Bastille Days

Milwaukee's French fête in Cathedral Square Park

If you ask me, Bastille Days is one of the best fests in Milwaukee. It's located in the heart of downtown, it's free, the music is great, the vendors are worth a peek, and there are fortune tellers, occasional parades, and delicious food. Yes there's also atrocious parking, but you can afford to avoid that — since the fest itself is free, coughing up $10 for a parking structure is a no-brainer. 

Today I want to call out some of the delicious food that was up for grabs at 2017's Bastille Days. Yes we all love greasy fair food, but I say that's what State Fair and Summerfest are for. If I'm going to an ethnic fest like Bastille Days, I'm going to do my darnedest to eat vaguely ethnic foods. While I didn't try all of these (I'd need multiple stomachs do accomplish that), I think the options below are worth noting for future reference. So let's get hungry! 

First, the two delicious goodies pictured above: A Nutella waffle from Press (who we found in an actual booth, not their signature trailer) and a beignet from Beignets Français. Both were a sheer, sweet, worth-every-calory delight. You might wonder why a waffle counts as French food, and I'll tell you: In the north, where France borders Belgium, you can get true Belgian waffles from street vendors — just like the ones at Press. Heaven — and authentic! 

Other French food purveyors worth a stop: North Shore Boulangerie for tarte flambée, fresh baguettes, and a charcuterie plate; Le Reve for a tomato, brie, and pesto sandwich or warm brie and honey crostini; Sciortino's Bakery for a ham and brie sandwich; and Bartolotta's Lake Park Bistro for a croque monsieur. Bon appétit!