Guidebook for Madison

Josh
Guidebook for Madison

Essentials

Small grocery store w/in walking distance. Open 24/7. Full selection of items (incl. produce and meat). A touch more expensive than a big grocery store.
15 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
Capitol Centre Market
111 N Broom St
15 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
Small grocery store w/in walking distance. Open 24/7. Full selection of items (incl. produce and meat). A touch more expensive than a big grocery store.
A little farther away than Capitol Center, but still within walking distance. Better selection of produce and meats. Has a deli w/ some prepared foods.
11 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
Fresh Madison Market
703 University Ave
11 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
A little farther away than Capitol Center, but still within walking distance. Better selection of produce and meats. Has a deli w/ some prepared foods.
Since its 2016 opening, this has been my go-to place for groceries. It's the closest big grocery store around (and it's really, really big). If you need it, they probably have it. Plus, they have lots of pre-made meals for those nights you want to eat in but don't want to cook. Double check before you go, but as far as I know, it's open early (5 AM) to late (12 AM) every day.
38 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
Festival Foods
810 E Washington Ave
38 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
Since its 2016 opening, this has been my go-to place for groceries. It's the closest big grocery store around (and it's really, really big). If you need it, they probably have it. Plus, they have lots of pre-made meals for those nights you want to eat in but don't want to cook. Double check before you go, but as far as I know, it's open early (5 AM) to late (12 AM) every day.

Food Scene

A much-loved Wisconsin original. Excellent coffee plus breakfast and lunch menu. Free wifi, but tables fill quickly. A great place to buy a pound of coffee if you want to drink local after you leave!
13 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
Colectivo Coffee - On The Square
25 S Pinckney St
13 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
A much-loved Wisconsin original. Excellent coffee plus breakfast and lunch menu. Free wifi, but tables fill quickly. A great place to buy a pound of coffee if you want to drink local after you leave!
More breakfast/lunch place than coffeehouse, but not a bad place to grab a coffee, either. Be sure to try the donut muffins!
27 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
Marigold Kitchen
118 S Pinckney St
27 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
More breakfast/lunch place than coffeehouse, but not a bad place to grab a coffee, either. Be sure to try the donut muffins!
Classic Wisconsin fare. One of my favorites.
86 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
The Old Fashioned
23 N Pinckney St
86 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
Classic Wisconsin fare. One of my favorites.
Another of my favorite restaurants. Farm-to-Table food, good cocktails, and all-glass walls looking out on the Capitol.
56 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
Graze
1 S Pinckney St
56 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
Another of my favorite restaurants. Farm-to-Table food, good cocktails, and all-glass walls looking out on the Capitol.
Excellent seafood. This is where I go when I go out for a fancy dinner.
46 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
Sardine
617 Williamson St
46 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
Excellent seafood. This is where I go when I go out for a fancy dinner.
My restaurant of choice for take-out. It's walking/biking distance, so you can call your order in, go pick it up, and be home to eat while the food is still hot.
7 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
Bandung Indonesian Restaurant
600 Williamson St
7 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
My restaurant of choice for take-out. It's walking/biking distance, so you can call your order in, go pick it up, and be home to eat while the food is still hot.
My go-to sushi spot—about a 10 min walk from the apartment. Great for take-out, but also a beautiful space to go to enjoy a meal. The dinner menu has downtown Madison dinner prices, but they have some very good lunch special prices if you want to save money.
19 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
RED
316 W Washington Ave
19 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
My go-to sushi spot—about a 10 min walk from the apartment. Great for take-out, but also a beautiful space to go to enjoy a meal. The dinner menu has downtown Madison dinner prices, but they have some very good lunch special prices if you want to save money.
Some of the best burgers in town. A touch cheaper than surrounding restaurants—and a bit more local and gritty, which I like. Highly recommended.
11 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
Tipsy Cow
102 King St
11 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
Some of the best burgers in town. A touch cheaper than surrounding restaurants—and a bit more local and gritty, which I like. Highly recommended.

Drinks & Nightlife

My favorite nearby bar. They also have wood-fired pizzas and an amazing dish called Three Cup Chicken. There's no sign out front, which makes finding it a bonus adventure.
23 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
Natt Spil
211 King St
23 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
My favorite nearby bar. They also have wood-fired pizzas and an amazing dish called Three Cup Chicken. There's no sign out front, which makes finding it a bonus adventure.
A little too cool for school, but the Two Smoking Barrels cocktail is the best drink I've had in Madison. So I put on my hipster pants and/or waistcoat and go sometimes.
28 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
Merchant Madison
121 S Pinckney St
28 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
A little too cool for school, but the Two Smoking Barrels cocktail is the best drink I've had in Madison. So I put on my hipster pants and/or waistcoat and go sometimes.
A good place to get some food, too (esp. pizza), but I like this place as a bar. It's just a couple blocks up from the apartment and definitely worth stopping by.
27 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
Lucille
101 King St
27 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
A good place to get some food, too (esp. pizza), but I like this place as a bar. It's just a couple blocks up from the apartment and definitely worth stopping by.
If you like whiskey, this "whiskey lounge" with 300 whiskeys on the shelves is your spot. Tip: if you go in early—say, after 5 to be proper about it, but before 8—this is one of those places you can bring a book or even a computer and not feel like you're killing the vibe. It's nerdy, I know, but it's a great way to transition to the evening if you need to get some things done before you can fully relax.
6 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
Cask & Ale
212 State St
6 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
If you like whiskey, this "whiskey lounge" with 300 whiskeys on the shelves is your spot. Tip: if you go in early—say, after 5 to be proper about it, but before 8—this is one of those places you can bring a book or even a computer and not feel like you're killing the vibe. It's nerdy, I know, but it's a great way to transition to the evening if you need to get some things done before you can fully relax.

Arts & Culture

A wonderful, newly constructed library within walking distance.
8 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
Madison Public Library
201 W Mifflin St
8 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
A wonderful, newly constructed library within walking distance.
A great museum right on the Capitol Square. It always has some cool new exhibit worth checking out.
21 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
Wisconsin Historical Museum
30 N Carroll St
21 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
A great museum right on the Capitol Square. It always has some cool new exhibit worth checking out.

Sightseeing

Frank Lloyd Wright designed building. That terrace you can see from the sunroom window? That's the Monona Terrace and, except during special events, you're welcome to go up there and stroll around.
58 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center
1 John Nolen Dr
58 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
Frank Lloyd Wright designed building. That terrace you can see from the sunroom window? That's the Monona Terrace and, except during special events, you're welcome to go up there and stroll around.
This is the place to be in the summer. Don't miss it!
122 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
Terasa ng Memorial Union
800 Langdon St
122 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
This is the place to be in the summer. Don't miss it!

Entertainment & Activities

Kids love this place, and so do parents. I speak from experience.
66 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
Museo ng mga Bata sa Madison
100 N Hamilton St
66 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
Kids love this place, and so do parents. I speak from experience.