Cento is an italian restaurant in Capitol Square, Madison.
Cento on West Mifflin, the Food Fight group's downtown Italian under chef Michael Pruett, runs handmade pasta and wood-fired pizza in an open kitchen.
Signature dishes: Handmade pasta, Wood-fired pizza
Must order: Whatever pasta the kitchen is rolling that day plus a wood-fired pie from the brick oven.
Tip: The chef's table seats up to 12 with a custom tasting; Tuesday-Thursday dinners stay quieter.
Address: 122 W Mifflin St, Madison, WI 53703
Tornado Steak House on South Hamilton, a block off Capitol Square, runs Madison's traditional supper club tier with steaks and the weekly Friday fish fry.
Signature: Bone-in ribeye, Friday fish fry
Order: A bone-in ribeye and a brandy Old Fashioned at the bar before sitting.
Tip: Reserve on OpenTable a week ahead for Friday fish fry; the bar pours faster than the dining room turns.
The Old Fashioned on North Pinckney, the Wisconsin canon codified into a tavern menu since 2005, runs cheese curds, fish fry and brandy Old Fashioneds.
Signature: Fried Wisconsin cheese curds, Friday fish fry
Order: Fried Wisconsin cheese curds with a brandy Old Fashioned, plus the Friday fish fry if it's a Friday.
Tip: Walk-in is reliable any night except Friday; book through OpenTable for Friday fish fry to skip the long wait.
The Coopers Tavern on West Mifflin, Food Fight's eleventh restaurant since 2010, sits at the top of State Street with 28 taps a block off Capitol Square.
Signature: Wisconsin beer flight, Charcuterie board
Order: A Wisconsin beer flight off the rotating taps plus a Belgian-leaning charcuterie board.
Tip: The 28 taps focus on Local and Belgian brews; Saturday and Sunday brunch runs 10:00 to 14:30.
Settle Down Tavern on South Pinckney, in the First Settlement District a block off Capitol Square, runs a tight tavern menu and a strong cocktail program.
Signature: Settle Down burger, Old Fashioned
Order: The Settle Down burger and one of the rotating Old Fashioned variations on the cocktail menu.
Tip: Closed Sundays; weeknight 16:00 happy hour is reliably the easiest seat.
Marigold Kitchen on South Pinckney off Capitol Square has run Madison's daytime breakfast-lunch-brunch flagship since 2001 with house-made pastry.
Signature: Breakfast hash, Pastries
Order: A breakfast hash with the house pastry of the day and an espresso drink.
Tip: Weekday mornings turn over faster than weekend brunch; Sunday lines stretch past 09:30.
Lombardino's on University Avenue, the west-side Italian dining room reborn under Michael Banas in 2000, serves classics in a mural-painted room.
Signature: Hand-cut pasta, Wood-fired veal
Order: A wood-fired veal preparation, plus an order of the house-made pasta to start.
Tip: First-come, first-served seating Thursday through Sunday; arrive by 17:30 to avoid the wait on football Saturdays.
Tornado Steak House on South Hamilton, a block off Capitol Square, runs Madison's traditional supper club tier with steaks and the weekly Friday fish fry.
Signature: Bone-in ribeye, Friday fish fry
Order: A bone-in ribeye and a brandy Old Fashioned at the bar before sitting.
Tip: Reserve on OpenTable a week ahead for Friday fish fry; the bar pours faster than the dining room turns.
The Old Fashioned on North Pinckney, the Wisconsin canon codified into a tavern menu since 2005, runs cheese curds, fish fry and brandy Old Fashioneds.
Signature: Fried Wisconsin cheese curds, Friday fish fry
Order: Fried Wisconsin cheese curds with a brandy Old Fashioned, plus the Friday fish fry if it's a Friday.
Tip: Walk-in is reliable any night except Friday; book through OpenTable for Friday fish fry to skip the long wait.
The Coopers Tavern on West Mifflin, Food Fight's eleventh restaurant since 2010, sits at the top of State Street with 28 taps a block off Capitol Square.
Signature: Wisconsin beer flight, Charcuterie board
Order: A Wisconsin beer flight off the rotating taps plus a Belgian-leaning charcuterie board.
Tip: The 28 taps focus on Local and Belgian brews; Saturday and Sunday brunch runs 10:00 to 14:30.
Settle Down Tavern on South Pinckney, in the First Settlement District a block off Capitol Square, runs a tight tavern menu and a strong cocktail program.
Signature: Settle Down burger, Old Fashioned
Order: The Settle Down burger and one of the rotating Old Fashioned variations on the cocktail menu.
Tip: Closed Sundays; weeknight 16:00 happy hour is reliably the easiest seat.
Marigold Kitchen on South Pinckney off Capitol Square has run Madison's daytime breakfast-lunch-brunch flagship since 2001 with house-made pastry.
Signature: Breakfast hash, Pastries
Order: A breakfast hash with the house pastry of the day and an espresso drink.
Tip: Weekday mornings turn over faster than weekend brunch; Sunday lines stretch past 09:30.
