Burgers$$capitol-square
Tipsy Cow on King Street, just off Capitol Square, runs an American burger menu with Wisconsin cheese curds, craft beer and a long whisky and cocktail list.
Signature: Wisconsin butter burger, Fried cheese curds
Order: A Wisconsin butter burger with fried cheese curds on the side.
Tip: Closed Sundays; the bar runs faster than the dining room midweek.
Pizza$$atwood
Glass Nickel Pizza on Atwood Avenue, the operator's original Madison east-side location, runs specialty pies and by-the-slice on the Schenk-Atwood spine.
Signature: Specialty pizza, Pizza by the slice
Order: The Spicy Sicilian specialty pizza or a slice of a daily-changing house creation.
Tip: Closed Wednesday and Thursday at the Atwood location; Friday and Saturday run until midnight.
Pizza by the slice$state-street
Ian's Pizza on State Street, the Madison pizza-by-the-slice operator at the foot of State Street, runs the famed mac and cheese pizza late into the night.
Signature: Mac and cheese pizza, Pizza slices
Order: A slice of the mac and cheese pizza and the daily experimental slice.
Tip: Friday and Saturday night runs until 02:00; the State Street slice line at the window moves quickly.
Diner$monroe-street
Mickies Dairy Bar on Monroe Street, in business at the same address since 1946, is a classic Madison breakfast diner across from Camp Randall Stadium.
Signature: Scrambler, Buttermilk pancakes
Order: The Scrambler scrambled egg plate or a stack of buttermilk pancakes.
Tip: Cash only with an ATM inside; closed Monday and Tuesday; the lines stretch on football Saturdays.
Tavern burgers$$state-street
The Plaza Tavern on North Henry, a block off State Street between the Capitol and UW Madison, is home to the secret-sauce Plazaburger since 1964.
Signature: Plazaburger
Order: The Plazaburger with the secret sauce and a side of fried cheese curds.
Tip: Closed Sundays; the small-town tavern feel makes the dinner shift the right window.
Tex-Mex$$atwood
Tex Tubb's Taco Palace on Atwood, Kevin Tubb's Austin-style taqueria since 2006, runs tacos and burritos plus house-made limeade and horchata east side.
Signature: Austin-style tacos, House-made horchata
Order: An Austin-style taco plate with house-made horchata.
Tip: Happy hour runs Mexican beer specials; weekend dinner is the busiest, weeknight lunch the calmest.