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.

Madison coffee and bakery crawl ★ 4.4

Coffee lover, one day1 day

A single-day Madison crawl threading specialty coffee anchors with Pasture and Plenty for farm-to-table breakfast and Cento for dinner.

  1. Day 1: Day 1: morning coffee, casual lunch, Cento dinner

    Morning
    Breakfast at Lazy Jane's Cafe with the morning plate.
    Afternoon
    Lunch at Pasture and Plenty with farm-to-table small plates.
    Evening
    Dinner at Cento on State Street with the Italian tasting.

Madison Wisconsin supper club weekend ★ 4.5

Supper club lover, two days2 days

A weekend threading Madison's classic Wisconsin supper clubs and Old Fashioned bars.

  1. Day 1: Saturday: brunch, lunch, Tornado Steakhouse dinner

    Morning
    Brunch at Bassett Street Brunch Club.
    Afternoon
    Lunch at The Old Fashioned with Wisconsin Friday fish fry and a brandy Old Fashioned.
    Evening
    Dinner at Tornado Steak House with the supper club menu and a relish tray.

  2. Day 2: Sunday: brunch, Coopers lunch, Settle Down dinner

    Morning
    Brunch at Monty Blue Plate Diner.
    Afternoon
    Lunch at Coopers Tavern with the Wisconsin beer hall menu.
    Evening
    Dinner at Settle Down Tavern with the New American supper club menu and a Wisconsin craft beer flight.
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