Tipsy Cow is a burgers restaurant in Capitol Square, Madison.
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 dishes: Wisconsin butter burger, Fried cheese curds
Must order: A Wisconsin butter burger with fried cheese curds on the side.
Tip: Closed Sundays; the bar runs faster than the dining room midweek.
Address: 102 King St, Madison, WI 53703
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.
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.
