Downtown West Bend

Don’t be fooled — having city benefits, small-town vibes and riverside views all at once isn’t too good to be true. In fact, when you live in downtown West Bend, it’s pretty much an everyday experience.

West Bend’s downtown hums at the heart of the sprawling, 15-square-mile city, about 40 minutes northwest of Milwaukee. Main Street is the neighborhood’s central fixture, offering a dynamic selection of eateries, bars and entertainment venues within a walkable, old-timey milieu. You can traverse the main strip from morning until…well, the next morning, starting at Golden Owl Café for a clean-cut coffee and breakfast experience. Lunch and dinner spots include Brazen Head Pub, a classic, Irish-style watering hole where you can order a Guinness to wash down a helping of Fried Fungus. (Yep, you read that correctly. Don’t worry, though — it’s just fried Portabella mushrooms with a side of ranch.) And sister restaurants The Norbert and The Orville serve classy American eats, from tapas-sized tacos to sumptuous steaks. Many of these businesses back up to the Milwaukee River, which provides a serene backdrop for your walk home.

Speaking of home, properties of wildly varying sizes and styles radiate outward from Downtown West Bend. Several condominium and town house developments pop up in the area, including the Lofts at River Shores at the northern end of the downtown strip. Venture farther from Main Street, and you’ll encounter single-family homes from 1920s Cape Cods, Tudors and Bungalows to mid-20th-century ramblers. Some of the area’s newest homes are a mile northeast, where you’ll find Colonials and oversized ranch-style homes from the last couple of decades. These max out around the $500,000 mark, while two-bedroom condos in the area start in the mid-to-high $100,000s.

As you might expect in a riverside city, West Bend residents love to spend time outdoors, especially at Regner Park, just north of downtown. “Regner Park is considered the crown jewel of our park system here in West Bend,” says West Bend Parks, Recreation and Forestry Director Mike Jentsch. Summertime visitors can enjoy pickup games of baseball, softball and tennis or hop in the beachside swimming lake. During the winter, the swimming lake becomes a bustling skating rink. “It’s not all grass and buildings and active recreation,” Jentsch adds. “We have a good-sized wood lot on the property, so if you literally want to go for a nature walk in the middle of West Bend, you can. It’s right there for you.” Meanwhile, Riverside Park covers dozens of acres south of downtown and features a 19-hole disc golf course. And joggers, bikers and the like can enjoy Milwaukee River views along the 3-plus-mile Riverfront Parkway.

Younger residents can enroll in the West Bend School District, home of nine public schools with solid reviews. All five elementary schools in the city have received four-star “Exceeds Expectations” ratings from the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. Kindergarten through fourth grade students in and around downtown are zoned to attend Fair Park, Green Tree or McLane Elementary. Afterward, they can enjoy a steady transition to middle and high school at Silverbrook Intermediate School (grades five through six) and Badger Middle School (seven and eight). Finally, over 2,000 combined ninth through 12th graders attend West Bend East and West High Schools. These two share a facility about six minutes southwest of downtown, each offering 26 Advanced Placement courses.

Downtown West Bend residents have two options on Main Street for grabbing groceries. The West Bend Farmers’ Market hosts over 100 purveyors of fresh produce, baked goods and other products. La Mexicana Grocery Store features rows of Hispanic brand-name products, meat and produce sections and a sit-down restaurant. For a larger selection, head about four minutes west to Sendik’s Food Market. You’ll find other big-name shops in every other direction, too, from Pick n Save to Kohl’s to The Home Depot.

Written By

John Battiston

Photography Contributed By

Richard Ebbers

Video By

Jahlil Harris