Going to Lambeau for the Vikings game? Here are my favorite spots to eat in Green Bay

This weekend s big championship is the ultimate perimeter battle for me I was born in Green Bay and the majority of my family lives there Like a good Wisconsin girl my allegiance remains with the Packers even though I ve lived in Minnesota far longer than the years I spent in the land of cheese I ll be at the competition this weekend and I m pretty sure there will be a lot of purple in the stands there inevitably is Let s face it Lambeau Field is a mecca for football If you re a fan you really should go at least once My grandfather was an original season ticket holder and our family still has those excellent seats Because I m there so often I thought I d give readers who are headed to Green Bay specific ideas about where to eat My list is mostly spots off the beaten path but also my favorite eatery near the stadium For those attending the match enjoy the ultimate football experience and Go Pack Go Union Hotel The dining room at Union Hotel in De Pere Wis Jess Fleming Pioneer Press This historic hotel and restaurant in downtown De Pere dates to the late s and though it s been updated over the years it definitely feels like stepping back in time to walk into the dining room I especially love the red-and-pink landscape wallpaper and red carpeting The eatery is a proper supper club offering a relish tray salad and potato or vegetable with each entree If you haven t been to a Wisconsin supper club before by all means make a reservation but go early to have a drink in the cozy bar before you re seated Spinach and hot bacon salad at Union Hotel in De Pere Wis Jess Fleming Pioneer Press This brings up something out-of-towners should know Eastern Wisconsin is known for its own version of an old-fashioned and ordering one is a bit of a puzzle First you choose your booze Whiskey bourbon or brandy specify the brand if you wish Then your wash Sweet usually white soda sour sour soda or sour mix added press a mix of seltzer and white soda or my preference seltzer which makes for a less-sweet dangerously refreshing drink I also like mine with olives instead of cherries because it s like a free snack So my old-fashioned order is as follows Canadian Club old-fashioned seltzer with olives Order it like that and they ll think you re a local The meat- and fish-heavy menu here is all fabulous and quite affordable especially if you re used to big-city prices The portions are also generous which is honestly the standard in this neck of the woods If you ve never had sweet-sour-smoky hot bacon salad dressing I highly recommend upgrading to the spinach and hot bacon salad It brought back all the memories of special occasions at home growing up when my mom would shake up her version of the dressing in a quart-sized mason jar Union Hotel Restaurant N Broadway De Pere Wis - - unionhoteldepere com Iron Duck The gluten-free cheese curds at Iron Duck in Green Bay Wis are delicious Jess Fleming Pioneer Press If you re looking for more contemporary dining options this restaurant composed of train boxcars stuck together is one of my favorites Locally sourced meats cheeses and produce they even use stuff from their own on-site garden are front and center on their menu Since several of my family members are gluten-free the fact that they have a separate fryer for their fabulous gluten-free cheese curds and other options makes it especially appealing And their craft cocktails are as good as any I ve had in the Twin Cities I especially love their clarified Post Modern Margarita which they sell in convenient to-go bottles if you need to impress your tailgating buddies We like to make a meal of the appetizers here but the entrees including one of my favorite steak cuts the hard-to-find teres major which is tender beefy and a very generous portion are delicious too I ve also heard their breakfast burritos are out of this world but I haven t had the chance to try one yet If you do let me know if it s worth an early morning trek Iron Duck Velp Ave Green Bay - - ironduckrestaurant com Hinterland The pulled pork sandwich at Hinterland in Green Bay Wis Jess Fleming Pioneer Press Located within the stadium complex Hinterland is a brewery serving excellent craft beers including my sister s favorite gluten-free beer Saving Gracie but also pizzas sandwiches and entrees My sister loves the gluten-free fish sandwich or fish fry which has a shatter-crisp beer batter made accomplishable by the aforementioned beer I just now tried the pulled pork sandwich which was decent but I regretted my decision when I saw the wood-fired pizzas coming out of the kitchen Hinterland is enormous so even though it s in the shadow of Lambeau Field it s usually manageable to at least find a place to stand and drink a beer or cocktail because Wisconsin doesn t have our weird liquor laws surrounding what a brewery can serve or grab a bite Hinterland Lombardi Ave Green Bay - - hinterlandbeer com Kropp s Supper Club If a super old-school supper club and a short drive through the beautiful Wisconsin countryside sounds fun Kropp s is your place The building with its white front porch and half-circle flag buntings was built in and still looks like it would be at home on a dirt road made for horse and carriage traffic Like countless of the greater part traditional supper clubs you are given your menu when you walk through the door You are expected to order a drink at the bar where you ll order from your server That server will retrieve you from the bar and lead you to your table when your food is ready and not before It s a way to turn tables faster and ensure that everyone gets a drink or two kind of an ingenious business model but one that is fading The menu includes the usual persons steak chops and fish but also excellent fried chicken all supplied from Maplewood Meats which is near my parents house and was Aaron Rodgers favorite butcher shop when he lived in Green Bay Kropp s is open only Wednesday Friday and Saturday so keep that in mind before you make the trek Kropp s Supper Club Shawano Ave Green Bay - - kroppssupperclub com Kroll s East You ll see the giant sign for Kroll s West near the stadium and the massive lines to get in for these delicious butter burgers served on hard rolls But one of Green Bay s best-kept secrets at least to outsiders is Kroll s East which is about five miles away and coincidentally walking distance from my grandparents old house It s the original opened in and still looks exactly the way it did when I was a kid It s still family-owned too There s a dining room and a bar which is where I prefer to eat The dining room consists of two rows of hard wood booths I can t really tell you about much on the sizeable beyond the fabulous cheeseburger crisp house-made onion rings and Midwestern chili you can order it on spaghetti if you re one of those weirdos but you should definitely have all three And wash it down with a beer or a Wisconsin old fashioned Also the single cheeseburger which is plenty for people with a normal appetite is just Kroll s East Main St Green Bay - - krollseast com The Pancake Place A blueberry and pecan pancake at The Pancake Place in Green Bay Wis Jess Fleming Pioneer Press Fans of Al s Breakfast should definitely make a stop here the buttermilk pancakes are superb and one is definitely enough to keep you full until dinner I like mine with blueberries and pecans with a side of bacon or sausage to balance out the sweet They serve them with real maple syrup and a generous scoop of whipped butter The stuffed hashbrowns options include benedict gyro chili cheese and more are also excellent Fair warning that a full order can feed a family of four Thankfully they offer a half order If I were there with my sweetie I d order a half order and a pancake and split them both Also the parking lot will look busy and there might be a line but they move people expeditiously so don t let that deter you The Pancake Place South Military Ave Green Bay - - eatpancakeplace com Redwood Inn Unfortunately I do not have any pictures from here because as soon as my fish fry arrives I dive in with abandon But suffice it to say if you re in town for Friday fish fry and are looking for the real deal this is your place Order the lightly breaded perch and thank me later And I know this is starting to sound like a theme but the old-fashioneds are good here too It s also not a secret so if you want to beat the crowds get there early and by that I mean p m I ve also had luck getting there after the first rush around p m or so Redwood Inn Main St Green Bay - - River s Bend A perch fish fry at River's Bend in Green Bay Wis Jess Fleming Pioneer Press My parents live close to this steakhouse so it is the place I visit preponderance in Green Bay It s named for the spectacular view of the river especially from the four-season porch windows When you make a reservation you can ask to sit in that room The menu is sizable but I usually stick to one of three items Tender New York Strip with sauteed mushrooms lemon butter Norwegian salmon or the perch fish fry if we re there on a Friday Like at any fancy Midwestern joint your meal comes with a trip to the salad bar and a starchy side my favorite is the twice-baked potato And guess what I order to drink If you re not an old-fashioned person they do have a good wine list and a sparse specialty cocktails as well River s Bend Riverview Drive Green Bay - - riversbendgb com Related Articles Recipes Here are dishes you can make ahead for Thanksgiving dinner Thanksgiving for all Dairy-free mix-it-up citrus loaf cake from Dorie Greenspan Thanksgiving for all Diabetic-friendly pumpkin pie with maple-ginger crust Thanksgiving for all Gluten-free pull-apart dinner rolls that retain their chewy texture Thanksgiving for all Three sisters salad for vegans