Understand
Madison is a vibrant small city in south-central Wisconsin. The only city in North America that is situated on an isthmus, Madison is defined by its four lakes, Mendota, Monona, Waubesa, and Kegonsa. Through a combination of factors, including the state capital and the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the city has more to offer than you might expect from a metropolitan area of about 500,000. There are many excellent restaurants, an active theater community, lots of music, and good shopping. Yet Madison is just minutes from the beautiful rural countryside.
National groups and magazines rank Madison highly for many things: a very bike-friendly city, a great place to raise a family, a healthy and fit population, and an overall excellent place to live. Madison is a melting pot of the midwest. You'll find professionals, students, families, hippies, musicians and everything in-between. It has a vibrant nightlife scene with lots of live music and pubs. It shares many qualities of bigger cities like Berkeley and Austin -- a creative and educated population -- but retains its small-town feel.
Madison's weather is comparable to that of Chicago: warm in summer; cold in winter, although it's not windy. Spring and fall are more temperate.
Eat
Michelangelo's Coffee House, 114 State St, 251-5299. 7AM-11PM daily. Sandwiches, pastries, coffee and other drinks make up the menu at this comfy downtown meeting and reading spot.L'Etoile, . Considered by some to be the best restaurant in town. While pricey, it is worth it. Make reservations in advance. Harvest Restaurant, . Located right next door to L'Etoile it is nearly as good and is more likely that you can get a reservation on the same day. Madison Sourdough Bread Company, . Excellent, fresh sourdough bread can be found here. Try their baguette--it is artisanal bread at its best. It can be found at some local grocery stores, including Willy Street Coop. Ella's Deli, 2902 East Washington. A great place to take kids, and adults will have fun too. The entire restaurant is decorated with animated toys, and about half of the tables have glass tops that allow you to look at interesting things, including a running model train, a baseball card collection, and much more. Their ice cream is excellent, their pastrami is unbeatable, and it's all kosher. Sandwich sizes are often smaller than one would expect from a kosher-style deli.Mickies Dairy Bar, 1511 Monroe Street, (608) 256-9476. A classic diner close to the University, and right across from the football stadium. It has excellent food and arguably the best shakes in town. If you think you can eat a lot, try the scrambler. Weary Traveler, 1201 Williamson Street, (608) 442-6207. A great local bar/restaurant that's consisently packed with friendly locals from the Willy St Neighborhood. Don't forget to try their speciality: the Bad Breath Burger.Nam's Noodles, 1336 Regent Street, (608) 287-0475. Excellent Vietnamese and Chinese food and is located close to the University. Very good pho and their "Nam's Fried Rice" is outstanding. Sit-down or take-out, no...
