Area Spotlights: Savor the River Valley

This week's Area Spotlight is sure to leave you hungry. We're biting into Savor the River Valley, a collection of farmers, retailers, restaurants and all-around food-focused folks right here in our community. Learn more about the work their doing to celebrate local, sustainable and delicious options in the area.

Savor the River Valley

savortherivervalley.org | [email protected]

APT connected with Patti Peltier of Savor the River Valley to learn more about the coalition's origin story, the role community plays in their mission and what you should try out next time your in town. Dig in!

A Little Background

There are so many cool things happening with food in the River Valley, yet it’s easy for visitors to pass through without knowing how to find and connect with them. Savor the River Valley started in the summer of 2021 with a few local people talking about how to increase the visibility of our River Valley food businesses. Pretty much everyone we talked to wanted to be part of our initiative. So, we became a group of farmers, food processors, food retailers and restaurants plus other interested locals working together to connect visitors to our members. We’ve been aided from the start by River Valley Commons, a non-profit whose mission is to increase the well-being of the River Valley community and the people within it. River Valley Commons has provided project management and is our fiscal agent.

Our 40+ members are passionate about what they do. Many of them have done other things in their lives and have followed their dreams to their businesses. It’s interesting to hear their stories and learn about what makes their farm, their business, their products unique. If they have a minute, they’ll be happy to tell you! When you think about what made a trip memorable, it’s often a connection you made, an experience you had. We hope guests use our website to find their way to these memorable experiences. The River Valley is full of them!

The Community

Some of our members are from families who have lived here for generations. Others are newcomers drawn by the beauty of the area and the unique vibe of our local arts orientation. All feel a special connection to the River Valley. Not only are they connected to the community at large, many of them offer an admirable level of support to each other. They buy and promote each others’ products. They pitch in when someone needs help. They share resources and information. They even help each other with child care.

More on the Experience

If you consult Savor the River Valley’s website, you’ll find businesses you might not know about otherwise. Find food to take on a picnic or a river adventure at Wander Provisions, eat at Arthur’s, a classic Wisconsin Supper Club, or Rumbleseats, an old-fashioned drive-in restaurant. Grab a bite on the porch at the Spring Green General Store or at Arcadia Books. Enjoy coffee and freshly baked pastry at Nectar Bakery and Kelly’s Coffee House. Watch the river from the Wisconsin Riverside Resort or check out the Lone Rock Bistro. Enjoy a wood-fired pizza and more at Homecoming's historic school. Buy from Straka and Prem’s, our local meat markets and enjoy fresh, local food from the Spring Green Farmer’s Market. Find locally made products at Block 23, Simply Rooted, Enos Farms and Wander Provisions. Try some hand-made ice cream at The Frozen Local. Get some specialty cheese and squeaky cheese curds at Cedar Grove Cheese.

You’ll also find news about classes, tours and other food-related events on our website. We hope you’ll use Savor to help connect with our community and create experiences you’ll remember fondly forever.

Want to connect more with Savor? Find them on Socials!

Facebook: Savor the River Valley

Instagram: @savortherivervalley