Food destinations within easy reach of Madison, worth the train, the rental car or the early start.

Most of these need a car

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Worth the trip

New Glarus (Little Switzerland)

  • ★ 4.8
  • 40 minutes by car

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.

Drive south on US-18/151 then west on WI-69

Drive it yourself

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Mount Horeb (Norwegian Trollway)

  • ★ 4.6
  • 30 minutes by car

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.

Drive west on US-18/151

Drive it yourself

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Spring Green (Frank Lloyd Wright country)

  • ★ 4.7
  • 1 hour by car

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.

Drive northwest on US-14 then US-23

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Sauk City (Culver's birthplace)

  • ★ 4.2
  • 30 minutes by car

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.

Drive northwest on US-12

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Mineral Point (Cornish pasties)

  • ★ 4.1
  • 1 hour by car

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.

Drive southwest on US-18/151

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Middleton (Capital Brewery)

  • ★ 4.5
  • 15 minutes by car

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.

Drive west on University Avenue

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Monroe (Wisconsin Cheese Days)

  • ★ 4.3
  • 1 hour 15 minutes by car

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.

Drive south on US-18/151 then WI-69

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Cedarburg (Cedar Creek Winery)

  • ★ 4.0
  • 1 hour 45 minutes by car

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.

Drive east on I-94 then north on I-43 past Milwaukee

Drive it yourself

Car hire in Madison, from Madison Airport

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