excessively / stephanie

For non-meat eaters, that is: try the smoked tofu veggie chili! One of my favourite foods in the world.

Omnivores have plenty to choose from, but vegetarians have these particularly yummy choices: a falafel burger, mac & cheese, veggie chili mac, chipotle hummus & pita, curried vegetable stew and a variety of salads.

They just added brunch on weekends, as well—sadly, no hearty herbivorous fare, but lacto-ovo vegetarians can get the usual suspects: pancakes, French toast, omelets, bagels, fruit salad, beignettes (!!).

Staff is always friendly, fast and accurate. Lovely neighbourhood, lovely venue, lovely restaurant.

• Happy hour lasts until 10 p.m., even on weekends
• The drinks are delicious and deliciously strong
• Pitcher of Riverwest Stein = $7 = happy boyfriend
• Everything’s cheap even after happy hour is over
• Insane Kool-Aid flavors on the tiki menu—try the Honolulu Cooler
• You get a tiki-themed cup to take home with some drinks, incl. Milwaukee’s Best Mai Tai™
• Bartenders are super-nice
• They take credit cards
• Music is tolerable at worst, ridiculously awesome at best, generally not too loud to talk over and never ironic hair metal
• Very few glaring hipsters who turn around and scoff at you when you walk in the door for not wearing Diesel jeans
• I’ve never seen anyone get into a fight there
• Usually not invaded by shrieking UWM girls (does UWM have sororities, or do they all just hang out in hyena-like packs?) and their belligerently wasted, mega-confrontational boyfriends until after happy hour is over and I’m biking home
• It’s the best bar in Milwaukee, duh

Disclaimer: I don’t work there, have never worked there, and don’t know anyone who’s ever worked there. There’s just something deeply, uniquely awesome about Foundation that I’d desperately miss if I ever lived anywhere else.

I love this place with all my heart and soul. Not only are the portions generous and the atmosphere clean & friendly, but the pizza is stupendous. Fellow Milwaukee vegans, take heart: no gross fake cheese on these pies. We have, I think, five pizzas to choose from, plus an array of solo toppings. Omnivores & vegetarians have many options as well. A single slice is bigger than my head.

For folks who get lost easily (incl. yours truly)—Classic Slice is on the corner of Montana & California, right behind SNAP Fitness. Classic Slice! They’re open late, they deliver, they rule.