Food destinations within easy reach of Madison, worth the early start.
Food destinations within easy reach of Madison. worth the train, the rental car or the early start.
Famous for: Swiss-Wisconsin food and the New Glarus Brewing flagship taproom
New Glarus, the Swiss-settled village south of Madison founded in 1845, runs Swiss bakeries, the New Glarus Brewing Hilltop taproom and chalet shops.
Famous for: Norwegian-Wisconsin food, trolls and the Grumpy Troll Brew Pub
Mount Horeb, the Norwegian-heritage village on the Trollway west of Madison, runs Scandinavian bakeries, the Grumpy Troll Brew Pub and the Mustard Museum.
Famous for: Taliesin lunches, Spring Green General Store and the American Players Theatre
Spring Green, the Wisconsin River town with Frank Lloyd Wright's Taliesin, runs the Spring Green General Store, Driftless Cafe and a summer theatre season.
Famous for: Original Culver's, Wollersheim Winery and the Wisconsin River bluffs
Sauk City and Prairie du Sac, the Wisconsin River twin villages where Culver's was founded in 1984, run the first store, Wollersheim Winery and bluff drives.
Famous for: Cornish pasties at Pendarvis Historic Site and downtown shops
Mineral Point, the Cornish-settled mining village southwest of Madison, runs Pendarvis Historic Site, Cornish pasty restaurants and an 1800s downtown.
Famous for: Capital Brewery Bier Garten, Clasen's bakery and Hubbard Avenue downtown
Middleton, the Madison-adjacent suburb to the west, runs the Capital Brewery Bier Garten since 1986, Clasen's European Bakery and a Hubbard Avenue strip.
Famous for: Limburger sandwiches at Baumgartner's and a biennial cheese festival
Monroe, the Swiss cheese capital of the US south of Madison, runs Baumgartner's Cheese Store and Tavern, Alp and Dell cheesemaker and a biennial cheese fest.
Famous for: Cedar Creek Winery, restored downtown and the Wisconsin Strawberry Festival
Cedarburg, the restored 19th-century downtown village north of Milwaukee, runs Cedar Creek Winery, the Cedarburg Brewing Company and a long restaurant strip.