The One Restaurant Kristen Kish Says You Must Visit In Milwaukee - Exclusive
It's safe to say that Kristen Kish knows her way around a kitchen. Along with being a previous winner of "Top Chef" (the show she now hosts), Kish was classically trained at Le Cordon Bleu, has written a technique-based cookbook, and is the creative mind behind restaurant Arlo Grey. Phew! Recently, Tasting Table caught up with Kristen Kish for an exclusive interview about holiday cooking and more, and we were eager to know what it takes for a restaurant to impress her. With Season 21 of "Top Chef" recently shot in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, it was the perfect opportunity to find out where the hungry masses should go for a bite in Cream City.
Here's the Milwaukee spot, according to Kish. "There's a restaurant called Three Brothers," she said. "It's a Serbian restaurant, and the chef and the owner and her family's story ... I would highly encourage everyone to know more about her and her family and how they have come to be with this fantastic restaurant. It was a highlight for me." With a tenacious lineage and an authentic menu that's been relatively unchanged for 60 years, Three Brothers Restaurant is certainly a place you want to check out.
Three Brothers brings a long history and delicious cuisine to the city
In 2002, the James Beard Foundation awarded Three Brothers Restaurant with the honor of being an American Regional Classic. At that point, the humble Bay View eatery had already been operating for 46 years. Three Brothers was opened in 1956 by a Serbian immigrant named Milun Radicevic, who had arrived in Milwaukee after experiencing three wars and an escape from a concentration camp. Along with a heroic endeavor, Radicevic earned sponsorship and came to America in 1949, where he started his business first as a tavernkeeper. His wife, Miluna Radicevic, eventually moved stateside to join him. She developed a menu of from-scratch, traditional Serbian dishes, which are still served today.
According to the company's history, the Radicevics named the restaurant after their sons in the hope that the three would take over the family business. Only one did — the late Branko Radicevic Sr., who operated the cultural and familial hub with his wife, Patricia. Three Brothers is now run by the third generation of Radicevics — Branko Jr. and Milunka — who offer up dishes like chevapchichi (skinless beef sausages) and a Serbian-cheese topped salad. What else is on the menu? Crispy golden Wiener schnitzel with potato dumplings, a roasted goose and pickled cabbage plate, classic sarma, and a seven-layer "Grandma's Torte."
Season 21 of "Top Chef" premieres on Bravo and Peacock in 2024. Three Brothers Restaurant is open for business Wednesday through Sunday evenings.