Photo by Ruby Mulvaney

Milwaukee Night Market takes place on West Wisconsin Avenue between 2nd Street and Vel R. Phillips Avenue.

People crowded the streets around the 3rd St. Market Hall for Milwaukee’s Night Market this past Wednesday.

From jewelry at Boho Designs by Katya to ice cream at Isa’s Ice Cream and free s’mores from night market sponsors, there was something for everyone to enjoy. 

The market had endless options, and my friends and I felt excited by the choices we knew we wanted to sample.

After wandering the streets and perusing our options, we had made our final decisions. First up: Juan’s Roasted Corn. 

Juan’s Roasted Corn

Although we went to Juan’s Roasted Corn, we unfortunately did not try any of the roasted corn, as something else caught our eye.

The mangos—presented in a beautiful, symmetrically cut shape on a stick—were covered in Tajín and sweet and sour sauce.  

While the sweet and sour sauce dripped down our hands, the mix of sweet mango and chili from the Tajín created a flavorful bite.

It was challenging to share with each other, but we made it work by pulling pieces of the mango off. As the sweet and sour sauce continued to linger on my taste buds, I knew it was worth it. 

Wisconsin Fried Cheese Curds

It simply would not be a major Milwaukee event if I did not try the cheese curds.

After we washed down the mango with some water to cleanse our palates, we were ready to try this Wisconsin delicacy made with fresh farm cheese. 

The cheese curds were freshly made in front of us, and they were hot and crisped to perfection when served.

Since we split the serving, I only had a few cheese curds, but I was not overwhelmed by the cheese-to-breading ratio. With fresh farm-made cheese, I always look forward to gooey cheese, but the cheese curds were airier than I tend to prefer.

As we decided to stay on the carbs track, the smell of the biscuits next door was unavoidable for our next choice. 

Buttah and Biscuits

These biscuits, by far, were the highlight of our tastings around the night market. 

Coming in four-packs or singles, there was a variety of flavors, from classic buttermilk to lemon blueberry. For our picks, we got a classic buttermilk (with honey on the side) and cheddar and chive. 

When our biscuits were handed to us, steam rose off them, and I knew I was in for a hot, fresh and delicious treat. 

The first bite of the cheddar and chive biscuit overwhelmed me with its taste. The hot biscuit emphasized the cheese, and the chive added the perfect extra kick of flavor. 

I had a small piece of the classic buttermilk with some honey, and once again, the mix of sweet and salty did not disappoint. It was hot, melted in your mouth and slightly fell apart in your hand. Biscuits do not get much better than that. 

After we topped off our biscuits, it was time to move to dessert.

Amy’s Gourmet Apples

Fall is officially here, so it was only fair that we finished the night with a Dark Belgian Chocolate and Sea Salt Caramel Apple.

Although I am more of a milk chocolate person, this was one of the best caramel apples I have had in years. 

Everything was fresh. The apple was soft with the gooey caramel melting into it, and the sea salt perfectly matched the dark chocolate. Each bite was better than the last, and it was everything you could imagine from a caramel apple.

To make sharing easier, they cut the apple into pieces for us, making it more enjoyable to taste. It was the perfect way to end the night, or so we thought.

GRAEF S’more Lounge 

As we began to walk in the direction of campus, we were stopped by one of the sponsors, GRAEF, as they were giving out complementary s’mores. 

My friends and I found a little bit more room in our stomachs to have one final treat, because no college kid turns down free food. 

We were able to roast the marshmallows to our preference, making the chocolate super melty on our s’mores, and it was the perfect way to close out the night.

If you are sad you missed the night market, do not fret. 

Due to weather issues, the Jul. 16 night market was rescheduled to Wednesday, Oct. 1, so you still have one more chance to experience the wonderful vendors above and more.

More information about the Milwaukee Night Market can be found on their website, located here. 

This story was written by MaryKate Stepchuk. She can be reached at [email protected].