Glass Nickel Pizza Co. is a pizza restaurant in Atwood, Madison.
Glass Nickel Pizza on Atwood Avenue, the operator's original Madison east-side location since 2002, runs specialty pies and by-the-slice on Schenk-Atwood.
Signature dishes: Specialty pizza, Pizza by the slice
Must order: The Spicy Sicilian specialty pizza, or a slice of a daily-changing house creation.
Tip: Closed Wednesday and Thursday at the Atwood location; Friday and Saturday run until midnight.
Address: 2916 Atwood Ave, Madison, WI 53704
Heritage Tavern on East Mifflin, chef Dan Fox's farm-to-table dining room one block off Capitol Square, has anchored Madison's new-American tier since 2013.
Signature: Farm-driven seasonal plates, Heritage burger
Order: The Heritage burger, plus whichever Wisconsin-farm preparation the kitchen is leading the menu with that week.
Tip: Reservations on Resy open three weeks out; the Tuesday-through-Saturday dinner runs faster than the weekend brunch.
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: Handmade pasta, Wood-fired pizza
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.
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.
