Wilson’s Restaurant & Ice Cream Parlor has been a Door County staple since 1906

EPHRAIM, Wis. (WBAY) – A Door County tradition for nearly 120 years, Wilson’s Restaurant and Ice Cream Parlor has been an iconic place to eat and grab a sweet treat.

It’s a restaurant that catches your eye as soon as you come into town.

Easily recognizable by its red and white awnings, Wilson’s Restaurant and Ice Cream Parlor, established in 1906, will be turning 120 years old next year.

Located in Ephraim, it’s the place where people of all ages love to go.

“It really just appeals to all generations. One of our kind of taglines on our placement is ‘Where Young & Old Meet’, and that was on the placement that was established in the ’50s. I think Wilson’s has always been a hub in the central part of Ephraim,” says Sarah Martin, the restaurant’s co-owner.

Down the road from the current restaurant, the Wilson family opened their original store a few years before this one, only featuring homemade ice cream and candy.

Over the years, they began to serve food as the restaurant stayed in the family for only two generations.

Sarah Martin and her husband, Slade, are the ninth owners.

“Really an honor to hold the Wilson’s tradition and be able to carry that on, and our kids both work here too so we are looking forward to carrying it on for many generations to come,” says Sarah.

What you see inside is lots of classic pieces kept over the years, including the jukebox, fountain chairs, and the lights.

As for the menu, that hasn’t changed a whole lot either.

“We try to have a lot of variety and fun flavors, but we try to keep some of those traditional flavors like peppermint stick and maple nut that again, you can’t find at other places. I think that appeals to people who you know kind of want to experience the past, whether they’re reliving it or just having that opportunity to see what it was like back then,” says Sarah.

Ice cream soda, phosphate, and Wilson’s 1906 home-brewed draft root beer are still being served.

“Now it really gives people a chance to either take that trip down memory lane or that step back in time. We’re all just about fun. Ice cream is fun, and you know, we’re playing music that’s fun, and so it’s just a great place for people to create good memories,” says Sarah.