something different. Milwaukee is full of diverse, delicious and unique eateries. Since the beginning of the school year, I have had the chance to try out a few places across the city for the first time.

Transfer Pizzeria Café

When it comes to pizza, I’m not very picky as to where its from. One of my friend’s favorite foods is pizza, so I wanted to find a well-reviewed place for us to try. After some online searching, I came across Transfer Pizzeria Cafe, located on the outskirts of town. This pizza place looked like it had a lot to offer with over 40 kinds of pizza to chose from, an extensive drink menu, and gluten-free options. I went into this dinner with pretty high expectations and my expectations were definitely met. Our order was taken and the food was made in a very efficient manor. The ambience was great and the food was even better. I would definitely go back to this trendy pizzeria!

The Pasta Tree

Every time I drive down Farwell Avenue, I notice a lit-up sign that reads “The Pasta Tree.” Since pasta is one of my favorite foods, I have been wanting to try out this Italian restaurant since the first time I saw this sign. Seating is limited and the setting is very intimate. The food was delicious, but being so close to other tables and having no choice but to hear their conversations took away from the overall experience.

The King and I Thai Restaurant

The King and I Thai Restaurant reaffirmed the saying that looks can be deceiving. I didn’t know what to expect and was pleasantly surprised when I entered the building located downtown on North Old World 3rd Street. The dining room was ornately decorated and the waitress went above and beyond to provide excellent service. I’m a huge fan of crab rangoons, so when I saw them on the menu, I knew I had to try them. For my main dish, I ordered Put See Euw with Tofu. It was delicious and I luckily had enough for leftovers.

Since I had such a wonderful dinner experience at this restaurant, I went back a week later for lunch. The wait was incredibly long and the service was nothing like my first time there. My friend and I both ordered Pad Thai off of the lunch menu. Neither of us like spice, so we ordered it without. When the order was finally brought to our table, my friend’s entree was so spicy that she couldn’t even enjoy it. After finally tracking down a waitress, we explained our situation and my friend was given a new entree.

Overall, I was very impressed with the authentic Thai cuisine found at The King and I Thai Restaurant. However, I would recommend going for dinner instead of lunch to ensure that you get both quality food and service.

Bel Air Cantina

I had the opportunity to try two new Mexican restaurants. The first was Bel Air Cantina. Many Marquette students rave about this place and I’ve been interested in trying it since freshman year. At every restaurant with a Mexican cuisine, I order the same meal. As I looked through the menu at Bel Air Cantina, I quickly realized my go-to cheese enchilada was absent. I ordered a queso asado taco with rice and beans. I was unsure of what I was getting myself into, but couldn’t have been more pleased with my selection. My meal was phenomenal and the atmosphere was very fun, modern and relaxed.

Riviera Maya Restaurant

The other Mexican restaurant I tried was Riviera Maya Restaurant. Over the summer, I was walking through downtown Bay View and noticed how crowded this eatery looked. When my family was in the mood for Mexican food when I was home for fall break, we decided to give Riviera Maya a try. The first thing I noticed when I walked through the door was the fantastic decor. It fit the restaurant perfectly. The menu was fairly confusing, but the waiter did his best to answer questions. I ordered my usual and asked for the least spicy sauce possible. When I took the first bite, my mouth was on fire. Unfortunately, even one of the least spicy sauces at this restaurant was too spicy for me.

Cafe Hollander

I heard great things about Cafe Hollander before getting the chance to experience it. I’ve had Cafe Centraal and Benelux numerous times, which are under the same umbrella as Cafe Hollander. Needless to say, my expectations were set pretty high. The menu was vast, with both traditional and unique options. I ordered the goat cheese bruschetta appetizer as my meal and had a fudge brownie skillet for dessert. Both were delicious and I can’t wait to go back.

If I had just stuck to having my usual at the same restaurants I always go to, I would never have experienced these Milwaukee treasures. The next time you want to try something a little different, go for it. You might just end up with a couple of new favorite restaurants.