City guide

Where to eat in Madison

66 hand-picked places in Madison, chosen for people who are in town for something and have one night to get dinner right.

Open Madison in THE SET LIST

Coming up in Madison (33)

Breakfast in Madison

Ogden's North Street Diner Breakfast restaurant · $ · East Side
4.9 stars, 234 reviews, counter diner with Denver omelets and meatloaf hash from local farms.
560 North St, Madison, WI 53704
Mickies Dairy Bar Breakfast restaurant · $ · Monroe Street
4.6 stars, 350 reviews, cash-only breakfast institution famous for giant pancakes and the scrambler.
1511 Monroe St, Madison, WI 53711
Pancake Cafe $ · West Side
Neighborhood breakfast spot with biscuits and gravy, eggs benedict, and a full pancake lineup.
Marigold Kitchen Cafe · $$ · Downtown
Pinckney Street classic since 2001, all-day weekend brunch with pancakes, French toast and a tempeh grain bowl.
118 S Pinckney St, Madison, WI 53703
Ancora Cafe + Bakery Brunch restaurant · $ · Downtown
King Street bakery-cafe with creative brunch 7 days a week, Key Lime French toast and vegan options.
107 King St, Madison, WI 53703
Bar Corallini Italian restaurant · $$ · Atwood
Weekend Italian brunch on Atwood Ave, known for the Atwood Avocado Toast.
2004 Atwood Ave, Madison, WI 53704

Pizza in Madison

Ian's Pizza $ · State St
Home of the mac-and-cheese slice. Open very late, full of students making choices. Perfect post-show.
Ian's Pizza on State $ · State Street
Madison's late night pizza by the slice legend, open past 2am weekends for the post bar crowd.
Pizza Brutta Pizza restaurant · $$ · Monroe St
Handmade personal Neapolitan pizzas with blistered crust, quick and reliably good.
1805 Monroe St, Madison, WI 53711
Grampa's Pizzeria Pizza restaurant · $$ · Willy Street
Dave Portnoy rated it 8.1. Willy Street spot with a naturally leavened, blistered crust and house-made sausage.
1374 Williamson St, Madison, WI 53703
Greenbush Bar Bar · $$ · Regent
Dave Portnoy rated it 8.1. A Madison basement bar with a thin, crisp pie and a long list of taps.
914 Regent St, Madison, WI 53715

Steaks in Madison

Tornado Steak House Steak house · $$$ · Capitol Square
4.4 stars, 504 reviews, Madison's classic supper-club steakhouse since 1978, famous for its filets.
116 S Hamilton St, Madison, WI 53703
Johnny Delmonico's Steakhouse Steak house · $$$ · Capitol Square
4.4 stars, 573 reviews, downtown cocktail bar and steakhouse with a serious dry-aged program.
130 S Pinckney St, Madison, WI 53703
One Prime Steakhouse Steak house · $$$ · Downtown
Upscale steakhouse with lake views and refined dining, strong for a special-occasion cut.
119 E Wilson St, Madison, WI 53703
Johnny Delmonico's Steak house · $$$ · Downtown
25-year-old retro supper club steakhouse, everything from an 8oz filet to a 20oz dry-aged bone-in ribeye.
130 S Pinckney St, Madison, WI 53703
Rare Steakhouse Steak house · $$$$ · Capitol Square
Right on the Square across from the Capitol, Black Angus prime cuts tenderized 2-3 weeks, largest wine list in Madison.
14 W Mifflin St, Madison, WI 53703

Sushi in Madison

RED Sushi restaurant · $$ · Capitol Square
Madison's stylish sushi standby, steps off the Square.
316 W Washington Ave #100, Madison, WI 53703
SEQUOIA Sushi Bar $$ · Monroe St
Relaxed neighborhood sushi bar, specialty rolls and ramen, 4.3 stars from over 200 reviews.
Jacknife Sushi restaurant · $$ · Downtown
4.9 stars, 256 reviews, order the Godzilla roll or Spicy Salmon Roll.
1046 E Washington Ave, Madison, WI 53703
Muramoto Hilldale Sushi restaurant · $$$ · Hilldale
Semi-casual Japanese spot in the Hilldale Mall known for fresh sushi and contemporary rolls, a longtime Madison favorite.
546 N Midvale Blvd, Madison, WI 53705

Greek in Madison

Parthenon Gyros Greek restaurant · $ · State St
Flagship gyro stand of State Street since 1972. The late-night line is a Madison institution.
316 State St, Madison, WI 53703
The Mediterranean Joint $$ · Williamson St/Marquette
Lively Mediterranean and Middle Eastern spot, 4.6 stars, closed Tuesdays.
Athens Gyros $ · Monroe Street
The Monroe Street counter that Madison people will tell you beats Parthenon, and they are not entirely wrong. Tzatziki and gyro meat made on site, pitas always warm. Small room, quick line, no fuss.
Athens Grill $$ · Waunakee, about 15 minutes north of downtown
Started as a gyro window inside a gas station and graduated to a real freestanding restaurant. The Ladopoulos family cooks actual Greek plates here, not just gyros, plus a Wednesday pizza night and a Friday fish fry because this is Wisconsi