2013 Local Transportation and Restaurants

  • Bicycle: Bike rental stations are available in downtown Madison at various locations. The closest bike rental station to the venue (~ 20 bikes with credit card rental) is located on at Union South, directly across Johnson Street from the WID building. See http://madison.bcycle.com/ for more information.
  • Bus: Madison has a good bus system call METRO and the website is: cityofmadison.com/metro/. The route 80 bus, which is free of charge, has a circular route on the UW campus (highlighted in black and gray on the map below). If you would like to view the UW campus, take the round trip ride on this bus! The route 80 bus runs every 6-10 minutes during the day and significantly less often at night. If you wish to take this bus from the WID building to the East campus hotels (Lowell center and Campus Inn), the best place to get on is on Randall Avenue just south of Johnson Street. If you ride the bus from the East campus hotels to the WID building, you should get off at the Mills St. stop (while still on University Ave.) or at the stop right after the bus turns right off University Ave.  (Otherwise, you will ride for a very long loop to go the one additional block.)

  • Taxis: Madison has four taxi companies.
    • Badger Cab Company Inc., phone 608-256-5566
    • Mad City Car Service, phone 608-235-6196
    • Madison Taxi, phone 608-257-8294 (west side) or 608-255-8294 (east side)
    • Union Cab of Madison, phone 608-242-2000

LUNCH PLACES

  • Aldo’s Café (330 N. Orchard, in the WID building): soups, salads, and sandwiches; fast service; can be busy during lunch time.
  • Cousins Subs (1221 W. Johnson Street): basic subs; close to the WID building.
  • Dotty Dumpling’s Dowry (317 North Frances Street): famous for its burgers; 5 minute walk; good place also for dinner.
  • Library Cafe and Bar (320 North Randall Street): mostly sandwiches, but good.  Across from the WID building.  Dining area is relatively small, but you can also eat on the Patio.
  • Steenbock’s on Orchard (330 N. Orchard, in the WID building): can be busy during lunch time; good place also for dinner.
  • The Stadium (1419 Monroe St): sports bar; burgers & salads.
  • Subway Restaurant (1401 University Avenue, across from the WID building)
  • Union South (across from WID) has multiple options: (a) ginger root – Asian; (b) harvest grains – sandwiches, soups, and salads; (c) the Sett – burgers and sandwiches; and (d) urban slice – pizza.

All these places are close to WID, but you could also probably walk to all places mentioned as “Close to Hotel Red” or “Close to Campus Inn and Lowell Center” during the lunch break.  (Maximum walking distance is around a mile).

DINNER RESTAURANTS

Close to Hotel Red

  • Brasserie V (1923 Monroe Street); Bistro-style food.  Extensive beer menu that has been personally approved by Giacomo Nannicini.
  • Brocach (1843 Monroe Street).  British-Style pub fare.
  • Campus Biryani (1437 Regent St.): Indian
  • Jordan’s Big Ten Pub: (1330 Regent Street): Bar Food.  Jeff likes it way more than Lucky’s.
  • Lucky’s Bar & Grille (1421 Regent St.):  (College) Bar Food.
  • Nam’s Noodle (1336 Regent Street): Vietnamese and other Asian dishes.  Jeff likes it, but Steve wright got food poisoning here once.
  • Pasqual’s (1851 Monroe St.): Latin American.  Jeff recommends the burritos.  Also good for lunch.
  • Pizza Bruta (1805 Monroe St.):  Roman-style pizzeria.  Pizza personally approved by Claudia d’Ambrosio.
  • Wingstop (1234 Regent St.): Chicken wings
  • Ventiane Palace Restaurant (1441 Regent St.): Laotian/Asian

Close to Campus Inn and Lowell Center

  • Buraka Restaurant (543 State Street): Ethiopian
  • Sambe Brazillian Grill (240 West Gilman Street): Brazilian churrascaria ($$)
  • Casa de Lara (341 State Street): Mexican
  • Chautara Restaurant (334 State Street): Nepali, vegetarian
  • Fugu Asian Fusion (411 West Gilman Street): Jeff likes this restaurant
  • Gino’s (540 State Street): Chicago-style pizza
  • Himal Chuli Restaurant (318 State Street): Nepali and Tibetan
  • Hüsnü’s (547 State Street): Turkish
  • Icon Restaurant and Tapas Bar (206 State Street): Spanish
  • Mediterranean Cafe (625 State Street): Good, cheap Mediterranean fare.
  • Porta Bella Italian Restaurant (425 North Frances Street)
  • Rising Sons Deli (617 State Street): Laotian/Thai
  • Takara Japanese Restaurant (315 State Street): Standard Sushi and Japanese fare
  • Taste of Tibet (430 State Street)
  • Tutto Pasta (305 State Street): Italian

Restaurant Week Restaurants

It is restaurant week in Madison from 7/21-7/26, which gives you an opportunity to try a number of three course meals at reasonable prices ($25).

http://www.madisonmagazine.com/Madison-Magazine/Events/Restaurant-Week/Menus/

Of the restaurants participating in Restaurant week, here are the ones that Jeff recommends.

You should probably call to get reservations if you are interested in going.

  • Harvest (21 N. Pinckney St.):  On capitol square.  Local and organic ingredients.
  • Johnny Delmonico’s (130 South Pinckney Street):  Good steaks.  Close to capitol.
  • Lombardino’s Restaurant (2500 University Ave) Traditional Italian.  Probably need a car.
  • Merchant (121 S. Pickney St.).  Food is good, but not great.  Best cocktails in Madison, according to Jeff.
  • Nostrano (111 S. Hamilton St.).  On capitol square.  One of Jeff’s favorites.
  • Restaurant Muramoto (225 King St.)  Jeff’s wife Helen’s favorite place to go.  Best sushi in Madison.  Also many interesting “small style” plates.

Other Restaurants

  • Essen Haus (514 East Wilson Street, German, 2 miles from campus):  An opportunity to drink from Der Stiefel (boot).
  • Brocach Irish Pub (7 West Main Street):  British-Style pub food
  • Great Dane Pub (123 East Doty Street, pub food):  Brew their own beer.  Quite popular Madison restaurant/locale
  • Graze (1 S Pinckney St.):  Shares a kitchen with L’Etoile, but food is upscale-pub style.
  • Ichiban:  610 S Park St.   Good Chinese, with some quite authentic Szechuan dishes
  • Inka Heritage: (602 South Park Street).  Peruvian.
  • L’Etoile: (1 S Pinckney St.).  On capitol square.  One of the fanciest (but also best) restaurants in Madison.
  • New Seoul Korean Restaurant (2503 University Avenue)
  • The Old Fashioned Tavern (23 North Pinckney Street, pub food):  A Madison tradition.  You haven’t visited Madison unless you’ve had cheese curds at the Old Fashioned.  If you’re not worried about cholesterol, Jeff suggests you also get the Old Fashioned Burger and a Pabst Blue Ribbon for the complete Wisconsin experience.
  • Osteria Papavero  (128 E Wilson St.)  Fantastic Italian.  Sven Leyffer’s favorite Madison restaurant.
  • Sardine (617 Williamson St.)  Best known for seafood.   Some views of Lake Monona