Madison Sourdough ★ 4.7
Madison Sourdough on Williamson Street, the from-scratch bakery and patisserie since 2005, hand-shapes naturally leavened breads with Wisconsin-grown grain.
Worth the queue: MSCo Baguette
Bakery counters in Madison worth queuing for: levain breads, laminated pastry, regional bakes and the morning ritual.
Where to queue for bread and pastry
Greenbush Bakery ★ 4.6
Greenbush Bakery on Regent Street, the city's only certified kosher dairy bakery since 1998, sells over 50 daily donut varieties near Camp Randall Stadium.
Worth the queue: Sour cream old-fashioned donut
Batch Bakehouse ★ 4.5
Batch Bakehouse on Williamson Street, opened in 2009 in a converted Trachte building and at the corner since 2013, runs predawn scratch breads and pastry.
Worth the queue: Morning bun
Bloom Bake Shop ★ 4.5
Bloom Bake Shop on Monroe Street, the women-owned bakery and cafe that moved from Middleton, runs scratch breads with strong vegan and gluten-free programs.
Worth the queue: Vegan and gluten-free cake doughnut
ORIGIN Breads ★ 4.5
ORIGIN Breads on East Main, the Marquette-neighborhood bakery using regionally grown stone-milled organic grain, hand-makes long-fermented sourdough breads.
Worth the queue: Country sourdough loaf
Lazy Jane's Cafe and Bakery ★ 4.4
Lazy Jane's Cafe and Bakery on Williamson Street, the Marquette neighborhood breakfast and bakery since 1998, runs scratch scones and pastry alongside brunch.
Worth the queue: Signature scone
Bagels Forever ★ 4.2
Bagels Forever on University Avenue, the long-running west-side Madison bagel bakery, hand-rolls and boils New York-style bagels and supplies cafes citywide.
Worth the queue: Sesame bagel with lox
Clasen's European Bakery ★ 4.4
Clasen's European Bakery on Donna Drive in Middleton, the family-run European-style bakery serving Madison, bakes kringle, tortes and laminated pastry.
Worth the queue: Almond kringle
Marigold Kitchen ★ 4.4
Marigold Kitchen on South Pinckney off Capitol Square, the daytime breakfast-lunch-brunch flagship since 2001, runs a fresh-baked pastry case alongside meals.
Worth the queue: Pastry of the day
Book food experiences in Madison
Madison King Street Spirits Ghost Walk: Haunting Tales
Uncover the eerie history of Madison's oldest district on the King Street Spirits Ghost Walk. Hear ghost stories and urban legends from expert storytellers.
Madison Wisconsin: Guided Downtown eBike Tour
See all the highlights of Madison in just two hours on our easy to ride eBikes! Join local guides to see the beauty of Madison and learn about the culture and history ...
Madison: Flying Dress Photo Shoot
You are cordially invited to the most memorable experience of your life. Slip on the dress and transform into someone you have never experienced before!