Joshua Schmidt grew up eating his grandma’s food in her home in Saarland Germany when the family would make their annual trip back to his mother’s home country. Now the Hudson community is eating his grandmother’s food on a daily basis at the Winzer Stube. “I’m proud of this restaurant because it’s my family’s heritage and we use my grandmother’s recipes and people love the food just as much as we did when I was growing up,” he said. Some of those popular items that made the transition from the “tabelle der Oma” to the restaurant menu are the veal strips, “any schnitzel,” Schmidt said and …

The Valley House is well known for the wedding receptions and banquets and the large space it has. But co-owner Sheena Peterson said people might be surprised to know the restaurant is open during the week for dinner service. “We’re open Tuesday through Saturday and the kitchen is open from 5-9 (p.m.),” she said. One of the highlights of the week is a Friday night buffet, she said.The all-you-can-eat option has a large variety of meats: fish, chicken, shrimp and ribs. Salad and soup and many other fixings make the dinner a dining experience. Peterson said The Valley House “totes the best …

When Paul Kremer was asked what separates Dick’s Bar & Grill from other eateries in town, the manager answered with a history lesson. “It’s the oldest continuously running bar in Wisconsin,” he said. It was established in 1860 and has grown throughout the years. “From 1853 to 1866, new buildings and businesses came to Hudson. One of those buildings was Hendees Hall. Built on the spot where Dick's Bar & Grill stands today, Hendees Hall was not only a meeting place for Hudson's council members and militia, but it also served as a social gathering place,” according to the website. The hall …

Seasons Tavern is ready to prove they have the best burger in town through the first Rivertown Burger Battle. The restaurant, along with Agave Kitchen, Dick's Bar & Grill, Kaladi’s 2.0, Uncle Mike’s M-Pour-E-Yum Sports Bar and Event Center and the Village Inn Sports Bar & Grill, are all battling it out in the burger ring. But the only "blood" to be seen in this battle would be that in a raw burger – the stunt is a fundraiser for Autism through Western Wisconsin Autism Advocacy and Consulting Center. Customers can buy a $25 card through any of the participating restaurants or the advocacy …

Movies and popcorn are basically synonymous with each other but Hudson Cinema 12 manager Lyn Francois is trying to expand that idea. The theatre serves a variety of hot food for movie goers including pizza, White Castle burgers, all-beef hot dogs, Freschetta Flats and pretzel bites. "It’s a way for people to get something other than the popcorn and pop when they come to the movie," Francois said. "We’re always looking for the next ‘hot’ thing." All of the hot food is made to order and cooked in a turbo oven between 20 seconds and just over two minutes for a large pizza. The lines still go …

Hudson got sweeter in 2005 when Sweet Butter Cakery opened and has stayed sweeter ever since. Co-owner Cathi Herriman said they opened the shop in Hudson to bring something a little different to the area. "The town already sees a certain amount of tourism," she said. "(Hudson) is seen as a destination location so it’s a good spot for the shop." But, she said, foot traffic to their shop atop the hill tucked behind a Holiday gas station and Lady Katherine’s isn’t their main source of business. "Custom-ordered cake is our primary business," she said. And specialty cakes, they do. Especially …

It’s Raider football season and once again the concession stands are packed. This year Gwen Gierke and Lesa Koski are in charge of the fundraising concession booths at home games throughout the season. The eats feature some of the edible staples around town. RJ’s Meats provides meat for hamburgers, hotdogs and bratwursts and Dough Boys brings the pizza. "These companies are such great supporters of the schools and athletic department so it’s important to serve their products," Gierke said. One of the featured foods at the games is a meal deal with a hot dog, burger or brat along with a bag of…

Teriyaki Cuisine is now open and ready to get customers in and out and back to work over the lunch hour, said manager Tao Lor. Lor has been managing the site, which used to be Grubs Pizzeria, for a few years and recently switched the restaurant to a west Asian menu. "I looked around town and there are some Asian restaurants but not one in Hudson that has the same type of food we carry," she said. "We’re the only one with the teriyaki style." The quality of the food is important, she said, but a significant portion of the focus there is to make the customer’s visit quick. "Many people have a …

Don’t be fooled by his Italian-sounding name, Michael Fassino is all about the beef—corned beef. As the owner of Paddy Ryan’s Irish Pub and Restaurant that’s a great thing. "We have authentic Irish recipes from all over Ireland; north, south, east and west," he said. Both Fassino and his wife Connie have Irish heritage so opening the restaurant in the growing part of town celebrating their roots made sense. "There are a lot of people with Irish heritage in the area. In Hudson, River Falls, New Richmond and obviously St. Paul," he said. "We get a lot of pull from all of those areas." He is …

Jaysen Jones is the "owner, operator, head chef, dish washer, server, advertising and promotions manager and everything else" of Kaladi’s Restaurant 2.0. He took over the restaurant that’s been in town for five years last December and takes immense pride in the food he serves. "I literally live and breathe this place," he said. "If I get a complaint about the food it bothers me for a week." The food, and atmosphere, he said are all "casual." Jones said he focuses on keeping a "tongue-in-cheek" feel to the place. "Our website, Facebook page, menu and décor are all laid back," he said. "We don’…

Bring up Italian heritage in North Hudson and MTV’s Jersey Shore or HBO's Sopranos are likely not the first things people think of—it’s Pepper Fest. Pepper Fest food specifically. Anita Stilwel has been organizing the festival’s food for the past 10 years and her favorite is the reliable dago loaf sandwich. "I’m going to get in trouble for this but the dago is my favorite," she said fresh out from under the food tent. "Dagos are our signature, that and our stuffed pepper." Unlike food at other community festivals, there is not food on a stick at Pepper Fest. Staples are Kozy Korner’s pizza, …

In 2004 The Nova opened with 10 wine selections, a George Foreman Grill and a pizza oven. It’s since grown to a fully operational restaurant with an ever-changing menu. "When we started we only had small appetizers and many of them were cold. We are now a full restaurant and have been producing a very eclectic and diverse menu in the last four years," manager Tyrrell Gaffer said. Appetizers range from cheese plates to shrimp and scallop dishes, salads and pizzas. Popular entrees are salmon, filet migon, pasta and shrimp curry. The chef has free range to run a special appetizer, pasta and …

Cravings Delivered is twisting the pizza-perfected delivery service and delivering anything from Hudson to anyone in Hudson for $5. Dustin Smith opened Cravings Delivered about a month ago and is bringing Hudsonites any food they get a craving for from any  restaurant, or restaurants, in town. “A customer will call me, tell me what they want from what restaurant, or even more than one restaurant if they want. I’ll order it from the restaurant, get it and deliver it to the customer quickly so it will be hot and fresh,” Smith said. Conceptualization for the company, Smith said, was inspired by …

What started as a take-out and delivery-only operation on the skirts of town has grown into a downtown Hudson pizza shop. Dough Boys Pizza has relocated to 529 Second St. nestled between Pier 500 and the Phipps Center. The lease was nearly up at the old place on the hill and owner Chad Hoyt said he was looking for a place  that would bring in more foot traffic. The move comes after nearly four years at the old spot. One of the challenges, Hoyt said, will be to get customers down to the new spot –but many of the customers over the first three weeks have been regulars checking out the new place…

It’s Booster Days — time to get full of cheese curds, corn dogs and mini donuts. Fun Food Factory has three food stands downtown Hudson to satisfy fair fare craving this weekend. Cindy Neuber, co-owner of Fun Food Factory, said the best items across the three menus are the cheese curds and corn dogs because the recipe is made from scratch and they’re among the best-selling items. Prices range from $6 for special funnel cakes to $5 for a jumbo hot dog to $2 for bottled water to $1.50 for a bag of popcorn. However, she said, in Hudson the most popular item each year are the mini donuts. “In the…

In 2008 Henry Chan had to renew his driver’s license, so he drove on Carmichael  Road past the vacant Country Kitchen building and thought it’s be a good place to open Shanghai Bistro. “It was an accident,” he said of finding and acquiring the place. After he called the listed number he found out who the property manager was, and that he knew him, and got the building. “He said if you want it, it’s yours,” Chan said. “All of a sudden there was Hudson’s Shanghai Bistro.” The “upscale casual” eatery with live jazz music, a modest patio and sushi buffet, Chan said, is a far cry from the old …

Mike and Sue Kinney opened Hudson’s Uncle Mike’s M Pour E Yum about a year-and-a-half ago after working in the bar and restaurant industry for 20 years. “When I was managing (bars and restaurants) I said I’d never own one,” Mike  Kinney said. “But, I got hungry and you gotta get something to eat somehow.” Uncle Mike’s is east of town and located at the former JR Ranch Equipment Sales location and converted it to a large bar and dining room. Mike Kinney said the expansive space brings the establishment unique opportunities – like the ability to host weddings, reunions, benefits and car shows…

For 22 years Barker’s Bar and Grill in downtown Hudson has been the place to go for consistent bar foods. Owner Pete Foster likes it that way. “Chicken wings and burgers are why people come to Barker’s,” he said. “We serve American style upscale bar and grill food. It’s burgers, chops, steaks and salads.” Though burgers may be Foster’s meal ticket, he said the best dish on the menu is the yellow fin tuna melt. “I have not seen that on a menu anywhere else,” he said. “It’s sushi, high-grade tuna and very unique.” The creation came from the one of the restaurant’s specials a few years ago. “It …

Urban Olive & Vine is still in its inaugural year but a strong identity has been created. Timm opened her store in July 2010 downtown in one of the city’s oldest buildings. “The space has such character and charm and it lends itself beautifully to what I wanted the space to be,”said store owner Kay Timm. “As a bedroom community of the Twin Cities and a resort town on its own, Hudson is the best of both worlds for my store.” Timm said her favorite dish is a smoked salmon cooked plate with filets of smokes salmon, chopped eggs, onions and greens served with dilled cream cheese, capers and fresh…

This week's Edible Hudson is a little different. The venue? Your own backyard, with the help of Croix Valley Steak Sauce. Despite this week's snowfall, grilling season is officially upon us. Croix Valley Steak Sauce offers tasty options to spice up your favorite flame-kissed meal. "It all kind of goes back to 1996 when I opened a steakhouse with my parents in northern Wisconsin," said Damon Holter, owner of Croix Valley Steak Sauce. " I actually developed our original steak sauce back then to be used as the house sauce to be served with all meals. A lot of people asked if I would bottle and …