Things To Do
Mint Mark
Our favorite restaurant and the site of our second date! A rotating menu of delicious small plates and exciting cocktails. Great for dinner or brunch! Reservations highly recommended. Make sure you get a biscuit!
Tornado Steak House
AKA Tornado Room by locals. If you’re looking to get an upscale dinner while in town, this is where we go for Courtney’s birthday dinner every year. Great steaks in a classic Wisconsin supper club atmosphere. We highly recommend the scallop appetizer! Reservations are a must.
The Old Fashioned
The most Wisconsiny spot on Capitol Square! They have great cheese curds and old fashioneds. They don’t take reservations but you can put your name in and cozy up to the bar or have a stroll around the square.
Dane County Farmers' Market
Featured on the Wisconsin season of Top Chef! Lots of vendors lining Capitol Square every Saturday morning. Aside from the great produce and cheese we highly recommend the Stella’s bread and empanadas.
Lao Laan Xang Restaurant
Great Laotian food in our favorite date night neighborhood! The perfect order: start with crab rangoon (the best in town,) follow it up with a pineapple curry, and get some mango sticky rice for dessert!
Bar Corallini
A slightly fancy Courtney favorite for delicious handmade pasta. We don’t have Italian restaurants around every corner like we’re used to from living in Chicago and Buffalo but this one helps make up for it. Reservations recommended!
Forward Craft & Coffee
One of our go-to date spots from back in the day and the site of our engagement! We love it because they have a fun, rotating selection of beers but it feels more like a coffee shop than a bar. Maybe you’ll get lucky like Thom and discover your favorite beer there! You can also go in the morning to check out their delicious coffee flights.
Primal 'Cue Barbecue Joint and Catering
The best bbq in the area! We highly recommend the brisket and the pork belly burnt ends. Make sure to get plenty of sauces to try!
Golden Nest Pancakes & Cafe
One of our favorite places for brunch! All the food is great but they have some especially fun pancakes and crèpes.
Epic
Most people who come to Madison that we know take a tour of the Epic campus! There are more and more intricately-decorated, themed office buildings every year. The link above will help you book a self-guided tour if you’re interested. It’s a huge campus but don’t worry about getting lost! Helpful employees (like Thom) will show you where to go if you need some help.
5th Quarter Bar & Grill
If you go for an Epic tour or find yourself in Verona this is one of our favorite neighborhood spots for a bite to eat! They have great, casual Wisconsin bar food, including Thom-approved wings. Our favorite spot for a Friday night fish fry!
Schuster's Farm
A classic Wisconsin fall farm experience! We love the super cute cows and goats. The apple cider slushes and donuts are great!
Bailey's Run Vineyard & Winery
A great reason to visit one of our favorite towns outside of Madison: New Glarus! Try some wine and snacks and certainly don’t skip out on the cheese curds. They’ve also got a great distillery attached with more drinks and more food! Check it out then take a walk around downtown New Glarus.
New Glarus Brewing Company
If you like beer this is probably already on your radar! Nestled in the heart of Wisconsin’s “Little Switzerland” you can stop by to pick up some delicious libations and gifts! Some days the gift shop doubles as a tasting room which is a lot of fun!
