New Glarus: America’s Little Switzerland

Every year, thousands of visitors, including hundreds of Swiss tourists, are drawn to New Glarus to enjoy the atmosphere that thrives here and nowhere else outside of Switzerland. With small-town friendliness and enthusiasm, New Glarus shares its Swiss heritage, its chalet-style architecture, its famous ethnic festivals, and a wealth of specialty shops and restaurants serving savory Swiss food. We heard a few times over the weekend that you may not arrive Swiss, but you become Swiss in New Glarus.

There are two museums in New Glarus to visit, the Chalet of the Golden Fleece Museum and the Swiss Historical Village, which has actual buildings build by the pioneer settlers of the area. We spent most of our time wandering around downtown and participating in activities which were part of the annual Wilhelm Tell Festival.

Visiting the specialty shops was our favorite activity, and we loved sampling all the Swiss cheeses, meats, and chocolates at the ethnic food stores. The Primrose Winery offers free tastings, and beer from the New Glarus Brewery is served all over town.

Quick Tips:

Do: Make a picnic. Visit Reuf’s Meat Market to pick out some sandwich meat, the Maple Leaf to pick up some cheese, and the famous New Glarus Bakery for the bread. All three shops are located on the same short block. Head to New Glarus Woods State Park, which is less than a mile away.

Don’t: Forget to try a Spotted Cow, a light beer made by the New Glarus Brewery.

Do: Bring your bike if you have one. The Sugar River State Trail is a 23-mile trail which winds through scenic farmlands and connects New Glarus, Monticello, Albany, and Brodhead. Ride as short or as long as you want. There is a .00 charge to use the trail for cyclists 16 years and older.

Suggested local dishes to try: Fondue and Lindt chocolate.

Best Way To Get Around:

This is a little town in southwestern Wisconsin. Unless you bike into town, the only way to get there is with your car. Once you are there, walking around is do-able because the downtown area is comprised of two square blocks.

The New Glarus Hotel and Chalet Landhaus Inn are the two main hotels in New Glarus, Wisconsin. There are also several bed-and-breakfasts available. Located right off of Highway 69, Chalet Landhaus is very easy to find. The 4-square-block "downtown" New Glarus is only a block away. Downtown is between 6th and 4th Avenues, and the Chalet Landhaus Inn is on the corner of Highway 69 and 6th. All you have to do after you walk out the front door is cross the parking lot over to 6th Street, and then you can wander through town.

The building is made from three adjoining chalets. The chalet in the center is the tallest and has four floors. The chalet on the left houses a few rooms, but also has the new pool, hot tub, sauna, and workout room. We had a "family" room on the third floor. Their family room is a large room, the size of two standards, with four full-sized beds in it. There is a round table in the center of the room and plenty of closet and dresser space. The bathroom has dual sinks outside of the tub and toilet area. The rooms do have air conditioning, but we did not need it on the cool fall weekend we were there, and we were able to have the windows open and enjoy the fresh air. There was a small television complete with full digital cable and what must have been about 40 channels, including Food Network, Travel Channel, and several cartoon and Disney channels as well.

The pool is a nice size, but the best feature is the large, 10-person hot tub, which is also in the pool area. The workout room only has three pieces of equipment, but if you want some exercise, you can walk around town or bike the Sugar River State Trail.

Chalet Landhaus is known for its restaurant and also for being a fine hotel. In the evening, many visitors and locals head here for a nice dinner. A breakfast buffet was included in the price of our room and it was held in the main restaurant. You are handed tickets at check-in to be used at breakfast, since the brunch is open to the public. They served delicious scrambled eggs, hash browns with Swiss cheese, ham, and sausage as hot foods. There is also a full spread of Swiss pastries and breads. Dry cereal is also available, along with orange juice and milk. They serve coffee and tea directly at the table.

Flannery’s Wilhelm Tell Restaurant bills itself as serving both Swiss and American food. Since this would be our first meal in "America’s Little Switzerland" we couldn’t wait for some good weiner schnitzel. However, we did not think the kids would really like the food and since they served American food also, we were confident that the kids could find something. This is one of the few restaurants that does not have a children’s menu.

As soon as you walk in the restaurant you notice that they concentrate on the "Flannery’s" part of the title. The walls are covered with Irish saying, posters and leprechaun figurines. In the front is a large bar with plenty of room to enjoy a drink. They also have a popcorn cart which they pop fresh popcorn and place in bowls all over the bar top.

The dining room is in back of the bar and we were seated at the far end. For appetizers we ordered the classic fondue. This would be the kids’ first taste and I really thought they would like dipping their bread in melted cheese. The fondue was sub-par and the kids did not like it at all, nor did we. The Swiss cheese used was very strong, but it was the heavy use of alcohol that spoiled the taste.

We ordered the weiner schnitzel I was craving and the Saturday special, prime rib. The kids had a hamburger and a French dip. We ordered the large prime rib, which was cut about two inches thick. It was cooked perfect and was very good, but the piece of meat was incredibly fatty. Unfortunately I was very disappointed with the weiner schnitzel. Yes, I have been to Munich and had the real thing and that is what I compared it with. Being an ethnic town I expected great food to match. Instead of one large slice of meat, I was served three little cutlets which were uniformly oval in shape. I think it came out of package because the breading was also very even and thin.

We spent $85 on this meal, which was the most expensive meal of the trip, and we were highly disappointed. The only good thing at this restaurant was the service. Our waitress was very friendly and attentive. Also, they served beer from the New Glarus Brewery, which is excellent! In sum, visit Flannery’s for a good beer while watching the game, but don’t stay for dinner.

You must eat here on your visit. Glarner Stube is fabulous and is everything you can expect from an ethnic restaurant in a small ethnic town. Great food, service, and atmosphere. Oh yeah, the beer is good too.

Glarner Stube in located in the middle of downtown New Glarus. The hostess told me they are known for their cheese fondue and it looked great, but we did not try it. Other appetizers offered are a Wisconsin cheese plate, fried cheese curds, and schublig.

We visited a lunchtime and were pleased to find a variety of good food at reasonable prices. Standard sandwiches on the menu include hamburger, cheeseburger, reuben, chicken breast, and a tuna melt. Other sandwich specialties include their New Glarus steak, bratwurst, grilled corned beef, fillet of perch, grilled ham and Swiss, and portabello mushroom. I had the pork schnitzel sandwich, which was out of this world. The brought a thinly sliced piece of grilled pork, which was bigger than the bun they placed it on.

There is also a nice selection of ala carte side dishes. I had their house soup which was a type of vegetable soup and is out of this world. To go with my sandwich I also ordered up a side of sauerkraut. The sauerkraut is fabulous and was delivered with a bit of Swiss cheese melted and the combination is extra tasty.

For dinner at Glarner Stube you can look forward to a variety of steaks, fish, shrimp, pork chops, and chicken. Their house special is a cheese fondue dinner, and other Swiss specialties include wiener schnitzel, schublig, kalberwurst, Swiss meatballs, geschnetzelets, bratwurst dinner, pastetli, and a vegetarian sampler.

On a bizarre note, if the men at your table have to use the facilities during their meal, they will see the world’s largest urinal. It may seem out of place considering you are in "America’s Little Switzerland", which is such a small town where you do not expect to find the "world’s largest" anything. The only reason I know about this bit of trivia is because as I was enjoying a cool glass of spotted cow at the bar, I noticed pictures of a urinal in their postcard rack. I sent the boys in to check it out, and they assured me it is huge.

Jimmy’s is the place to go for some good old-fashioned American comfort food. This is also a good place for a meal in case you overdose on Swiss food at the other restaurants in town. A kids' menu offers standard burgers, chicken strips, and grilled-cheese sandwiches. The regular menu offers pasta, salads, a great variety of unique burgers, sandwiches, prime rib, and other American standards.

In the heart of downtown New Glarus, Jimmy’s is known as one of the best country pubs in Green County to offer both good food and good music. Bands like the Huber Music Company play here throughout the week. The musicians set up near the front door and the crowd faces them. On nice Sunday afternoons, the deck fills up with people from all over the country who come for the hearty grub.

We ate dinner here one night. I had a Deluxe Grilled Cheese Sandwich, which was a grilled cheese on rye with cheese, tomato and bacon. Since I had a cold, this was the perfect comfort food. The sandwich was great, but the split-pea soup was mediocre. The others had burgers and a chicken sandwich, all of which were very tasty.

Jimmy’s Restaurant is owned by Jimmy Knox, a local farmer. He refurbished the 1880s corner building, where Al Capone allegedly used to hang out. There are lots of ghost stories for the building as well. You can expect to see all different kinds of people in this bar. The weekend we were visiting happened to be the 100th anniversary of Harley Davidson, which was being celebrated in nearby Milwaukee. Many attendees made a stop in New Glarus and stopped into Jimmy’s for a Spotted Cow, made by the local New Glarus Brewery. You will also see yuppies, farmers, and tourists of all sorts here.

On the corner of 5th Avenue and 2nd Street, you will find an eclectic Rocky Mountain shop. Roughing It features handmade furniture, unique gifts, and well-made clothing. The store has exposed brick walls adorned with heads of game animals, antler chandeliers, wooden counters, shelves, and a staircase leading upstairs.

When you first walk in, you will be greeted by a life-size bear up on his hind legs, carved out of wood. To the left are a few shelves of cute moose and black-bear figurines. Look around for unique craft items like picture frames, welcome signs, candles, and coasters. There is a wall with food items, including some of the best pumpkin butter we have ever tasted. Several nature books are for sale as well. There is even a Christmas tree filled with ornaments to choose from.

In the back of the first floor are clothing items such as dresses, outfits, shorts, night shirts, pajamas, T-shirts, and socks. A large selection of shoes includes original moccasins and other shoes from Minnetonka. Jewelry and other quality items can be found in the glass cases lining the counter. The kids were attracted to the "canned animals," which are various small stuffed animals (beavers, bald eagles, buffalo, black bears, etc.) which come in a can. These are a very cute gift idea for about $12.50 each.

Upstairs is where you will find the furniture. I guarantee you will want to buy it all up for that log cabin you have always been dreaming about one day owning. Every one of us had to sit on the large leather couch at the top of the stairs. It is made from worn brown leather, but the backing of the cushions has wildlife animals, a large bear and a large moose, imposed on them. We walked around in wonder at all the various uses of leather and pictures of wolves and other animals. We found a picture of a wolf, and its frame looks to be made from a log, split into four pieces, and perfectly fitted together. It is stained and polished . . . absolutely beautiful.

You can find almost anything for your home. They have a wide variety of unique beds, tables, couches, chairs, artwork, plates, pillows, blankets, lights, lamps, chandeliers . . . you name it. My very favorite item is a table and chair set for a small kitchen or eating area. The entire set was made from wood with very dark bark on the outside. The table seems to be made from a thick tree with just a slice cut out and polished up real nice. The table is higher than normal and the chairs are actually stools. The stools are miniature versions of the table itself and swirled around very smoothly, which is surprising since it looks stiff, being made from all wood.

Visit them online at www.roughingitinstyle.com.

The Maple Leaf Cheese and Chocolate Shoppe is a classic little Swiss store. Outside, it is prettily landscaped with trees and bushes laid out in front of the white building, which resembles a house. Along the side are sets of tables and chairs under umbrellas in case the patrons would like to enjoy the weather on a nice day. In front of the shop is a large cow painted with green maple leaves all over his back and the store logo emblazoned on his side.

Inside, you will find several Swiss delicacies. On the left side of the shop are a wide variety of cheeses. We purchased some baby-fine Swiss cheese and other unique cheeses.

The right side of the store is mostly dedicated to their chocolate selection. Rows of candies and Swiss products are displayed on shelves. Against the window is a wall full of Swiss chocolates like Lindt and Toblerone. This store had the widest selection of Lindt chocolates we have ever seen. Choices include a pistachio chocolate bar, white chocolate with crème, and even 97% pure dark chocolate.

A counter runs along the back of the store and allows customers to handpick their items. Here are some of the finest treats the Maple Leaf Cheese and Chocolate Shoppe have to offer. Choose from over ten flavors of handmade ice creams and then decide if you would like your scoop on a handmade regular or waffle cone. The smell of the freshly made waffle cones permeates the air of the store and is subtly noticed as soon as you enter. Flavors like Orange Pudding, Lady Bug, Maple Nut, Butterscotch, and Elephants Tracks are available.

My favorite counter was, of course, the fudge counter, where I found a variety of over 12 types of handmade fudge. They allow their customers to mix and match, so you can try several varieties and only purchase one pound. They offer a special: ¼ pound of fudge free with every pound you purchase. With only a pound and a half of fudge, which was about $15, we bought 7 varieties of fudge. The standards, like plain chocolate, chocolate with walnuts, peanut butter swirl, and chocolate mint are offered alongside creative types of fudge like Rum Chocolate Walnut, Fudge with Butterfinger, Amaretto Chocolate Swirl, Heath English Toffee Chunks, Chocolate Malt, and Maple Nut. I really wish I could recommend which fudge was the best, but unfortunately there was not one we did not fall in love with.

The Bramble Patch is a tiny little shop located in the 5th Avenue Shoppes that has a full variety of Amish jams, no-sugar jams, gourmet mustards, and other foods. Their top sellers of jams are The McDowell Family’s Bumbleberry Spread and Wisconsin Special. Bumbleberry Spread is made from raspberries, strawberries, and blueberries while the Wisconsin Special contains a mixture of cranberries, cherries, and apples. We purchased them both.

While we love jams and jellies, we are really mustard people. We try to find unusual mustards on all of our trips. There were a few samples set out to taste throughout the store and we fell in love with the original Maple Mustard by Spirit Valley. This mustard is a sweet and hot mustard made with pure maple syrup. Yum!

There are several other items available at the Bramble Patch including maple syrup, pancake mixes, honey, and heavenly chocolates. They also sell holiday gift baskets made with a variety of goods. Non-food items are also for sale. They have some beautiful handmade bird and butterfly houses and also sell hand-painted accent pieces and handcrafted holiday décor.

While they currently do not have e-commerce on their website, they do accept phone and email orders, which is a good thing because we will definitely have to get more goodies from this shop.

This miniature golf course is very pretty and has waterfalls, a river, wood bridge, and gazebos throughout. The first hole is simple, but it is right next to a mountain with the two live goats on top! For $0.50 you can buy an ice cream cone filled with feed and give it to the goat as a snack. They are friendly and like to be pet.

As you progress throughout the course each hole become progressively more challenging. There are holes where you need to shoot the ball through a wagon-wheel, through a slide that twists upside down, and even past sand traps. This is a traditional miniature golf course without any animations. The wildest hole is one where you shoot through a large piece of cheese.

Outside of shopping through town, there are not too many family activities, so this miniature golf course has a significant amount of activity. It takes about an hour and a half to get through the course and is fun for the entire family.

The Briar Patch is located in a large Victorian home and offers an eclectic collection of home décor, fine gifts, and quality collectibles. Visitors wander through nine rooms on the first and second floors and find all sorts of fabulous little items. The store is very natural and has their items for sale in places that you would put them in your own house. There is even a resident cat and little white dog.

When you walkthrough the front door, the first room you come to seems to showcase the more expensive and delicate items. Some glass cases are set up with collectibles shown off on the shelves. Here you will find Lenox figurines and a case of snowmen collectibles. The store is very natural and has their items for sale set up on tables in the center of the room. You can walk into a room on the the left for other nice collectibles. In here there is a couch and coffee table set up. You can sit here to browse through some catalogs or sign up for their mailing list.

A few other rooms are further back on the first floor. Walk through a room with kitchen items to find a section of award winning mustards, flavored teas, gourmet coffees, cookies, pickled vegetables, olives, plates, kitchen gadgets, and cookbooks. Past there is a room with a variety of picture frames and other table top and wall items.

Birdhouses and butterfly houses line the steps on the way upstairs and the walls are covered with paintings and clocks. A table with unique wedding items is set up in the center of the upstairs hallway. The highlight of the hallway is the selection of nightlights which are all lit up over an entire wall. A Christmas room offers ornaments and other holiday items. The baby’s room and children’s room are also upstairs, each with eclectic items for their rooms, toys and dolls.

Visit them online at www.thebriarpatchgifts.com.

Roberts European Imports specializes in Swiss, German, Austrian, Norwegian, and Russian imports. Many items are imported directly from artists and craftsmen and are found exclusively at their store. This shop is also the best place to get a New Glarus souvenir. Here you can purchase copies of traditional folk dress such as dirndls, mother/dauther dirndl sets, children’s folk dresses, peasant blouses, milking jackets, and vests. A vide variety of swiss music CDs are available including vocal, choral, instrumental, yodel, alphorn (which sound amazing), march, polka, Landler, and Schottisch. Look for Swiss cooking tools such as fondue supplies, raclette grills and a variety of Swiss and German cookbooks.

Several unique novelty items are available such as Tyrol Teddies (teddy bears), St. Bernard Kegs (what the dogs in the Alps where around their necks), nutcrackers, smokers, and Swiss cow bells. I actually bought a small Swiss cow bell that has Edelweiss painted on the front and says New Glarus to use as an ornament on my Christmas tree. They also have a beautiful collection of Russian nesting dolls.

You can visit them online at www.shopswiss.com. Their website is advertised by the shopswiss.com cow who resides in front of the shop.