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Barbiere's Italian Inn continues to serve its famous garlic bread since 1963

Once a dishwasher, Steve Thalman owns it now
Posted at 6:25 AM, Nov 11, 2020
and last updated 2020-11-11 07:27:18-05

MILWAUKEE — Barbiere’s Italian Inn on West Bluemound Road is making its way through this pandemic. It’s been serving customers here since 1963. Steve Thalman owns it now, but he started here as a dishwasher back in the day.

"The fact that people are coming in still shows me that they love our business and the love our food,” he says. “My employees are like none other, they come in for that too. We have people that have been here for two decades"

One of the most popular items on the menu here is the homemade garlic bread.

"Start to finish we put a lot of hard work into it,” Thalman explains. “We make it all homemade every morning. We get the dough started, we proof it, we bake it, and when it’s coming out it's glorious. People love it. We’ve been selling it for a long time."

The pizza here is delicious. They put a lot into everything they do because they want to get it right.

"Everything is fresh, everything is homemade,” he says. “The pizza crust is made in the mornings when we make the garlic bread. All of the sauce is homemade, we use the very best cheese that you can find. We never skimp on that no matter what's going on. It's a thin, crispy crust and people love it in this neighborhood and all over the place."

“What makes me smile when they call me up and say, ‘Hey Steve, we’re getting off the plane right now. We are bringing and Uber to you to get your food!’ You don't go home to see your family, you’re here to get our food right off the plane. It makes me smile every day.”

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