Amilinda

"Open for: DinnerPrice range: $$$$All it took was dinner at Odd Duck. That’s the moment chef Gregory Leon credits as inspiration to leave his San Francisco kitchen post and make Milwaukee home. Since opening Amilinda, Leon has earned multiple James Beard nominations for Best Chef Midwest, and this year he can remove the geographic qualifier, ascending to a semifinalist for Outstanding Chef. In his buzzy downtown den, he offers deep Spanish and Portuguese flavors in a short, ever-changing menu that’s saucy and risky, but still homey. A pork belly salad comes with green radish and honey, braised beef tongue is topped with nora chiles and pepitas, and the spicy piri piri chicken gets ‘Sconnie-ified with “Wischego” cheese. Amilinda might be the only spot in town for salmorejo, an Andalusian puree of tomato and bread, and one of the few to take dessert as seriously as dinner (think chocolate and olive oil mousse).   Best for: A big night out downtown, with a pre-dinner drink across the street at Blu, on the top floor of the Pfister Hotel." - Todd Lazarski

"This long, narrow Spanish and Portuguese restaurant that’s behind a bright-red door is usually packed, which is great if you want to cosplay as a sardine or have an excuse to bump elbows with your date. (If you’d rather avoid that, try to sit up front by the door where there’s a little more room.) The a la carte menu has things like braised rabbit with manzanilla sherry and flank steak with piquillo peppers, most of which are easy to share with a group. Naturally, the wines skew Spanish, and there are affordable gems, like a red blend from Murcia named after pine trees. The long bar running the length of the restaurant is an ideal spot to dine solo, but we also like bringing some friends to pick at a salad (the manchego and duck fat endive was a past highlight) before seeing a show at The Riverside Theater or the Bradley Symphony Center." - kristine hansen

"This long, narrow Spanish and Portuguese restaurant that’s behind a bright-red door is usually packed, which is great if you want to cosplay as a sardine or have an excuse to bump elbows with your date. (If you’d rather avoid that, try to sit up front by the door where there’s a little more room.) The a la carte menu has things like braised rabbit with manzanilla sherry and flank steak with piquillo peppers, most of which are easy to share with a group. Naturally, the wines skew Spanish, and there are affordable gems, like a red blend from Murcia named after pine trees. The long bar running the length of the restaurant is an ideal spot to dine solo, but we also like bringing some friends to pick at a salad (the manchego and duck fat endive was a past highlight) before seeing a show at The Riverside Theater or the Bradley Symphony Center." - Kristine Hansen

"Greg León, the owner of Amilinda in Milwaukee, was hoping to use the funds to expand the restaurant’s hours, expand the restaurant’s bar, upgrade its ventilation system, and — most importantly — hire more employees and give raises to existing staff." - Gaby Del Valle