Capitol Square supper clubs, farmers market and Wisconsin cheese curds.
Madison eats off two currents: Wisconsin's dairy-state canon and an unusually strong farm-to-table fine-dining tradition built around the Dane County Farmers' Market on Capitol Square, the largest producer-only market in the US. The brandy Old Fashioned with muddled cherries, oranges and a sour mix is a state cocktail, poured at every supper club bar and codified at The Old Fashioned on North Pinckney since 2005. Friday fish fry runs every week of the year at Tornado Steakhouse, The Old Fashioned and Coopers Tavern; lake perch, cod and walleye on rye with coleslaw and a brandy at the bar. James Beard Award winner Tory Miller anchors the city's fine-dining tier with L'Etoile and Graze on Capitol Square; Heritage Tavern under chef Dan Fox on East Mifflin runs a farm-driven menu since 2013. Butter burgers at Tipsy Cow, the Plazaburger since 1964, Mickies Dairy Bar pancakes across from Camp Randall, Greenbush Bakery kosher donuts on Regent and Madison Sourdough on Willy Street round out the city's daily eat.
Every restaurant, cafe, market and bar we cover in Madison, pinned. Click a pin for the page.
The plates that define eating in Madison.
The Friday fish fry is Wisconsin's social meal: beer-battered or breaded lake perch, cod or walleye with rye bread, coleslaw, French fries or potato pancakes and tartar sauce.
Where: Tornado Steak House, The Coopers Tavern, The Old Fashioned, Schwoegler's Park Towne Lanes
The Wisconsin Old Fashioned uses Korbel brandy instead of whiskey, muddled with a sugar cube, orange slice, maraschino cherry, Angostura bitters and a splash of Sprite or sour mix.
Where: The Old Fashioned, Tornado Steak House, Settle Down Tavern, Schwoegler's Park Towne Lanes
Wisconsin cheese curds are squeaky fresh cheddar curds, beer-battered and deep-fried until golden, served with ranch or chipotle aioli as a Wisconsin tavern starter.
Where: The Old Fashioned, Tornado Steak House, Tipsy Cow, The Plaza Tavern & Grill
The Wisconsin butter burger is a fresh-griddled beef patty with a pat of butter melted on top, served on a toasted bun with stewed onions and American cheese.
Where: Tipsy Cow, The Plaza Tavern & Grill, Dotty Dumpling's Dowry, Settle Down Tavern
The Plazaburger is a double-stack tavern burger from The Plaza Tavern on North Henry Street, topped with the bar's secret sauce, cheese, lettuce and tomato.
Where: The Plaza Tavern & Grill
Wisconsin frozen custard is a denser, richer cousin of ice cream made with extra egg yolks and slow-churned at low overrun, served in cones, cups and concretes.
Where: Mickies Dairy Bar
Kringle is a long oval Danish pastry with fruit or pecan filling, baked from layered laminated dough and topped with icing, the official state pastry of Wisconsin.
Where: Clasen's European Bakery, Greenbush Bakery
Trenton-style tomato pie is a New Jersey regional pizza with the tomato sauce ladled on top of the cheese, baked on a crisp thin crust, brought to Madison by Salvatore's.
Where: Salvatore's Tomato Pies
Wisconsin bratwurst is beer-simmered then char-grilled, served on a Sheboygan-style hard roll with stadium mustard, sauerkraut and a glass of Wisconsin lager.
Where: Tornado Steak House, The Old Fashioned, The Plaza Tavern & Grill
Wisconsin beer cheese soup is a thick, savory soup made with sharp cheddar cheese, Wisconsin lager and a mirepoix base, served with a soft pretzel or rye bread.
Where: The Coopers Tavern, The Old Fashioned, Tornado Steak House
Wisconsin lake perch is a sweet, mild freshwater fish, traditionally beer-battered or pan-fried, served on rye with tartar sauce, lemon and a brandy Old Fashioned.
Where: Tornado Steak House, The Old Fashioned, The Coopers Tavern
Doro wat is the canonical Ethiopian chicken stew of chicken legs simmered with berbere, onions and clarified butter, served with injera flatbread to scoop the stew.
Where: Buraka
A handful of the places we send friends to when they are in Madison.
Heritage Tavern on East Mifflin, chef Dan Fox's farm-to-table dining room one block off Capitol Square, has anchored Madison's new-American tier since 2013.
Signature: Farm-driven seasonal plates, Heritage burger
Cento on West Mifflin, the Food Fight group's downtown Italian under chef Michael Pruett, runs handmade pasta and wood-fired pizza in an open kitchen.
Signature: Handmade pasta, Wood-fired pizza
Lombardino's on University Avenue, the west-side Italian dining room reborn under Michael Banas in 2000, serves classics in a mural-painted room.
Signature: Hand-cut pasta, Wood-fired veal
Tornado Steak House on South Hamilton, a block off Capitol Square, runs Madison's traditional supper club tier with steaks and the weekly Friday fish fry.
Signature: Bone-in ribeye, Friday fish fry
The Old Fashioned on North Pinckney, the Wisconsin canon codified into a tavern menu since 2005, runs cheese curds, fish fry and brandy Old Fashioneds.
Signature: Fried Wisconsin cheese curds, Friday fish fry
The Coopers Tavern on West Mifflin, Food Fight's eleventh restaurant since 2010, sits at the top of State Street with 28 taps a block off Capitol Square.
Signature: Wisconsin beer flight, Charcuterie board
The Wisconsin State Capitol dome at the center; Tory Miller's L'Etoile and Graze on South Pinckney, The Old Fashioned on North Pinckney, Heritage Tavern on East Mifflin, Coopers Tavern off the Square.
Best for: Fine dining, Cocktails, Brunch, Farmers market
The pedestrian spine from Capitol Square to UW Madison campus. Ian's Pizza by the slice, Colectivo Coffee, Plaza Tavern's Plazaburger, late-night student eats and the Cento and Marigold Kitchen anchors at the Square end.
Best for: Pizza by the slice, Cafes, Burgers, Late night
East side commercial spine along Atwood Avenue. Mint Mark on East Washington, Tex Tubb's Taco Palace, Glass Nickel Pizza's original location and the Schenk-Atwood farmers market scene.
Best for: Tacos, Pizza, Brunch, Bakeries
Madison's most culturally distinctive corridor, running east from the isthmus through Marquette. Madison Sourdough, Buraka Ethiopian, Lazy Jane's Cafe, Sardine on the lakefront, Cafe Domestique bike-cafe and ORIGIN Breads.
Best for: Bakeries, Brunch, Ethiopian, Coffee
Quiet residential pocket north of East Washington with a small but strong food cluster. Salvatore's Tomato Pies on East Johnson, EVP Coffee on East Washington, and the cluster around Tenney Park.
Best for: Pizza, Coffee, Casual
Residential isthmus neighborhood between Williamson and the lakefront. Marquette Waterfront Festival, ORIGIN Breads on East Main, and the cafes along Jenifer Street.
Best for: Bakeries, Cafes, Brunch
Peak food season: May to October for the Dane County Farmers' Market on Capitol Square every Saturday, sweet corn and tomatoes July through September, Door County cherries in early July and Wisconsin apples in September. Maple syrup spring tap March and April. Friday fish fry runs year-round; supper club season peaks November through March.
Local dining hours: Lunch 11:30-14:00. Dinner 17:00-21:30, last seating often 21:00. Supper clubs and the Friday fish fry start at 16:30. Sunday brunch peaks 09:00-14:00 across Atwood, Willy Street and Monroe Street. Capitol Square restaurants run later on football Saturdays.
Tipping: Tip 18 to 22 percent on the pre-tax total at sit-down restaurants. Counters and bars get $1 to $2 per drink or 18 to 20 percent. Tasting menus at L'Etoile may include service; check the bill before adding more. Supper club bars run cash-friendly with light tips on the brandy pour.
Madison's signature dishes include Wisconsin Friday fish fry, Wisconsin brandy Old Fashioned, Fried Wisconsin cheese curds, Wisconsin butter burger, Plazaburger. See our signature dishes chapter for where to eat each.
TableJourney editors map Madison by district. Capitol Square, State Street, Atwood, Williamson Street are among the strongest for food, each with its own guide.
Editor picks in Madison include L'Etoile, Graze, Heritage Tavern, plus the full fine dining chapter on TableJourney.
TableJourney covers 5 editor-picked food tours in Madison, with what each shows you and how much to budget.
TableJourney's Madison dietary chapter covers vegan, vegetarian, gluten_free, halal venues, each editor-picked with what to order and how to ask.