Following our adventures in Michigan (which you can read about here) we were on our way to Green Bay WI, home of Lambeau Field, the Green bay Packers, and cheese curds!
As it happened, one of the first roadside attractions we saw just as we crossed into the state was Seguin’s House of Cheese, overflowing with fresh curds of all kinds. Now this was the kind of welcome I was hoping for!
After stocking up on some springy, fresh, squeaky cheese curds, we made our way to Green Bay. First stop was Kroll’s West, the iconic restaurant directly across the street from Lambeau Field, home of the Packers. Our visit to Kroll’s was at an off time, but I can imagine on game day the restaurant must be the place to be! Kroll’s has been famous for their 1/4 pound burgers since 1936. Their secret? A generous amount of butter on both the burger and the bun. The decor in the restaurant is unique, with a heavy dose of Packers’ memorabilia. The waitstaff seems as though they have been there since the restaurants inception; showing just the right amount of bossiness when it came to how the burger should be ordered. For this meal I was just tasked with photographing the main event, but my husband devoured it so quickly that alI I could capture was the last bite. This burger was a highlight!
We had booked ourselves into the Lodge Kohler, also located just across from Lambeau Field. Having spent so many nights in mediocre Marriott hotels I was literally blown away by Lodge Kohler. The hotel opened in 2017, and still seems to be brand new. The hotel was immaculate, and the staff was exceedingly friendly and professional. The common spaces were inviting and appealing, and the room was comfortable, with the bathroom showcasing the full line of Kohler products. We loved this hotel (and our dog did too)! The Valet told us that when the Packers are playing (or practicing) there are never any vacancies, and the room rates skyrocket. Our room was just $216 for the night, which was a steal. We loved the Lodge Kohler, two thumbs up.
We drove out of downtown Green Bay to a nearby residential area to experience dinner at Kropp’s Supper Club, a neighborhood institution since 1904. Kropp’s prides themselves on having the best fish in town, and I don’t doubt it. The restaurant is in a farmhouse complete with an inviting porch. Kropp’s is really old school, when we entered to place our order we found a line of senior citizens at the bar with their walkers parked alongside the wall. This seemed to be a favorable sign. Due to Covid we were avoiding eating inside anyplace that was not close to empty or well ventilated, so in the case of Kropp’s we decided to get our meals to-go. They were accommodating, but clearly very few people went the take-out route because not only were they lacking in disposable cutlery and cups, we also received some curious looks. In the end, it was worth it; my husband enjoyed his fried lake perch, hash browns , and a homemade rye roll while my steamed cod was perfectly cooked and incredibly moist. The food was seasoned only with salt, and in the case of the cod- a dash of paprika. This was the mildest of food, but comforting in a Midwestern way. I wish we had been able to join the fun inside, maybe next time!
The morning brought a quest for the perfect Kringle, the official pastry of the state of Wisconsin. After much research, it seemed as though Uncle Mike’s Bake Shoppe was where we needed to be. Uncle Mike’s has been awarded the best Kringle in North America, and who were we to argue? Sadly a gluten free Kringle didn’t seem to be in the cards for me, so my husband had the challenge of eating one on his own. As the Kringle consists of 36 layers of butter and pastry- this was a formidable challenge. Luckily, they are sold in both half and whole sizes. Even though the cherry Kringle was the seasonal speciality, he couldn’t resist the caramel apple. This was a sugar bomb to be sure, sweet and tasty. Sadly, he couldn’t make a real dent in it, but was absolutely glad he tried.
After conquering the Kringle, our next stop was Nueske’s Company Store in Wittenberg WI. If you are a bacon or ham lover, undoubtedly you have heard of Nueske’s, their products are Nationally acclaimed and award-winning (as well as being plain old delicious). Nueske’s was chock full of pork products, as well as Wisconsin-made irresistible specialties including sausage sticks, jam, and peanut butter. Our dog seemed enchanted by the porky atmosphere. A great stop on the journey!
Following a quick stop in Chippewa Falls, home of the local favorite Leinenkugel’s Beer and some pretty great coffee and gluten free muffins at Bridge Street Brew , we continued on to North Dakota.
Judging by how much we enjoyed Green Bay, I would very much like to return to Wisconsin for a more extensive visit, one that includes Madison. To me, the Badger State truly seems to exemplify the best of America’s Heartland.
[…] leaving Green Bay (you can read about our trip here) we headed towards our next stop, Fargo ND. Our itinerary was originally going to take us through […]