Want to savor the flavors of the Spring Green area? Here are some places to start.
SPRING GREEN — Think of the small village of Spring Green, and you probably think of American Players Theatre or Taliesin, the estate of famed Wisconsin architect Frank Lloyd Wright.
The minds behind the nonprofit Savor the River Valley want you to think of something else: delicious, fresh food made by people in the community.
Savor began in 2021 to boost food tourism in the lower Wisconsin River Valley. More than 40 businesses from Spring Green and other area municipalities — farmers, retailers and restaurateurs — are now part of the organization, which offers wintertime cooking classes, and spring and summer events promoting its members.
Got a curious mind and an empty stomach? Here are five places to start.
Wander Provisions
A few years ago on the Fourth of July, Kyle Anderson was sitting with some friends by the Wisconsin River eating what she described as a "really, really sad collection of items."
As she snacked on Doritos and old cheese, the idea for her now four-year-old deli and specialty grocery store, Wander Provisions, was born. At 128 Albany St., in Spring Green, you'll find deli sandwiches and salads and grab-and-go items from area producers — the perfect way to buy local if you're just stopping through town.
Make sure to check out the map of Wisconsin on the store wall — it's surrounded by business cards that Adams crafted herself that feature all the businesses she stocks from, what they carry and how far they are from Spring Green. Eighty-five percent of her food is sourced in-state.
The business's slogan is, "Go outside. Take a snack." In other words, don't be caught munching Doritos by the water if you can swing by Wander instead.
Sky Blue Pink Bakery
Tucked into a small storefront at 176 S. Washington St., in Spring Green, Sky Blue Pink Bakery is named for the favorite color of co-owner Bazile Booth's grandfather. Inside, you'll find scrumptious and unique baked goods — both sweet and savory — including pão de queijo, a Brazilian cheese bread.
Booth and her partner, David Pedersen, also run Soups! I Did It Again, which offers gourmet vegetarian and vegan soups made with locally sourced ingredients. The soups can be ordered online and are also sold at some grocery stores.
Check their Facebook page for the most up-to-date offerings and the dates and times the bakery is open.
The Frozen Local
Just around the corner from Wander Provisions is The Frozen Local, a one-of-a-kind shop selling ice cream, gelato, sorbet, and baked goods from Future Fruit Farm and other local producers.
You'll have a hard time picking which flavor to choose with unique options like elderberry, pear sorbet, cantaloupe sage honey wafer, and even beet with citrus fennel marmalade. According to its website, the storefront is a means to support family farms.
Arcadia Books
Not only does this bookstore have a rich collection of books you can browse for hours, you can enjoy a drink and a sweet treat while you do it.
Located at 102 E. Jefferson St., in Spring Green, Arcadia Books is also home to a coffee bar that offers espresso, tea and other drinks. There's bakery up front, and soups, salads and sandwiches from local producers (including Wander Provisions and Soups! I Did It Again) stocked in a nearby fridge.
Once you've picked out a book and something to eat and drink, settle in at a sun-drenched table by the windows to enjoy it all.
Homecoming and Reunion restaurants
Partners Kyle Beach and Leah Spicer were living in Asheville, North Carolina, when the COVID-19 pandemic hit and they decided to come home to the region where Spicer was born. Today, they're operating two Spring Green restaurants — Homecoming and Reunion — that source ingredients from local producers.
"We want to serve the freshest, most delicious things that pop out of the ground around here," Beach told the Journal Sentinel.
Reunion, the newer of the two ventures, is located in an old bank building at 134 W. Jefferson St. The supper-club inspired restaurant opened in 2023 and serves delicious cocktails and an ever-changing food menu based on what's in season.
Homecoming operates out of the White School, a more than century-old former schoolhouse building at 242 N. Lexington Ave. More casual than Reunion, the restaurant doesn't take reservations and is open limited hours April through October, serving wood-fired pizzas, apps and salads. Enjoy your meal among friends at a table behind the building.
Madeline Heim is a Report for America corps reporter who writes about environmental issues in the Mississippi River watershed and across Wisconsin. Contact her at 920-996-7266 or mheim@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Want to be a 'food tourist' in the Spring Green area? Start here.
