Oak Creek's Pineapple Cafe A Favorite For Patch Readers

OAK CREEK, WI — The pineapple is a traditional symbol of hospitality in a legend that goes back hundreds of years.

Sandra Madrigal, owner and operator of The Pineapple Cafe in Oak Creek, says that very legend is the symbol behind Oak Creek's most popular Mexican restaurant.

"A lot of people don't realize that the pineapple is the symbol of hospitality - that it is a symbol welcoming you into their business," she said.

When Oak Creek Patch.com asked readers what their favorite Mexican restaurant was in Oak Creek, Pineapple Cafe came in first place with the most mentions on Facebook.

If you go, Madrigal says to try their signature Pollo Pepic, a chicken dish that marinates for three days to achieve the right flavor. "A lot of people say it has some fusion to it, between Asian and Hawaiian," she told Patch.

Other specialties include a house-made chicken chorizo where the chicken is ground in-house as well as their fajitas - borne of a 30-year-old family recipe.

During the busy lunch hour, the Pineapple Cafe features a "Pineapple Express" menu that gets customers in and out the door during their busy work schedules.

They feature a traditional breakfast, and also specialize in a Mexican breakfast menu that's grown in popularity. Why have sunny side up eggs with toast when one can have huevos rancheros or huevos con chorizo y papas?

Pineapple Cafe and Mexican Grill

7864 S Howell Ave, Oak Creek, WI 53154
Hours: 7AM–9PM
Menu: mypineapplecafe.com
Reservations: opentable.com
Phone: (414) 304-5756

For Madrigal, owning and operating the Pineapple Cafe is a real family affair. Growing up in Racine in the 1990s, Madrigal saw restaurant operations firsthand as her parents opened Los Mariachis in Racine.

With a husband that specializes as a Mexican cuisine chef by trade, it's commonplace to see husband-and-wife working side-by-side at the Pineapple Cafe.

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images via oak creek patch credit: scott anderson