About the Author

​Sara Dahmen is a coppersmith, award-winning author and novelist, and entrepreneur. Her expertise is of vintage and modern cookware; she manufactures pure metal kitchenware in her Fredonia, Wisconsin workshop for her company, House Copper & Cookware. All of her current designs are based on American traditions and wares and are sourced in the USA. When unable to recreate traditional elements, she uses only small family owned and operated makers or Armed Forces veterans to help with the production of her cookware pieces. Her work also includes refurbishing and restoring old and damaged copper using vintage tools.  Learn more about Sara at: https://www.saradahmen.com/​  ​

February 14th is Valentine's Day and, though many consider it a "Hallmark" holiday, the celebration actually dates back to Roman times; a fertility festival called "Lupercalia." Times have certainly changed.  Today, Valentine's Day is celebrated by friends, family, and lovers, alike, and whether you need a treat for your kids or a romantic gift for your significant other, there are plenty of great, local choices in Oz.

Chocolate is the most common Valentine's Day gift, and Oz is home to several very fine chocolate shops!  Chocolate Chisel in Port Washington always has fresh, chocolate covered strawberries available for the occasion, as well as a wide variety of milk and dark chocolates to choose from.  A beautiful caramel apple from Amy's Candy Kitchen in downtown Cedarburg makes a wonderful Valentine's gift and, while you're in town, make it a gift from Cedarburg with something from Ashley's Confectionery, too!  If you're in the Grafton area, stop into Sweet Trio  or Handmade with Love for a delicious variety of chocolates, candy and caramel apples, or, if you're in the southern Ozaukee neck of the woods, Mequon has the Cocoa Tree Confectionary. 

Flowers is another Valentine's Day favorite and Oz has the goods!  In Saukville, try Lighthouse Florist; in Grafton, there's the Bloomin Olive.  Cedarburg has Rachel's Roses, while Mequon has La Terre at the Mequon Public Market.

Perhaps the lovely lady in your life has Jewelry in mind?  You can't go wrong with Armbruster Jewelers in Cedarburg or Sharbuno Jewelers in Port Washington; both family businesses who have been in their community for many years.  Wyndrose and Pagoda Fine Jewelry in Cedarburg are also local favorites.

Really, though, does anything say "love" better than Coffee? Check out Java House or Cedarburg Coffee Roastery in Cedarburg, Java Dock or Banjole's Brews in Port Washington, Fiddleheads in Grafton, Mequon, Thiensville and Cedarburg, or Colectivo in Grafton or Mequon.  Also in Mequon is the delightful Cafe 1505, which has treats, breakfast and lunch, and is also a full service coffee bar.

​Looking for a special Dinner out?  In Port Washington, Twisted Willow and the Moonlight Tavern have very special Valentine's Day menus, or hit up Beanies Mexican Restaurant for a Cupid Margarita!  Brandywine in Cedarburg is always a good bet or Shully's Cuisine in Thiensville is offering an amazing "Love Language" Dinner for Valentine's Day that would be hard to pass up.  The new Bistro de Renard at the Foxtown Annex has a lovely looking 5 course Valentine's Day Dinner on Saturday, February 11th, for those who can't bear to go out on a Tuesday night.  No No's in Newburg or Messina Italian Restaurant​ in Saukville are other considerations.

However you share the love, put some Oz into it!  Happy Valentine's Day, everyone.

The end of Winter in Wisconsin means one thing:  Fish Fry!  With Lent going on, your local Catholic Churches (St. John XXIII in Port, St. Joseph's in Grafton and Divine Savior in Fredonia) become a great place to get your fix!  The American Legion in Cedarburg offers a Fish Fry the third Friday of each month from 4-8:30 p.m.  Of course,  Oz has plenty of great restaurants serving up Wisconsin's favorite Friday (and sometimes Wednesday, during Lent) dinner.  Here are some of the best options in Oz to get your Friday Fish Fry!

Port Washington

Fork & Tap  In the heart of Downtown Port Washington, located behind Sherper's at 203 E. Main St., is offering their gluten free Potato Chip Crusted or Beer Battered Cod Fish Fry on Wednesdays as well as Fridays through Lent.

Twisted Willow  Port Washington's Farm-to-Table restaurant, located at 308 N. Franklin St., offers breaded or baked cod, buttered rye bread, house slaw & tartar sauce, potato pancakes or french fries, and clam chowder.

Plier's Full Circle Pub & Restaurant in Port Washington, just across the freeway into Knellsville, probably has the most diverse selection for a Friday Fish Fry, including bluegill, walleye, haddock, tilapia and grouper.

Schooner Pub at 114 N. Franklin St. in Downtown Port serves up cod, perch or shrimp baskets, along with the classic clam chowder.

Yummy Bones BBQ is more known for their barbecue, but they serve a Fish Fry during Lent, only available on Fridays. 5 pieces of fried Cod, fries, a side of cole slaw and a corn bread.

The Beacon, located on the first floor of the Harborview Inn in Dowtown Port Washington, serves up perch, cod or poor man's lobster on Fridays, with a great view of the Lake

Inventors Brewpub is directly across from Veterans Park inside the American Legion (for now - they're building a new site behind the Harbor Center), where you can get unusual craft beers along with your fish fry!

Saukville

The Bog  Reservations are recommended for this restaurant on the golf course located at 3121 County Road I in Saukville.  Call (262) 988-1113.

Riverview Inn in Saukville is best known for their pizza, but they also offer a great Friday Fish Fry Special.  Located at 3172 N Riverside Drive along the Milwaukee River, this little log-cabin themed restaurant can get pretty crowded, but carry-out is available.  Call ahead, as they are not open on a consistent basis.

Newburg

No No's  A traditional supper club on the corner of Highway 33 and County Road Y in Newburg, No No's serves a Friday night Fish Fry, as well as All-You-Can-Eat Smelt every Tuesday and Wednesday from 4-9 p.m.  Call (262) 675-6960 for reservations or more information.

Cork n' Barrel Bar & Grill, at 503 W. Main St. in Newburg, has baked or breaded cod, perch, jumbo shrimp and a choice of fries or potato pancakes.

Grafton

Juice's Ghost Town Restaurant, located at 990 Ulao Rd. in Grafton, offers a very traditional Friday Fish Fry with a choice of Perch, Haddock, or Walleye and either breaded, beer-battered, pan fried, or broiled.  Children's portions are also available.

 Flipside Cafe and Grill  at 2074 Washington St. in Grafton serves a very diverse all-day Friday Fish Fry, but they're not open late, so get on it.

The Stillery, located at 1304 12th Ave. on the corner of the Paramount Plaza, is Grafton's newest restaurant, but many in the area have been going to the original Richfield location for years. The Stillery offers both a Wednesday and Friday Classic Fish Fry, as well as baked cod and other options.

Waubeka

Stony Hill Pub & Grill's menu says they are voted the best fish fry in Ozaukee County, but it doesn't give the source, so you'll have to be the judge.  They do have a good offering of Walleye, Perch, Blue Gill and Cod, but also have an All You Can Eat Smelt option on the menu.  Nothing says Oz like that. 

Belgium

Lake Church Pub & Grill  Located at 690 County Road D in Belgium, this humble little restaurant and Inn has quite a reputation for a good Friday Fish Fry.  Perch, Walleye, Cod, Shrimp, and Poor Man's Lobster are all served between 4:30 and 9:30 p.m.

Luxembourg Cafe, right off the freeway in Belgium (formerly Hobo's), offers a perch or cod Friday Fish Fry until 8 p.m.

Friestadt

The Landmark in Friestadt is such a local gem it doesn't even have a website or social media, but they have a worthy Friday Fish Fry and they are the stuff of Ozaukee legends.  Located at 10634 W. Friestadt Rd.

Thiensville

Remington's River Inn, right on the Milwaukee River in downtown Thiensville, offers beer battered cod or poor man's lobster with the usual sides.

Daily Taco doesn't seem like the place to get a fish fry, but if you liked the award-winning fish fry from the cheel, this is it: lightly fried in a chickpea & rice flour gluten-free batter, served with golden raisin slaw, Mexican basmati rice, side of house tartar and a wedge of lemon.

Skippy's Burger Bar is known, of course, for their burgers, but they do offer a Friday Fish Fry, including a Breaded Lake Perch and a Southern Crusted Blue Gill option, as well as a beer battered, grilled or Cajun option.

Libby Montana, located at 5616 W. Donges Bay Road, offers a Friday Fish Fry with hand breaded lake perch, cod, cornmeal crusted catfish, or shrimp, and broiled fish is also available.

Mequon

The Range Line Inn in Mequon was once a stagecoach stop in the early 1800's, but its been serving a good Friday Fish Fry at 2635 W. Mequon Road for a long time.  Open 4:30-10 p.m.Walleye Pike, Perch, a Cod/Perch/Shrimp Combo, Fried or Baked Cod, or the Catch of the Day, which is often flown in fresh.

Spanky's Hideaway at 5208 County Line Rd. offers a plethora of Friday Fish Fry options, including 

Cedarburg

C. Weisler's is as historic as historic downtown Cedarburg can be, and they serve up a special Fish Fry, including a 3 piece Haddock Plate, a Tilapia Plate, a Lake Perch Plate, and more, from 4:30-9 p.m. every Friday at W61 N493 Washington Ave. in downtown Cedarburg.

The Farmstead in Cedarburg is normally the place to go for steaks, but they do serve a classic Friday Cod Fish Fry, as well.  Located at W61 N493 Washington Ave. and housed in a beautiful old farmhouse, The Farmstead is a local favorite.

Settler's Inn in downtown Cedarburg offers pan fried or baked cod and pan fried walleye or perch for their Friday Fish Fry from 10 a.m. - 2:30 for dine in and 10 a.m. - 7 p.m. for carry-out.  Call ahead to reserve your time slot at (262) 377-1191.

Know of a great Fish Fry in Oz that we missed?  Contact mary@OzaukeeLivingLocal.com and tell us all about it!  Then, take our Best Fish Fry in Oz Poll!