As trees leaf out and patio umbrellas go up around the greater Madison area, a new crop of restaurants, cafes and bars has sprung up from Waunakee to Monona.
This spring, try new spots for Southern-style barbecue, Turkish takeout, iced vanilla lattes and Korean corn dogs. Visit a beer garden in Paoli, a paleo bakery on Park Street and a bubble tea shop near campus.
In addition to this list, some establishments have changed ownership (Kavanaugh’s Esquire Club, Ohio Tavern). Others closed (Hodge Podge in Verona, Taberna Tacos, Cafe LaBellitalia).
Many of the restaurants the Cap Times teased in January as “coming soon” are now open, including Haven near campus, Ático at the Moxy, El Gallo in Monona and Korril Hut (Korean near East Towne).
Haven is a new restaurant at 430 W. Gilman St. near the UW-Madison campus opened in the former Blue Velvet space.
Adamah Neighborhood Table at UW Hillel has become a vegetarian “dairy coffee shop,” according to the Jewish Chronicle. The owners of AmarPeru have turned that restaurant at 610 Junction Road into their more casual roasted chicken concept, Pikkito.
Stay up to date with restaurant openings and closings, plus behind-the-scenes food news, with the Cap Times’ weekly food newsletter. The Corner Table comes out each Thursday; subscribe at captimes.com/newsletters.
Open now
66 West Towne Mall
In what appears to be the franchise’s first non-New York location, coffee shop Caffè Aronne has opened in West Towne Mall. In addition to regular coffees, flavored lattes, several variations on chai and cold brew, the cafe serves matcha. The doors are open now and, according to social media, a grand opening is set for April 27.
GlouGlou, a natural wine bar at 11 N. Allen St., now shares space with the coffee bar Cafe Domestique.
11 N. Allen St.
Café Domestique celebrated the opening of its third coffee shop location on April 12. Owner Dan Coppola’s cafe shares space with a natural wine bar, GlouGlou, run by MJ Hecox. The location on North Allen Street near West High School was most recently The Heights. Per Instagram, hours for the cafe are 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday and 8 a.m.-3 p.m. weekends, with the wine bar pouring natural wines from 3-9 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday.
10 S. Allen St.
Korean comfort classics like tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes), kimbap (veggie rice rolls) and japchae (sweet potato noodles stir-fried with pork and vegetables) comprise the menu at this new restaurant. It’s open for quick pick-up from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and 3:30-5:30 p.m. weekdays.
1824 S. Park St.
Queso fundido, enchiladas suizas, tacos, tortas and skillets — it’s all on the menu at Casa Zaragoza, a follow-up to Cuco’s that was opened in late March by Oscar and Mayra Zaragoza. The restaurant has a 2,400-square-foot event space and has been promoting its lunch and drink specials on Facebook and TikTok.
Chin Up is a new restaurant opened in the former Ramen Kid space by the UW-Madison campus.
461 W. Gilman St.
The Chinese restaurant Chin Up is now open for lunch and dinner daily at 461 W. Gilman St. in the former Ramen Kid space. Bryan Lee, a local PR professional who founded eatdrinkmadison.com, wrote about it in January, noting the restaurant’s shashlik (similar to shish kebab), garlic fried chicken wings, Peking noodles and Melaleuca beef patty, which he especially liked. “Think of the seasoned ground beef as what you may find in a beef bao,” he wrote, “wrapped inside Chinese scallion pancakes without the scallions.”
438 N. Frances St.
Outfitted with a self-order kiosk, cheesy sauces (beer cheese, aged cheddar, alfredo) and a cooler full of toppings, Custom Mac & Cheese bills itself as “Madison’s first build-your-own mac & cheese bar.” Toppings range from fairly standard (broccoli, bacon, scallions) to more substantial (chorizo, brisket sausage and lobster). Joey Turner, also the owner of Jewelers on State Street, is the primary owner, and it’s not a chain or franchise. The mac bar opened in early April. Opening hours are noon to midnight daily.
Custom Mac and Cheese Bar opened in April and claims to be Madison’s first build-your-own-mac-and-cheese bar.
5266 Williamsburg Way, Fitchburg
Part taco bar, part ice cream shop, this spot in Fitchburg had its official opening on March 7. According to Madison365, a food truck outside is where they make the hot food, including tortas, sopes and traditional Mexican tacos.
2800 Sarah Lane, Suite C, Waunakee
The former Eno Vino space in Waunakee became a new location of a Wausau-born cafe in early March. The Wisconsin State Journal reports that Era Café is owned by cousins Leu Jusufi and Ardi Jashari, both originally from Macedonia. The menu here is massive, starting with skillets, benedicts, berry-topped pancakes, crepes and omelets for weekday breakfast and brunch. Lunch offers salads, burgers and sandwiches, and dinner service is on Fridays and Saturdays only.
Nicollette Beckford (right) and her business partner, Xavier Fuller, stand in front of their new restaurant, Fya Syde Kitchen. Fya Syde opened in mid-April.
1925 Monroe St.
Fya Syde, a Jamaican-style restaurant from the Wisconsin Dells, took over the former Taberna Tacos & Tequila location on Monroe Street in March and had its soft opening in mid-April. The Cap Times’ Ashley Rodriguez reported that Nicollette Beckford and Xavier Fuller’s restaurant will serve “burgers and sandwiches with a Jamaican twist, along with classic Caribbean dishes like oxtail stew, jerk chicken and curry goat.”
The Green Room Public House opened in March in the Atwood neighborhood of Madison. The space is named after green rooms where musicians wait before performing.
2001 Atwood Ave.
This corner space of Winnebago and Atwood near Tex Tubb’s Taco Palace has turned over again. The previous tenant, The Wedge, closed in January and by March 15, a neighborhood bar called The Green Room had taken its place. According to the Wisconsin State Journal, owner John Hardy ran the Up North bar downtown for nearly 16 years. Last weekend the bar finalized its menu — there are classics like a house Old Fashioned, Aperol spritz, Negroni and Tom Collins, plus Fraboni’s Pizza, a hummus plate and a meat and cheese platter.
707 S. Gammon Road
This casual spot for gyros, chicken, falafel and fries opened March 1 on South Gammon. Gyro Guyz is next to Tibet Kitchen, near the west-side Woodman’s, and focuses on takeout, delivery and catering.
Istanbul Mediterranean Kitchen
3313 University Ave.
Look for the red and blue truck with the white stripe down the middle in the parking lot of Fresh Mart. That’s Istanbul Mediterranean Kitchen, serving lamb chops, adana (ground lamb kebabs) and — hard to find in Madison! — lahmajun, a meat-and-vegetable topped flatbread that predates pizza. This halal spot, open since March, is on DoorDash and Uber Eats as well.
Kutty Leaf South Indian Kitchen
5538 Eastpark Blvd.
Those who miss the dosas at OM Indian Fusion can find them at this east-side South Indian restaurant, which opened in early March out past Interstate 39/90. Try idli (rice cakes) with vada (fried black lentil cakes), chutney and sambar (a tamarind lentil stew). A recent State Journal review called the chili paneer “the stuff of dreams.”
Little Sweet on State Street has savory menu options along with homemade cakes and pastries. It moved to Madison from Tomah in February.
3730 Manistee Way, Verona
The former Good Company has reopened as The Links, a “very appetizer heavy” restaurant next to Pioneer Pointe Golf Course. The menu is contemporary pub food — Brussels sprouts with Caesar dressing, slides with caramelized onion jam, cheese curds and fried shrimp, as well as pizza and a kids’ menu.
313 State St.
In February, Little Sweet joined another State Street bubble tea spot (Teamoji, open since June 2024). This tea-focused cafe, which opened first in Tomah, serves fruit smoothies and a brief food menu (grilled meats, pastas). The highlights are fruit teas with jellies (mango, lychee, strawberry) and milk teas with boba.
Los Atlantes has opened a restaurant and bakery in the Village on Park plaza on S. Park Street in Madison.
Los Atlantes Restaurant and Bakery
2304 S. Park St.
As of April 18, the owners of Mexican restaurant Taqueria Los Atlantes now have three locations, expanding from Raymond Road on the west side and Main Street in Verona to the former Lane’s Bakery location on South Park. Felipe Falcon along with his wife, Nancy Barrea, and son Jonathan Falcon own the Los Atlantes group, which specialize in mole and chile rellenos as well as tacos, tortas, burritos and chilaquiles.
961 S. Park St.
Carb-averse diners can find scones, cupcakes, cookies, doughnuts and breakfast sandwiches at Paleo Mama’s new Park Street location. Owner Belle Pleva held the grand opening of the bakery’s expanded spot, formerly a Barriques cafe, on March 21. There’s expanded parking next door, so it’s easy to grab gluten-free pizza and ice cream sandwiches from the cold case.
Mishqui, a popular Peruvian restaurant with locations in Middleton and Monona, recently opened a third location in the old Little Palace space on King Street.
225 King St.
Cynthia Garcia brings her empanadas, lomo saltado (stir-fried beef and veggies) and chaufa (Peruvian fried rice) to this, her third Mishqui location in almost as many years. The downtown Mishqui had its soft opening April 1 and is now fully open, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.
1738 Fordem Ave.
Nar is a new Turkish take-out spot near China Wok and a Chocolate Shoppe ice cream shop in a strip mall on the near north side. It serves straightforward beef wraps, kofta (meatballs) or chicken on rice and dolmas (grape leaves), with a concise menu of bowls and platters.
Customers arrive for the soft opening of Orchard, a new restaurant in Verona by the owners of The Cider Farm.
881 W. Verona Drive, Verona
Orchard, open since April 11, is an airy new cider-driven restaurant from the owners of The Cider Farm, an orchard and farm near Mineral Point. John Biondi owns the restaurant with his his wife, Deirdre Birmingham. Chef Ian Hutchins’ menu has abundant gluten-free options. It features smash burgers and cheese curds, Neapolitan-style pizzas, portabella mushroom flatbread, walleye and New York strip steak. A grand opening is planned for May when the patio opens.
7464 Mineral Point Road
This fast casual noodle bowl restaurant, founded in Seattle, has been growing fast. Serving steak teriyaki, chicken katsu, spicy orange chicken and teriyaki salmon, every bowl is customizable for protein, vegetables (carrots, broccoli, zucchini), rice (white, brown, fried) or noodles. Bowls start at $10.59-$13.99.
2249 Zeier Road
Find crab noodle soup, pho, vermicelli bowls and several variations on banh mi (lobster!) at Viet Town, a casual Vietnamese restaurant that had its soft opening March 11. The location used to be a MOD Pizza.
7429 Elmwood Ave., Middleton
Located near Middleton City Hall and Sofra Family Bistro, this new cafe opened earlier this year. Architect Hamid Noughani started with a La Marzocco espresso machine and grew the business from there, adding loose leaf teas, beer and Madison Sourdough pastries, plus occasional live music.
Owner Kalyani Venkatraman said she wanted to approach the fusion dishes at Zafferano’s carefully. “We wanted to keep it simple, yet a little innovative,” she said.
2969 Cahill Main, Fitchburg
Cap Times’ staffer Ashley Rodriguez reports that Kalyani Venkatraman’s new restaurant “opened in February in a sprawling space that seats 260 with two kitchens run by five chefs — three in charge of the Indian options on the menu and two for the Italian offerings.” Try pizza with Indian butter chicken on it, masala eggplant parmesan and spaghetti and meatballs made with lamb and South Indian spices.
Coming soon
826 Williamson St.
More apartment buildings around Madison means more coffee shops. A new Colectivo coffee location — adding to those on Monroe Street, State Street near campus and the Capitol Square — is set to open in the Irwin building this fall, with 2,100 square feet of indoor seating for 60 and outdoor seating for 25.
35 N. Frances St.
Shaz Khan and Antonio Gambino opened Frank & Andrea, a cheesesteak-and-pizza spot, in Minneapolis’ Dinkytown in 2016. Since then, he and partner Antonio Gambino have opened several locations of Tono Pizzeria and Cheesesteaks, nine in all. They hope to have this new Frank & Andrea, located in The Hub on Frances Street, open by fall semester, as it’s known for late night — the original location sells New York-style slices and hoagies until 2-3 a.m. most nights, and the Wisconsin State Journal reports this location intends to do the same.
2227 Parmenter St., Middleton
Jade True Food says it is opening “soon” at 2227 Parmenter St. in Middleton. Social media posts promise “a delightful breakfast, lunch and espresso bar experience.”
Little Palace will move from its former King Street location near the Capitol to a spot on Winnebago Street on the east side of Madison formally occupied by Mint Mark.
1353 Williamson St. / 1929 Winnebago St.
Ha Long Bay has been selling gift cards to support its imminent reopening on Williamson Street, where the restaurant has been closed for remodeling for about a year. An opening date has not yet been announced. Meanwhile, Chinese American restaurant Little Palace closed on King Street and intends to eventually move to the former Mint Mark location at 1929 Winnebago St.
107 W. Main St., Belleville
Hop Garden owners Rich and Michele Joseph have converted a 1917 garage on Main Street in Belleville, a small town south of Madison, into a third tap room for their 10-year-old brewery. A release touts “seating for up to 170 indoors, a private function room, and an outdoor patio with seating for up to 200.” The stage, featuring live music, will overlook Lake Belle View and the Sugar River. Pair Hop Garden beer with “smoked meats, including brisket, pork, chicken, and burnt ends.” A May opening has been announced.
Level 5 will open a storefront for its vegan doughnuts in early May at 2086 Atwood Ave.
2086 Atwood Ave.
Level 5, a vegan doughnut maker that moved to Madison in 2019, announced earlier this year that it would open a retail counter in the Fortune Favors storefront on Atwood Avenue, across from Gail Ambrosius Chocolatier. Aaron Mooney and Caitlin Rockey have been running the business out of 931 E. Main St. and intend to scale back coffee shop availability as the new store gets going. A grand opening is scheduled for May 3-4. Go early — these doughnuts are hot commodities, in all ways.
Seven Acre Dairy Company's restaurant will become Little Cloud, with a new menu from Ben Serum and Anna Landmark of Landmark Creamery.
6858 Paoli Road, Paoli
Little Cloud, a new restaurant concept from Anna Landmark (Landmark Creamery) and chef Ben Serum, is a rebranding of the Kitchen at Seven Acre Dairy Co. Landmark anticipates a soft opening by April 25. See more on Instagram at @littlecloudrestaurant.
Pink Heifer Saloon and Steakhouse
569 State St.
This Monticello spot for brisket burnt ends, smoked chicken and Southern-style sides has an aggressive expansion plan, the Wisconsin State Journal reported. According to that story, Joe Fox and his family intend to open “25 locations in the next five years,” starting with this one. They’re shooting to open “on or about” July 21 in the block of State near Mooyah and Colectivo Coffee.
134 W. Jefferson St., Spring Green
At the revamped Reunion this summer, American Players Theatre patrons will be able to grab a quick dinner before a show or a picnic basket with smoked chicken or pork, sandwich buns and sides. Ashley Rodriguez reports that Leah Spicer and Kyle Beach, co-owners of the restaurant, will re-launch Reunion as a Southern-style spot on May 2. Hours will be from Wednesday to Sunday, with lunch served from 11:30 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. and dinner from 4 to 8:30 p.m.
Stella Buckley, owner of Dairy Godmother (now Stellie's Ice Cream), pours honey into a mixture of egg yolks and sugar to make the base for honey vanilla ice cream.
1815 E. Washington Ave.
Market vendor Stella Buckley has renamed her ice cream business, which she started in 2023 as Dairy Godmother. The newly named Stellie’s Ice Cream plans a brick and mortar to open June 1. Madison Magazine reports, “This summer, Buckley plans to serve cherry pie à la mode, peanut butter and strawberry jelly, and white mocha espresso flavors. The menu will also feature a seasonal sorbet.” The previous tenant, the chocolatier CocoVaa, intends to reopen soon at 10 Odana Court in May, according to recent social media posts.
