The Coopers Tavern is a gastropub restaurant in Capitol Square, Madison.
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 dishes: Wisconsin beer flight, Charcuterie board
Must 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.
Address: 20 W Mifflin St, Madison, WI 53703
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.
Lucille on King Street, in a historic bank on Capitol Square, runs wood-fired pizza, a Wisco-Detroit cheddar pan pizza and Pan-Latin small plates.
Signature: Wood-fired pizza, Detroit-style pan pizza
Order: A wood-fired pie or the Wisco-Detroit cheddar-crusted pan pizza, plus a Pan-Latin small plate.
Tip: Late-night menu runs 22:00 to 01:00 Friday and Saturday; 14:00-17:00 happy hour daily.
Salvatore's Tomato Pies on North Livingston, the Madison branch of the Sun Prairie Trenton-style pizzeria, runs tomato pies with sauce on top of the cheese.
Signature: Trenton-style tomato pie, Scratch pasta
Order: A Trenton-style tomato pie and a Wisconsin tap beer at happy hour.
Tip: Free covered parking on Livingston between East Washington and East Mifflin; 16:00-18:00 happy hour Tuesday-Thursday and Sunday.
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.
Sardine on Williamson Street, the French bistro inside the historic Machinery Row building on Lake Monona, runs steak frites and moules-frites lakeside.
Signature: Steak frites, Moules-frites
Order: Steak frites or moules-frites with a glass of the house white.
Tip: Weekend brunch runs 09:00 to 14:00; reserve via OpenTable for the lakefront window seats.
Lucille on King Street, in a historic bank on Capitol Square, runs wood-fired pizza, a Wisco-Detroit cheddar pan pizza and Pan-Latin small plates.
Signature: Wood-fired pizza, Detroit-style pan pizza
Order: A wood-fired pie or the Wisco-Detroit cheddar-crusted pan pizza, plus a Pan-Latin small plate.
Tip: Late-night menu runs 22:00 to 01:00 Friday and Saturday; 14:00-17:00 happy hour daily.
Ahan on Williamson Street, the Brown-Soukaseume family's Asian-inspired room, brings Laotian and Southeast-Asian dishes to the Willy Street corridor.
Signature: Laotian curry, Spring rolls
Order: A Laotian curry preparation, plus the spring rolls and a rotating special.
Tip: Reservations via the operator's site; takeout runs faster than dine-in at peak weekend hours.
Salvatore's Tomato Pies on North Livingston, the Madison branch of the Sun Prairie Trenton-style pizzeria, runs tomato pies with sauce on top of the cheese.
Signature: Trenton-style tomato pie, Scratch pasta
Order: A Trenton-style tomato pie and a Wisconsin tap beer at happy hour.
Tip: Free covered parking on Livingston between East Washington and East Mifflin; 16:00-18:00 happy hour Tuesday-Thursday and Sunday.
