What’s The Deal with Wisconsin’s Iconic Fish Fry Side?
If you’ve ever had a Wisconsin fish fry, you’ve probably noticed it. Fried fish. Coleslaw. Rye bread. And sitting right next to it, potato pancakes, usually with applesauce or sour cream. At some point, most people ask the same question.
Why do Wisconsin Fish Fries always have Potato Pancakes?
The Wisconsin Fish Fry Tradition
The Friday fish fry isn’t just a menu item in Wisconsin. It’s a routine.
The tradition goes back to Catholic practices of avoiding meat on Fridays. Fish became the default, and over time, restaurants across the Midwest built entire menus around it. In Wisconsin, it stuck in a bigger way than almost anywhere else.
Today, fish fries are everywhere. Supper clubs, small-town bars, restaurants in cities. It’s one of the most consistent food traditions in the state.
But the fish isn’t the only thing that stuck.
Where Potato Pancakes Come From
Potato pancakes didn’t originate in Wisconsin. They come from German and Eastern European cuisine, where variations like kartoffelpuffer (Germany) and latkes (Eastern Europe) have been around for generations.
Wisconsin has a strong German heritage, especially in rural areas and small towns. When immigrants settled here in the 1800s, they brought their food traditions with them.
Potato pancakes were simple, cheap, and filling. Made from grated potatoes, onions, and a few basic ingredients, they were easy to cook and widely available.
They fit perfectly into the kind of food culture that was already developing in the region.
How Potato Pancakes Became Part of the Fish Fry
Fish fries and potato pancakes didn’t start together, but they came from the same communities. German and Eastern European immigrants influenced both sides of the meal. Fish for Friday dinners. Potato-based dishes as everyday staples.
When restaurants and supper clubs started building out fish fry menus, potato pancakes were an easy addition. They were already familiar, inexpensive to make, and paired well with fried fish.
Over time, it stopped being optional. It became expected.
Why Wisconsin Kept the Tradition
Other places had the same ingredients: Catholic communities, German immigrants, and Friday fish meals.
But Wisconsin held onto it in a different way.
Part of that comes from the state’s strong supper club culture, where traditions tend to stick. Menus don’t change quickly, and certain combinations become part of the experience.
It also comes down to expectation. If you order a fish fry in Wisconsin, there’s a good chance you’re expecting potato pancakes to be part of it. At this point, Potato Pancakes are part of what makes a Wisconsin fish fry feel complete.
Applesauce or Sour Cream?
If you thought the potato pancakes were a little unexpected, just wait until you see what comes with them.
Applesauce and sour cream are the standard, and yes, they’re both meant to go on the pancakes. It comes straight from the same German and Eastern European traditions that brought potato pancakes here in the first place. Applesauce adds a little sweetness, sour cream adds richness, and both cut through the crisp, fried texture in different ways.
It might sound like an odd combination at first, especially next to fried fish, but it works. That contrast is the whole point. And like most things tied to a Wisconsin fish fry, people tend to have a strong opinion on which one is better.
Some people go with applesauce. Others insist on sour cream. Most places serve both, and there isn’t a definite right answer to which is better. It’s just another layer of a tradition that people take seriously.
More Than Just a Side Dish
Potato pancakes didn’t show up on fish fry plates by accident. They’re the result of immigration, religion, and practicality all overlapping in one place at the right time. What started as separate traditions eventually became one of the most recognizable meals in Wisconsin.
So the next time you sit down for a fish fry and see potato pancakes on the plate, you’re not just looking at a side. You’re looking at a tradition that’s been built over generations.
What are your thoughts? Do you like potato pancakes with your fish fry? Do you prefer applesauce, sour cream, or both? Let us know in the comments and on social media!
