Day-by-day eating plans for Madison. weekend classics, family routes, vegan plans, on-a-budget editions.

Day-by-day plans

Madison weekend: the Capitol Square classics ★ 4.7

First-time visitor, two days2 days

A weekend on the Capitol Square anchored around Saturday's Dane County Farmers' Market, a supper-club Old Fashioned at Tornado and a long dinner at L'Etoile or Heritage Tavern.

  1. Day 1: Saturday: Capitol Square farmers market, supper club, brunch club

    Morning
    Walk the Dane County Farmers' Market at 08:30 to buy Wisconsin cheese; coffee at Marigold Kitchen on South Pinckney off the Square; pastries at Madison Sourdough for the hotel.
    Afternoon
    Lunch at Bassett Street Brunch Club for an all-day brunch plate and bottomless coffee on West Johnson; walk State Street for slices at Ian's Pizza.
    Evening
    Aperitif at Tornado Steak House's bar for a Wisconsin brandy Old Fashioned at 17:30; dinner at L'Etoile at 19:30; nightcap at Settle Down Tavern's bar.

  2. Day 2: Sunday: bakery, brunch, dinner

    Morning
    Madison Sourdough at 09:00 for eggs on toast and laminated pastry; espresso at Barriques on Park Street.
    Afternoon
    Lunch at The Old Fashioned on North Pinckney for a Wisconsin fish fry or cheese curds with a brandy Old Fashioned; walk Capitol Square.
    Evening
    Dinner at Heritage Tavern at 19:30 for chef Dan Fox's farm-to-table menu; cocktails at The Coopers Tavern across Mifflin.

East-side eclectic: Atwood, Willy Street and the breweries ★ 4.5

Second-time visitor, weekend2 days

A weekend on Madison's east side spent at Williamson and Atwood neighborhood bakeries, Ethiopian dinners, the High Noon Saloon for live music and a Working Draft Brewery taproom crawl.

  1. Day 1: Saturday: Williamson Street bakery, Ethiopian dinner, east-side dive

    Morning
    Coffee and morning bun at Batch Bakehouse on Williamson; ORIGIN Breads for sourdough; Lazy Jane's brunch by 10:30 on Williamson Street.
    Afternoon
    Lunch at Buraka for vegetarian tibs and injera; afternoon at the Willy Street Co-op deli for a co-op grocery walk; coffee at Cafe Domestique.
    Evening
    Aperitif at Working Draft Beer Company on East Wilson; dinner at Sardine for French bistro plates; nightcap at Mickey's Tavern with pinball.

  2. Day 2: Sunday: Atwood brunch, Old Sugar Distillery, music

    Morning
    Brunch at Monty's Blue Plate Diner on Atwood for all-day breakfast and house pies; coffee at EVP Coffee on East Washington.
    Afternoon
    Lunch at Tex Tubb's Taco Palace for Tex-Mex tacos and queso; walk Atwood Avenue's east-side strip and the Schenk-Atwood retail block.
    Evening
    Dinner at Mint Mark on East Washington at 19:30; live music at High Noon Saloon for the evening show on East Washington.

New Glarus and Mount Horeb: a Swiss-Norwegian day trip ★ 4.4

Day-trip visitor, one day1 day

A day-trip south and west of Madison through New Glarus' Swiss bakeries and brewery and Mount Horeb's Norwegian Trollway with a Grumpy Troll lunch and a Wisconsin cheese tour.

  1. Day 1: Saturday: New Glarus brewery, Mount Horeb pasties, Wisconsin cheese

    Morning
    Drive south on WI-69 to New Glarus by 10:00; tour the New Glarus Brewing Hilltop tasting room; coffee at the village's Swiss bakery and downtown chalet shops.
    Afternoon
    Lunch at The Grumpy Troll Brew Pub in Mount Horeb on the Norwegian Trollway; visit the Mount Horeb Mustard Museum; walk the troll-statue downtown.
    Evening
    Drive back to Madison and dinner at Tornado Steak House on South Hamilton for Wisconsin supper-club steaks; nightcap at Settle Down Tavern downtown.
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