Schwoegler's Park Towne Lanes on Grand Canyon Drive, the Madison bowling-and-supper-club institution since 1919, runs a fish fry and a sports bar restaurant.
Signature dishes: Friday fish fry, Burgers
Must order: The Friday fish fry plate with the brandy Old Fashioned at Keglers Sports Bar.
Tip: Restaurant runs 11:00 to close all seven days; the 36 synthetic lanes plus volleyball draw the family crowd.
Address: 444 Grand Canyon Dr, Madison, WI 53719
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.
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: Specialty pizza, Pizza by the slice
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.
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.
