La Crosse is a technology and medicine hub along the Mississippi River, and it has been rated highly in rankings of health, quality of life, and education. The city is known for its beer and the Wisconsin delicacy of cheese curds, so you can bet it’s a city full of great cuisine. Take a look at the La Crosse’s top 10 restaurants and start planning your next trip now.
Did you know – Culture Trip now does bookable, small-group trips? Pick from authentic, immersive Epic Trips, compact and action-packed Mini Trips and sparkling, expansive Sailing Trips.
The Waterfront Restaurant & Tavern
Established in 2006, this classy restaurant offers an elegant dining option in La Crosse. The menus are full of modern American cuisine made from seasonal ingredients, USDA Prime beef, and fresh-caught seafood. The Waterfront features a restaurant and a Prohibition-era tavern to visit for co*cktails, beers, and wines along with a Tavern menu offering lighter dishes. You can also choose to sit outside on the patio for a view of the Mississippi River. The dinner menu includes options like Alaskan King Crab or pork tenderloin stuffed with pear and pistachio.
This upscale French-inspired establishment offers seasonal dishes along with iconic French specialties like escargot, moules frites, frog legs, foie gras, and more. The restaurant aims to whisk their guests away to France with their authentic cuisine and a beverage list including products only from Europe. Located in the Mons Anderson House, a historic mansion, Le Chateau feels like you’re in another country. Try the filet d’agneau ‘en croûte’ Wellington (lamb Wellington) or the authentic cassoulet au confit de canard (duck cassoulet topped with smoked duck breast), and don’t leave without a creamy crème brûlée and a glass of cognac.
Dublin Square Irish Pub & Eatery
This traditional Irish pub and restaurant is the place to find tasty pub food and great drinks while you watch a sports game or live music. When the weather is nice, guests can enjoy the patio area outside and watch the locals pass by; otherwise, the interior is quite atmospheric. The simple dishes present the best of Irish cuisine using fresh ingredients and classic recipes. Try the tender corned beef and cabbage, the savory shepherd’s pie, or the batter-fried fish and chips with an added hint of spice. Sandwiches, soups, and salads are also available. Not to mention, there is a whole list of drinks made with Guinness.
Buzzard Billy’s Flying Carp Café
Buzzard Billy’s brought its excellent cuisine to La Crosse when it opened its second location on Pearl Street. Located in a brick hotel from the 1860s, in the historic downtown, this restaurant also has a 1950’s-style co*cktail lounge. The menu offers authentic New Orleans-style cuisine – for a bit of everything, try the Cajun combo, served with a blackened catfish fillet, jambalaya, seafood gumbo, and hushpuppies. The red beans and rice with spicy Andouille and the crawfish étouffée are both popular dishes as well.
The Root Note
The Root Note is an art cafe and music venue that serves Kickapoo coffee, Rishi Tea, and locally made food including delicious crêpes, soups, and salads. Try a savory crêpe, like the Baby Blue, made with red pepper, spinach, green onion, and garlic sautéed with Wisconsin white wine, crumbled bleu cheese, and a fried egg. The many sweet crêpes include banana and Nutella, berries and cream, and honey and lemon.
Freighthouse Restaurant
One of the best places to find steaks in La Crosse is Freighthouse Restaurant. Located in a historic building, the restaurant offers succulent steaks including a 20-ounce engineer’s prime rib, 14-ounce New York pepper steak, and 12-ounce sirloin teriyaki. Every steak is made with high-quality beef and is naturally aged and hand cut every day. The menu also has seafood options, a fresh vegetable salad bar, and daily specials. And if you haven’t indulged too much, try the chocolate Oreo pie or quadruple chocolate mousse pie for a sweet finish to the meal.
Piggy’s
Piggy’s Restaurant is on the second floor of a historic building dating back to 1871. The restaurant has an on-site smoker where every prime rib, pork chop, swordfish, and chicken is smoked to perfection. The menu changes seasonally to accommodate the freshest veggies and seafood. Try the peppered swordfish or shrimp and sea scallops. The restaurant has been in this location since 2004, and on the lower level, guests can find a charming Blues Lounge. Every Friday and Saturday a new blues band plays in the lounge, making it a great place for a weekend nightcap.
Piggy’s, 501 Front St S, La Crosse, WI, USA, +1 608 784 4877
Howie’s on La Crosse
This restaurant is a landmark in La Crosse. The casual establishment offers gourmet burgers, sandwiches, homemade pizzas, and more. The juicy burgers are some of the most popular menu options. Try the Howie Burger, which is made with two fresh patties topped with Swiss and cheddar cheeses, applewood bacon, and Howie’s Dynamite sauce. Alternatively sink your teeth into the Kansas City Crunch, which is topped with smoked pork, homemade coleslaw, provolone cheese, barbecue sauce, and barbecue kettle chips for a crunchy finish. Fresh versions of simple, American classics are served with no-fuss at Howie’s.
Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.
Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.
Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.
Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.
We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.
