Wausau’s Dining Scene Goes Way Beyond Fish Fries and Cheese Curds
901 n. sixth street, dining, food, patricia kay, restaurants, the wright place, wasabi pea encrusted ahi tuna,
When Patricia Kay walked into 901 N. Sixth Street, she knew she’d found the right place for her restaurant, but it wasn’t until later she realized she’d literally found The Wright Place.
“I always wanted to have a fine dining restaurant in a home, and I searched for about a year in the Wausau area until I found it,” she says. “I walked in – and this is the truth – I just said, ‘This is it. This is the right place to be.’”
A few months later, after researching the history of the home, Kay realized her dream had a very literal translation: The structure was built in 1881 by Ely Wright, founder of a local ironworks company. These days, Kay and chef Travis Teska serve everything from escargot and blue cheese baklava to pepper crusted rack of lamb in the 47-seat space, which Kay describes as “romantic and intimate.”
“We have at least one engagement here a week,” Kay says.
History has repeated itself since 1888 at The Mint Café in downtown Wausau, according to owner Joe Pepowski. Joe and his wife, Mary, purchased the breakfast, lunch and dinner spot from a Greek family in 1990, and the menu, which includes gyros and Greek salads, still reflects their influence.
“It’s been wonderful to be a part of different generations of families,” Joe Pepowski says. “We cater a baptism, then the first communion and the next thing we know, we’re catering the wedding.”
But it’s not all Greek to those who have loved The Mint Café for so long; the diverse menu includes homemade soups and pies, and their salmon loaf special every Friday.
And while most people call Hiawatha’s award-winning Friday night fish fry the right way to start the weekend – and who can blame them? – others don’t mind getting a year older just so they can take advantage of the birthday benefits at 2510 Restaurant.
“On your birthday you get a slice of homemade chocolate cake, and you can spin the birthday wheel for free appetizers and desserts,” says owner Roy Heilmeier.
The massive menu has more than 100 items, each made in-house whenever possible.
“We take pride in doing things from scratch,” Heilmeier says. He even added a bakery to 2510 when he says he couldn’t find baked goods of a high enough quality to meet his standards from purveyors. And while everything from their onion frills to gorgonzola salmon brings in more than 5,000 paying customers a week, one Wausau woman ate for free this year on her birthday, and then some.
“We had a lady come in last week who was 101 years old,” Heilmeier said. “I actually paid her 1 percent.”
Story by Danny Bonvissuto
Photo by Jeff Adkins
