My husband and I have lived near Madison, Wisconsin pretty much our whole lives and have made it to as many restaurants as possible as there surprisingly is very delicious food in this Midwest town! I have compiled a list of our favorites that may or may not agree with other blogs, TripAdvisor and Google reviews that you’ve seen, but this is our honest truth.

Best Breakfast:

• Lazy Jane’s Café – The food is fresh, the dishes are creative and the location is adorable! It is situated in an old house with seating upstairs and downstairs. They have a bomb bakery too that we would often get a sweet treat to munch on until our food was ready. They also have this amazing You order, pay, then find a seat and they call your name when your food is ready to be picked up by the kitchen.
• Short Stack Eatery – The vibe is very ‘Madison’ in all meanings but the food and coffee is pretty phenomenal. If you don’t get there early, you will be waiting outside awhile to get in. You order, pay,  then find a seat and then they bring you your food once ready. They have an amazing hazelnut black coffee and the syrup on their pancakes is unstoppable! I’ve never gotten anything I didn’t like.
• Pat O’Malley’s Jet Room – This restaurant is at the airport so it’s super fun for kids as they can see private planes arriving and leaving! All of the benedicts are amazing and the cinnamon rolls are a MUST, even if you have to take it to go. Just throw it in the microwave for a few seconds and they are magnificent at home.
• Lane’s Bakery – BEST KRINGLES EVER!!! Just get a Kringle, don’t waste money on the ones in the grocery stores, go to Lane’s! They have every flavor you could ever want as well as donuts, cookies and sandwiches.

Best Lunch/Dinner:

• Angelo’s McFarland –The food and drinks will keep you coming back and make sure get the sangria! The owners and the vibe will keep you here until closing hours; they are a husband and wife local couple and the absolute sweetest 😊.
• The Merchant – The fish fry and lamb sliders were our favorite but nothing ever disappointed us. And their bartenders truly are mixologists which was handy while you are waiting for a table if you get there late. I rarely ordered anything off of their extensive drink menu, I just gave the bartender a liquor and flavor palate and they made something delicious. 😊

• North and South – My husband loves the brisket and the all you can fish on Fridays. I love the Firecracker Shrimp and corn bread. Also the Boise salmon is a favorite. It has a rustic southern vibe and all the food is yummy and priced well. And with three locations in and around Madison, one of those has to be convenient for you!

• Red Sushi – this is the BEST sushi in town. It is also the most expensive…but completely 100% worth it. Start with the Super Volcano and Tsunami and you will have no regrets.

• Lone Girl Brewing Company – The beer is great as well as the food. Plus they have a ton of events and an awesome rooftop bar area.

• Circ – This restaurant is in the Concourse Hotel and has hands down the best salad bar. It has SO many options, desserts and soups to choose from.

Let me know in the comments if you check out any of these spots or if you have other suggestions!

Happy eating! 😊