Your Madison Weekend: Foodie's Heaven on an Isthmus Between 2 Lakes

By Bill Malcolm*

Put Madison, Wisconsin on your radar for a fun winter weekend getaway. Situated between two lakes, it is the one of only two cities on an isthmus. And it has become a foodie's heaven with lots of new restaurants around the Capitol Square downtown.

Getting There

I took American to Dane County Regional Airport and then took the free shuttle to the Doubletree downtown. The new Metro D bus also goes downtown. If you stay and play downtown, you will find Madison very walkable. Rental car not needed. Madison Metro also has a new Rapid Bus to take you to the west side.

Going home, I took the Badger Bus to Milwaukee and then jumped onto Amtrak down to Chicago. The Amtrak train runs six round trips daily, makes three stops and goes ninety mph. And has new cars to boot.

What to Do

UW's Bucky Badger at the UW Memorial Union along Lake Mendota in Madison

I took a tour of the beautiful and historic Wisconsin State Capitol. The walls are adorned with the European marble, there is even a museum in the dome. Free guided 45 minutes tours are offered daily. The Badger State is so named as the early settlers thought the miners in southwest Wisconsin lived underground like badgers.

Walk around the shops and restaurants of Capitol Square and State Street, the one-mile pedestrian mall that runs to the University of Wisconsin campus.

Enjoy the frozen winter lakes.

Head out to Olbrich Gardens.

What to Eat

Wisconsin cheese at Fromagination in Madison

Pick up some Wisconsin cheese at Fromagination on the Capitol Square. Grab some mini cheese "orphans" for just a dollar to three. I liked the Black Betty Gouda and the Goat Pepper Jack cheese. They also have great sandwiches. Try the signature sandwich which features smoked turkey breast, creamy French brie, and cranberry relish on sunflower honey wheat bread. You will find them at 12 South Carroll Street. They are LGBTQ owned. Order online (cheese for shipping) at fromagination.com.

Have lunch at Casetta at 222 West Washington. The specialty sandwiches made with homemade bread are to die for. As is the soup, Pasta E Fagioli (pasta, beans and sausage). Get there early to avoid the cult-like lunch time following.

Enjoy the many dining choices at the UW Memorial Union with magnificent views overlooking Lake Mendota. I had a breakfast sandwich at Peet's. The Italian Street food stand looked good. Have a beer in the Rathskeller (the only university union to serve beer.) And for dessert you can enjoy a scoop or two of ice cream made on campus at Babcock Hall. You are in America's Dairyland after all.

Merchant Madison Restaurant is an industrial-chic gastropub serving farm to table New American fare and craft cocktails. Located at 121 S. Pickney just off the Capitol Square, Merchant has a great chopped salad with bacon. Tuesday is date night where for $60 you get a shared starter, two entrees and a shared desert plus a bottle of wine all for just $60.

D'Vino (next door to Woof's (same owner)) is great and is LGTBQ+ owned.

The Old Fashioned on the Square has great food and signature drinks. Wisconsinites love their old-fashioned cocktails. It's all my niece drinks. (Sorry wine snobs.)

Try some pizza at Lucille. Located at 101 King Street, they bill themselves as a vintage industrial-chic tavern with 3 floors serving both wood fired and steel pan pizzas. There was a 2 hour wait the night we were there. Their cheap date nights include a disco dance party, a cocktail class, and drag bingo. Their date night is Wednesday and is just $50 for two.

The King Street/Capitol Square area is filled with lots of restaurants and has given Madison a new foodie destination reputation.

Nightlife

Woofs on King Street is the leather mainstay. You will find them at 114 S. King. Also on the Square is the iconic Shamrock, a friendly local crowd.

Out on the Beltline (Madison speak for their one freeway) is Club V which features drag shows and more.

Where to Stay

You cannot beat the Doubletree downtown (525 W. Johnson). Great rates. Handy location. Friendly staff. They answer the phone when you call for an airport pick up. And their shuttle will take you within a 2-mile radius. The Edgewater overlooking Lake Mendota is a gem. Complete with winter ice skating rink. I also like Hampton downtown. Very handy. The Concourse Hotel just off State Street is also nice with splendid views of the Capitol. I also have stayed at the new Embassy Suites just off the Square.

Other Tips

Our Lives is the bimonthly gay magazine. Isthmus is the monthly alternative weekly,

Madison is very LGBTQ-friendly. A Midwest gem.

I never tire of a visit to my hometown which is booming thanks to the rapid growth of Epic, the medical software company. No longer just a hippie haven, an overgrown college town, or the state capitol, the new Madison is a jewel which constantly is winning awards. Madison has grown up. Put it on your radar for a long weekend any time of year.

Special thanks to Sarah Warner of Destination for her edits to my column.

*Bill Malcolm is a native of Madison, graduating from Vel Phillips High School (formerly Memorial). He went to the UW for one year. His opinions are his own. He received no renumeration from anyone for his trip. His column appears in various publications including GRAB Chicago Magazine and Erie Gay News and is occasionally posted on the IGLTA website (see travel blog).

About the Author

Bill Malcolm Bill Malcolm is North America's only syndicated travel columnist. He focuses on value and pays his own way. He takes local transit and seeks to go where the locals go. He has appeared 100 times in LGBTQ publications and on websites including the IGLTA travel blog. You can find his work in GRAB Chicago, Erie Gay News, Seattle Gay News, and other places. He does this as a volunteer and does not charge for his work. He boycotts hotels and hotel chains with resort fees, amenity fees, destination fees, and other made up junk charges. He resides in Indianapolis. Follow him on Facebook.