The Best Eggplant Parmesan in the Greater Milwaukee Area

SEO Title: Best Eggplant Parmesan in the Milwaukee Area: 20 Family-Friendly Italian Spots Across Six Counties (2026 Guide)

Eggplant parmesan is the dish that quietly tells you everything about an Italian kitchen. Get it right and the eggplant is creamy, the breading shatters, the sauce sings, and the cheese pulls in long ribbons. Get it wrong and it’s a sad, soggy puck. After digging through Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reviews, Milwaukee Magazine listings, OnMilwaukee write-ups, Shepherd Express features, Urban Milwaukee dining columns, and a healthy stack of Yelp and Google reviews, we pulled together this guide to where families across the six-county Milwaukee metro can actually find a great melanzane alla parmigiana right now. We focused on places that take the dish seriously — whether that means a white-tablecloth Sicilian dining room, a thin-crust pizzeria with deep eggplant roots, or a family deli that has been making it the same way for 75 years. Pricing reflects what we saw on current menus and is subject to change; always call ahead before driving across the metro for a specific dish.

Safina (Downtown Milwaukee, East Town)

Address: 785 N. Jefferson St., Milwaukee, WI 53202. Website: safinamke.com

This is the closest thing Milwaukee has right now to a true Sicilian eggplant parmigiana destination. Safina is run by Giovanni Safina and his sons Sal, Joe, and David, the family behind the legendary, long-closed Giovanni’s on Brady Street. The headline dish here is Nonna’s Eggplant Parmigiana, layered with Sicilian herb breadcrumbs, San Marzano tomatoes DOP, and a generous cap of mozzarella, served with the family’s own Trapani-grown olive oil on the bread service. There is also a classic Parmigiana “in the style of Parmesan or Cotoletta” you can order with eggplant in place of veal or chicken. Milwaukee Magazine’s Ann Christenson called the melanzana fritte “soft-crispy, more eggplant than breading,” paired with “a very good marinara sauce.” Open Wednesday through Saturday from 4 p.m., reservations strongly recommended; entrées run roughly $24–$36. The dining room is intimate and on the noisier side at peak times, so families with younger kids do best with an early reservation.

Carini’s La Conca d’Oro (East Side / North Shore-adjacent)

Address: 3468 N. Oakland Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53211. Website: atouchofsicily.com

Peter Carini and his son Gregg run one of the most authentic Sicilian kitchens in Wisconsin, and the Melanzane alla Parmigiana is exactly what you want: thinly sliced eggplant, breaded, fried, and layered with marinara, fresh mozzarella, and Parmigiano. One Tripadvisor regular wrote, “The eggplant parmesan was the best I have had in a long time, perfectly prepared with all the flavors blending in great balance.” The restaurant also runs a Parmigiana Pizza topped with eggplant and parmigiano reggiano in its imported wood-burning Acunto oven. Casual but a touch dressy, with a lively crowd that includes Riverside and Shorewood families before homecoming dances. Entrées around $20–$30; lunch and takeout available; closed Mondays.

Calderone Club (Downtown Milwaukee)

Address: 842 N. Old World 3rd St., Milwaukee, WI 53203. Website: calderoneclub.net

Calderone’s downtown location is a checkered-tablecloth Italian classic two blocks from Fiserv Forum. Their Eggplant Parmigiana is described on the menu as “crispy breaded eggplant slices smothered in marinara sauce and lots of genuine Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, then finished with melted mozzarella,” served with a side of pasta. Just as famous is the “award-winning crispy eggplant strips” appetizer, which Foursquare reviewers repeatedly call the best in town. Open Tuesday–Saturday at 4:30 p.m.; entrées roughly $22–$30. Easy stop before a Bucks game, family-friendly with kids welcome until later in the evening.

Calderone Club – Fox Point (North Shore)

Address: 8001 N. Port Washington Rd., Fox Point, WI 53217. Website: calderoneclubfoxpoint.com

The North Shore sister restaurant uses the same Mama Rosa recipes the Fazzari family brought back from a stint in Italy in the 1970s. The eggplant parmigiana is built from “thinly sliced eggplant dipped in flour, then baked with mozzarella cheese and marinara sauce,” and the menu still proudly bills the appetizer as “Voted Wisconsin’s #1 Crispy Eggplant.” Carmelo Fazzari runs the dining room, and regulars say he greets repeat guests by name. Open Tuesday–Sunday from 4 p.m., closed Mondays; reservations recommended. Excellent fit for North Shore families — easy parking, kid-friendly, and the cracker-thin pizza traces back to the original 1945 Caradaro Club recipe.

Ristorante Bartolotta dal 1993 (Wauwatosa Village)

Address: 7616 W. State St., Wauwatosa, WI 53213. Website: bartolottas.com/ristorante-bartolotta

The Bartolotta flagship doesn’t have eggplant parmigiana on the menu year-round, but it’s a frequent feature on the rotating “Un Viaggio in Italia” menu series, especially when chef Juan Urbieta highlights Sicily, Naples, or Calabria. When it appears, it is restrained, elegant, and a million miles from a red-sauce slab. The restaurant holds the Marchio Ospitalità Italiana certification of excellence from the Italian Union of Chambers of Commerce. Open nightly from 5 p.m.; entrées $32–$48; reservations essential. Best for a date night or a milestone celebration with older kids who can sit through a four-course menu.

Glorioso’s Italian Market (Brady Street)

Address: 1011 E. Brady St., Milwaukee, WI 53202. Website: gloriosos.com

Family-owned since 1946 and named OnMilwaukee’s Best Deli, Glorioso’s makes house eggplant parmesan from family recipes for the deli case and the hot kitchen. The market’s dine-in/takeout version is built with “breaded eggplant, mozzarella, seasoned ricotta, and marinara,” and there’s a hot eggplant parmesan sandwich that’s a perennial top seller. General manager Michael Glorioso has told Shepherd Express that arancini, chicken parmesan, salads, and eggplant parmesan are the deli’s most popular plates. Open daily; counter service; sandwich and entrée prices generally $12–$18. Ideal for families grabbing a casual lunch on Brady Street or stocking up for a Sunday dinner at home.

Pizza Man (Wauwatosa)

Address: 11500 W. Burleigh St., Wauwatosa, WI 53225. Website: pizzamanwi.com

The original East Side and Riverwest locations are gone, but the Tosa Pizza Man still serves the eggplant parmesan OnMilwaukee’s Lori Fredrich described as “crisp fried eggplant dolloped with fresh mozzarella and served atop a pile of classic spaghetti.” The eggplant fries appetizer remains one of Milwaukee’s most-photographed sides — they’ve been a fixture since the 1970s and even compete with Venice Club’s eggplant strips at Summerfest. Open seven days a week, kid-friendly with a casual atmosphere, eggplant parm runs about $15.

Tomaso’s of Cedarburg (Ozaukee County)

Address: W63N688 Washington Ave., Cedarburg, WI 53012. Website: tomasoscedarburg.com

A Cedarburg landmark since 1976, Tomaso’s was named No. 1 pizza in Milwaukee Magazine in 1994 and 2010, and No. 1 in Ozaukee County for several years running. Beyond the famous thin crust, the menu now includes a serious eggplant parmesan made with the same fresh-tomato sauce the Thomas family has been simmering for decades. Open Tuesday–Saturday for lunch and dinner, closed Sundays and Mondays. Casual, family-friendly, with takeout that Chicago day-trippers cooler-pack and drive home. Entrées generally $15–$22.

Wells Brothers (Racine)

Address: 2148 Mead St., Racine, WI 53403. Website: wellsbrosracine.com

A 100-plus-year Racine institution, Wells Brothers makes “Eggplant Parmigiana — lightly breaded eggplant baked in a wine mushroom sauce and topped with mozzarella cheese,” which is a delightfully different preparation from the standard marinara version. The fried eggplant strips appetizer ($7.25) is a Racine rite of passage. Open Tuesday–Saturday, closed Sunday and Monday; reservations recommended on weekends. Family-friendly down to the Friday all-you-can-eat fish fry and the pitcher-of-soda kids’ deals.

Tenuta’s Italian Restaurant (Kenosha)

Address: 7321 60th Ave., Kenosha, WI 53142. Website: tenutasitalian.com

Family-owned and serving Kenosha since 1995, Tenuta’s lists the Eggplant Parmesan front and center: “Breaded eggplant layered with mozzarella, parmesan, basil, marinara,” at $20. Reviewers consistently call out the generous portions and authentic flavors; high chairs and a kids’ menu (spaghetti and meatball, chicken tenders) make it one of the most family-friendly dinner-table Italian rooms in Kenosha County. Open daily for lunch and dinner. Free parking, casual room, takeout strong.

Infusino’s (Racine)

Address: 3225 Rapids Dr., Racine, WI 53404. Website: infusinosrestaurant.com

The Racine original, opened by the Infusino family in the late 1970s, makes the same southern Italian eggplant parmigiana as the Kenosha location: breaded, baked with mozzarella, served on spaghetti, linguine, or fettuccine with soup or salad and Italian bread. One Tripadvisor reviewer wrote, “I had the eggplant parmigiana which is a favorite, yet sometimes difficult to find in many Italian restaurants. It was outstanding.” The kids’ menu, broasted chicken, and Friday fish fry make it a true family destination. Open Tuesday–Saturday, closed Sundays. Entrée pricing roughly $17–$22.

Maggiano’s Little Italy (Wauwatosa, Mayfair)

Address: 2500 N. Mayfair Rd., Wauwatosa, WI 53226. Website: maggianos.com

The chain disclaimer aside, Maggiano’s in Wauwatosa makes a reliably good Eggplant Parmesan: “Crispy breaded eggplant slices layered with provolone cheese and tomato ragù, served with spaghetti aglio olio.” It’s also one of the easiest stops in the metro for big multigenerational tables — family-style ordering, complimentary classic pasta to take home with any entrée, and a real kids’ menu. Open daily for lunch and dinner; entrées $24–$30. Reservations strongly suggested on weekends or before a show at the Marcus Center.

Tanino’s Italian & American Restaurant (Greenfield)

Address: 3525 S. 76th St., Greenfield, WI 53220. Website: taninosmke.com

A neighborhood pizzeria-and-pasta house with a serious cult following on the south side. The Eggplant Parmesana on Tanino’s Italian Dinners menu runs $10.50 — almost certainly the best value eggplant parm in the metro — and comes with coleslaw, fresh Italian bread, and butter. Foursquare diners volunteer phrases like “Excellent pizza and fried egg plant!!!” and “Awesome Calzone, Pizza and Fried Eggplant!” Casual, inexpensive, and very family-friendly; a great fit for a weeknight south-side stop with kids in tow.

Balistreri’s Italian-American Ristorante (Wauwatosa)

Address: 812 N. 68th St., Wauwatosa, WI 53213. Website: balistreris.com

The Tosa institution has served “breaded eggplant sautéed in garlic olive oil and topped with Jim’s special sauce and mozzarella cheese, served with a side of Jim’s special sauce and a side of spaghetti” for over 50 years. The current menu price is $12.95, an outstanding deal for a sit-down Italian entrée in 2026. The eggplant strips appetizer (around $11) is a Wauwatosa rite of passage; one OnMilwaukee feature called it “a perfect complement” to the famous thin-crust pizza. Open daily for lunch and dinner. Kids’ menu under 12, no reservations except for lunch, three stairs at the entrance.

Zarletti Mequon (Ozaukee County)

Address: 1515 W. Mequon Rd., Mequon, WI 53092. Website: zarlettimequon.com

The suburban sibling of Brian Zarletti’s downtown restaurant, with a Neapolitan wood-burning oven imported from Italy. The Eggplant Parmigiana is “deep-fried eggplant layered with Pomodoro sauce, fresh mozzarella, and parmesan, served with a side of pasta in a tomato cream sauce” — a more refined take than most red-sauce houses. Reviewer experiences vary (one OpenTable diner found it under-seasoned, another called it perfect), so it’s worth asking your server how the kitchen is dressing it that night. Open Tuesday–Sunday for dinner; entrées $24–$30. Patio in summer, kids’ menu, family-friendly with reservations recommended.

Sala – Modern Sicilian Dining (East Side, Milwaukee)

Address: 2613 E. Hampshire St., Milwaukee, WI 53211. Website: saladining.com

Sala (formerly Sala da Pranzo) is run by Chef Anthony Balistreri and his team, drawing on family recipes from the Gentile, D’Amico, and Balistreri families. The Breaded Eggplant appetizer ($15) — eggplant with sugo and fresh mozzarella — is the menu’s starring melanzane preparation; entrée-sized eggplant parmigiana shows up as a regular special. Casual, romantic, neighborhood-y, with a Secret Garden patio in summer that is excellent for a weekend family dinner. Open Tuesday–Saturday from 3 p.m., closed Sunday and Monday.

The Pasta Tree Restaurant & Wine Bar (East Side, Milwaukee)

Address: 1503 N. Farwell Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53202. Website: pastatreemilwaukee.com

A 45-year East Side date-night staple under chef-owner Suzzette Metcalfe. Eggplant parmesan isn’t on the standing menu, but the restaurant’s eggplant-stuffed “Nona” pasta special and breaded eggplant appetizer with house tomato vegetable sauce are the closest you’ll get to a refined version of the dish in this part of town — and the seven-layer lasagna nearby gives you a sense of what their hand-rolled pasta program can do. Open Wednesday–Sunday from 5 p.m. Entrées $26–$38. Reservations strongly suggested; better suited to older kids and teens than toddlers.

Onesto (Historic Third Ward)

Address: 221 N. Broadway, Milwaukee, WI 53202. Website: onestomke.com

Onesto’s flagship eggplant dish is the Grilled Eggplant Cannelloni — “thin strips of eggplant rolled around a basil ricotta filling, topped with provolone and walnut pesto, sitting in a sage marinara.” It is the modern, lighter, vegetable-forward cousin of classic eggplant parmesan, and a good answer for North Shore families who like the flavors of parmigiana but want something that doesn’t leave the table feeling heavy. Open daily for lunch and dinner; pasta and entrées $18–$28. Reservations recommended on weekends; Wicked-themed second-floor pop-ups and date nights make it less obviously kid-focused, but families with elementary-age and older kids do well here.

Mama Mia’s Italian Cuisine (West Allis)

Address: 1touched up — 7616 W. Greenfield Ave. area; current address per their site at mamamiasmilwaukee.com (West Allis). Website: mamamiasmilwaukee.com

A family kitchen serving thin-crust pizza, Sciortino-style garlic bread, and one of the south-suburban metro’s most generous eggplant parmesans: “Hand-cut eggplant rounds breaded with our homemade garlic breadcrumbs, topped with marinara and melted 100% Wisconsin mozzarella cheese,” available as an entrée or party-pan tray for catering. Open Monday and Tuesday through Sunday with a Wednesday closure; entrées roughly $16–$22. Casual, friendly, kid-welcoming, with strong takeout and full party trays for sports nights and birthdays.

A Few Practical Tips for Eggplant Parm Outings

Eggplant parmesan is a dish that rewards planning. A few things we’ve learned bouncing across the metro: most of the family-owned spots (Carini’s, Calderone Club Fox Point, Tomaso’s, Wells Brothers, Tenuta’s, Infusino’s, Balistreri’s) close one or two days a week, often Sunday, Monday, or Tuesday — always check hours before you drive. For takeout, eggplant parm travels surprisingly well; ask for the pasta packed separately so the noodles don’t soak up the sauce on the ride home. Several of these kitchens (Glorioso’s, Mama Mia’s, Tomaso’s, Calderone Club) sell par-baked or full pan trays that are ideal for school nights and team dinners. If you’re bringing younger kids, reserve early — 5 p.m. weekday seatings at places like Calderone Club Fox Point, Tenuta’s, Wells Brothers, and Tanino’s are dramatically calmer than weekend nights. Finally, if your kid is on the fence about eggplant, the eggplant strips appetizers at Calderone Club, Pizza Man, Balistreri’s, Wells Brothers, and Infusino’s are the gateway drug — crispy, dippable, and almost universally loved.

Caveats

Menus and prices change frequently in Milwaukee’s post-pandemic restaurant scene; the dishes and prices listed above were drawn from the most recent menus we could find and from professional reviews in Milwaukee Magazine, OnMilwaukee, Shepherd Express, and Urban Milwaukee, plus current Yelp, Google, OpenTable, and Tripadvisor reviews. Several beloved former options that locals may search for — Mimma’s Café on Brady Street, Joey Gerard’s in Mequon (now Mr. B’s), Mangia Wine Bar in Kenosha, Pizza Man’s East Side and Riverwest locations, Ferrante’s in Mequon (multiple sources show it as closed) — have closed, and we’ve directed readers to current operators where applicable. Two of the icons listed in the original brief (Bartolotta’s Lake Park Bistro, Sanford) are French and contemporary American respectively and don’t serve eggplant parmesan as a regular menu item, so they’re not included. Always call ahead the day you plan to visit, especially for the family-owned and limited-hours spots.