Glass Nickel Pizza Co. is a pizza restaurant in Atwood, Madison.
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 dishes: Specialty pizza, Pizza by the slice
Must 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.
Address: 2916 Atwood Ave, Madison, WI 53704
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.
Banzo on Sherman Avenue near east side, the Israeli falafel spot from Netalee Sheinman and Aaron Collins, serves chickpea falafel and hummus plates.
Signature: Falafel sandwich, Hummus plate
Order: A falafel sandwich with hummus on the side.
Tip: Closed Sundays; the food-cart history shows in the quick counter turnover at lunch.
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.
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.
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 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.
Banzo on Sherman Avenue near east side, the Israeli falafel spot from Netalee Sheinman and Aaron Collins, serves chickpea falafel and hummus plates.
Signature: Falafel sandwich, Hummus plate
Order: A falafel sandwich with hummus on the side.
Tip: Closed Sundays; the food-cart history shows in the quick counter turnover at lunch.
Buraka on Williamson Street, Madison's Ethiopian flagship since 2000 on State Street, serves wat stews and injera at its Willy Street home since 2016.
Signature: Doro wat, Vegetarian combination platter
Order: A doro wat platter or the vegetarian combination served with injera.
Tip: Lunch combos turn the room faster than dinner; spice level can be requested mild to hot.
