chonestown wrote:thomchatt3rton wrote:jute2003 wrote:It's a great spot. I also like leopolds and io arcade bar for a more mature crowd any day besides saturday.
You guys seem like good guys to ask: my gf is gonna be in WI next week and we’re thinking of doing a day in Madison. I haven’t been there in YEARS.
What are some must-see things to do? It’ll be a weekday, and we aren’t really drinkers but like seeing sights, shopping, restaurants, museums. Thanks!
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Over by Memorial Union area, there's a couple parking ramps. The food carts set up on Library Mall, which corresponds to the west end of State Street. There's a ton of options, my top choice is Caracas Arepas which is Venezuelan. Library Mall puts you in close contact to the Chazen Art Museum, which I find much superior to the MOCA. It's free, the featured exhibitions are usually more to my taste and the permanent collection is stronger. Memorial Union is Memorial Union. Not an imaginative choice but c'mon. If it's nice out, it's glorious. A damn showpiece is what it is, plus it's close to Science Hall and the Red Gym, probably my two favorite two pieces of campus architecture.
I would walk the path out to the west and make sure to stop at Allen Centennial Garden, which has a fairly small footprint but a ton of variety. You can either walk back at that point or head out to Monroe Street, which begins at Camp Randall. It might make more sense to drive out there as well. The two shopping/districts are roughly the 1700-1900 blocks and the Knickerbocker area on the west side of Edgewood. The choice spots for the former are Pizza Bruti and Bloom Bakehouse, while Fairchild (whose chef was a judge on the last episode of Top Chef) and Gates and Brovi are top picks for the latter. This is also near Lake Wingra, which houses the zoo (also free) and has a ton of great walking paths.
East of the Capitol, the Williamson and Atwood neighborhoods are very walkable with plenty of good eating spots. Ahan and Weary Traveler are my faves on Willy, Monsoon Siam, Bar Coralino and Players (prolly the best gdam burger spot in town) rule Atwood, and sure, Stalzy's got the deli game on lock. Further east of Atwood is Olbrich Gardens, much bigger than Allen but well worth the visit. Garver Mill complex is on the east side of the Gardens and houses a bunch of food spots in a lovingly restored former poultry feed warehouse. If you go to Olbrich, might as well keep going to Monona and hit up Viet Hoa grocery for the best bahn mi in town. It won't immediately be obvious where to grab one but there should be someone at a register near the entrance. Ask for help. There's a couple of other great spots in Monona on Monona Dr, including Swod India and Fraboni's Italian Deli.
If you haven't been to the Capitol, it's super obvious but it's super obvious for a reason. Wednesday farmer's market is on MLK on the block nearest Monona Terrace, also home to one of the better lake views in the city. Graze/L'etoile is regarded as the foodie spot, but I still can't get over an extended print piece on Chef Tory Miller that included a vignette of his weekly visit to the Dane Co Farmer's Market that included him demanding of a vendor "Give me all your radishes." Christ, have some decorum.
If you want to get out of town, Dr. Evermore's sculpture park is maybe a 30-40 minute drive out of the city. I fking love it. Google that sht and see if it's your jam. The UW basketball offices are located off the Kohl Center so stop in and let out a hearty #firegard if inclined, though I might-could call you a meatball fan.
I dunno man, ask questions and I'll see what I can do to help you out. If you want to get tacos, go to Tacqueria Guadalajara on Park. The walk around Monona Bay is a personal fave, so put in some steps and get some fking huraches and gorditas at TacqG afterwards. Personally, I love sitting at the counter there and marveling at the bilingual staff juggling multiple tickets, online orders and seating people, not continue to beating a dead horse but give the FOH staff at least as much money as Malik Beasley, troo Mexi-merican heroes. I don't know who on this consarned forum recommended Taigu Noodles in Middleton, but they were Right. Near Taigu is Taza, which is killing things on the Middle Eastern front. My god, I wanna run up on that spot right now.
Like most other cities worth a vinegar fart, Madison is best experienced on foot. Holla at me TC if you need further guidance.
Not enough and1s in the world for this comprehensiveness! Thanks Chones
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