Why I Love My City: Sam Watts on Milwaukee

Chances are, if you’re a bride-to-be in Milwaukee, you’ve spent an afternoon at Watts Tea Shop and the fine china store underneath. "When my wife and I got married 20 years ago, we registered at Watts. We still have the china we got there," says John Gurda, a Milwaukee journalist and historian. "People know the Watts shop as a landmark."

The shop is 142 years-old, and it's been run by the same family since its opening. Back then, it was a luxury goods store for the "white glove" set. But the store has gradually evolved into a downtown establishment. And its tea shop, which started as a side project, is now the main event, where many a couple have stopped for a meal after planning a registry. The chefs there follow recipes from the 1930s, and serve city classics like sunshine cake and chicken salad sandwiches. Last year, it was awarded a James Beard award because it's an 'American classic.'