Saz’s contribution to Milwaukee’s festival food culture has been fifty years in the making. Steve Sazama opened Saz’s State House in March of 1976 and developed a menu of food items now synonymous with Summerfest, the State Fair Sporkies competition and the neighborhood grocery store.
Saz’s partnerships with Summerfest and the Wisconsin State Fair began in the early 1980s, with the introduction of their signature pulled BBQ pork sandwich, hand-rolled mozzarella marinara sticks, sour cream and chives french fries, and the sampler combination platter.
The brand expanded further in 1990 with the launch of Saz’s Catering, followed by the introduction of Saz’s Original Barbecue Sauce to more than 170 supermarkets in southeastern Wisconsin in 1992. The recipe is a secret, but the ingredients are not. They include tomato paste, sugar, distilled vinegar, water, lemon juice, brown sugar, corn syrup, salt, food starch, spices and dehydrated garlic and onion.
Festival food innovations have continued for Saz’s with notable Sporkies wins at the Wisconsin State Fair for Deep-Fried Apple Pie, Deep Fried Pretzel Crusted Brownies On-a-Stick, and the Bacon Wrapped Cherrywood Smoked Pork Belly On-A-Stick. Saz’s Deep-Fried Lemonade Bites took the first-place Sporkies trophy during the 2024 Wisconsin State Fair Sporkies and Drinkies competition.
Saz’s Hospitality Group celebrates its 50th anniversary with Festa Sazama from March 26 to March 29, 2026, at Saz’s State House at N. 55th and W. State Streets. Welcome the return of baseball with a Brewers Opening Day Bash and corn roast, a Friday fish fry, a BBQ, a Bloody Mary brunch, and live music.
For a full schedule of the weekend events visit sazs.com/50th.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Saz’s celebrates 50 years of Milwaukee hospitality and festival food
Reporting by Elaine Rewolinski and Lou Saldivar, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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