I lived in Madison, Wisconsin from 1989 through 1993-1994. My first years were dominated by grad school and living in a student housing co-op. I got a MA in library science and that tenure at the co-op is worth remembering in another article. Let’s take a look at Madison restaurants I fondly remember from that time period.
If you have any memories you can share, please send them! If I remember anything incorrectly, or have got my research wrong, please send me corrections.
I want to thank my friend, Laura Hemming, at the Wisconsin State Historical Society Library, for her help. Late in the draft of this article, I ran across the excellent website Eating in Madison A to Z.
Amy’s Cafe
This was suggested by a Madison-based friend and I didn’t recall it until I found an image of the menu on the State Historical Society website (see below). Once I saw the menu, it was immediate recognition. I got their veggie sandwich often for lunch when I was volunteering at the nearby Rainbow Bookstore. Even today, finding a good pita-centric veggie sandwich is hard to find.
Barber’s Closet
This was a neat speakeasy bar in the historic Hotel Washington. The overall building was a hub for queer culture. The entire building burned down in 1996. I know I went here at least once.
Canterbury Coffee and Books
If you know me, you know that I am a librarian and bookstore fan who has opened two bookstores (with friends) over the years. Canterbury Coffee and Books was located on West Gorham Street, just south of State Street. It had the vibe of a Borders or Barnes & Noble, almost a decade before those big bookstores spread everywhere. The book selection covered all subjects and they always had new books, which is my favorite part of a bookstore.
I was not a coffee drinker at this time (not until 2009), but this is where I had my first mocha coffees. They had a dining room, in the center of the open space, with light dishes and baked goods. You could dine at a table like in a restaurant while people perused the books around the perimeter.
Capitol Square Farmer’s Market
The cheese curd lady. “FRESH CHEESE CURDS. SO FRESH THEY SQUEAK!” Madison has long had one of the premier urban farmer’s market with an interesting twist. The Saturday market takes place on the square of streets around the Wisconsin State Capitol. The streets are closed down, which provides lots of space for dozens of vendors and the public. I would walk to the market from my nearby residence and buy fresh produce. In addition to my fond memory of the cheese curd lady, I also remember buying little jars of fresh pesto from another vendor.
Casa de Lara
Madison didn’t have many Mexican restaurants when I lived there. We really have it good here in Kansas City, with dozens of Mexican and Tex-Mex restaurants and taquerias. My go-to spot for a sit-down Mexican meal was Casa de Lara on State Street. I remember the food as being good quality Tex-Mex. Burrito and enchilada platters. I probably was ordering chile rellenos or cheese enchilada platters. It was upstairs on the corner of the intersection.
Caspian Cafe
I think this was a Middle Eastern restaurant (Iranian / Persian) that I went to frequently for lunch. Located in the University Square shops on West Johnson. I probably got their falafel sandwich or their vegetarian Caspian Platter. Looks like they were in business until at least 2005-2006.
Cellar Subs
This mom-and-pop sandwich shop, located in the basement of a retail building on State Street, got me through my graduate school years. I probably ate here at least once a week, usually for lunch. I remember always eating one of their over-stuffed veggie sandwiches on my visits. The Onion newspaper (which originated in Madison as a humor paper with coupons) always had a coupon for Cellar Subs. Amazing bread. They had a projection TV where you could watch the brand new CNN channel or soap operas.
Edwardo’s
You probably remember this as the regional pizza chain with pesto pizza. It was my introduction to pesto, which I still use frequently today and know how to make from basil I’ve grown in my gardens. I first discovered them in Milwaukee, during a family trip. I remember that they grew fresh basil in the entrance area. Their pizzas were amazing and the pesto pizzas were worth making a trip to their Madison location.
It appears that the chain has two remaining locations, in Chicago and Indiana. Looks like they specialize in Chicago deep dish style pizza. No sign of pesto pizza on their menus.
Ella’s Deli
One of the most common restaurants folks in Kansas City wish we had are more delicatessens. There are so many great things about the delicatessen format that generate fond memories among lovers of food. When I lived in Madison, Ella’s Deli was a frequent destination for me when I wanted to get breakfast or an affordable meal with friends. They had two destinations, one on State Steet downtown and one on East Washington Ave. I mostly visited the State Street location and I recall the other one had a small carrousel.
Ella’s was the kind of deli where you could get a nice breakfast platter with eggs. You could get a corned beef sandwich, or, in my vegetarian case, a grilled cheese sandwich plate with fries.
Essen Haus
Always loved getting one of their fresh pretzels and enjoying it with some mustard (a combination alien to actual Germans). Sometimes participated in the “chicken dance” (also not German, though becoming more popular in Germany recently). I probably visited Essen Haus dozens of times with friends and classmates. It helped me develop an appreciation (at the time) for Paulaner Weiss wheat beer. It may have also prompted me to become a small craft beer snob for decades. (Currently, I haven’t drunk any alcohol in nearly a decade).
Europa Cafe
I worked right off Capitol Square while in graduate school at the University of Wisconsin and later lived a few blocks off the square. The Europe Cafe was a little lunch space that mostly catered to downtown office workers. Had an outdoor patio which was nice during warm weather. I remember Europa as being my introduction to the joys of a fresh baguette sandwich with cheese slices, tomatoes, greens, onions, and dressing.
Was located at the corner of E. Main Street and King Street. East corner of Capitol Square. Currently the Tipsy Cow?
Food Truck – Falafel
This was the first place I ever had falafels and pita. The first visit got me hooked and then I was a regular for years. It helped that my grad school and first librarian job was less than 2000 feet away. I had just become a vegetarian during the summer of 1989 and the discovery of falafel was an eye opener as far as vegetarian food options go. This may have been my vegetarian mother’s intro to falafels. She loves them and she’s made many versions from scratch over the years.
Food Truck – Loose Juice
The origins of this Library Mall smoothie cart are pretty infamous, but I’m not going to revisit that origin story here. I was a frequent customer when I was a student and later as a librarian who worked nearby. The smoothies were amazing and a bit ahead of their time. It was my introduction to the vast possibilities of flavorful and healthy frozen drinks.
Himal Chuli (still open)
If you’ve heard me talk about how I wish that Kansas City had a Nepalese restaurant (we have at least two now), it’s because I really loved going to this Nepalese concept on State Steet. I remember it being a “cozy” space, in other words, a small space with other diners at your elbows. Which I found quaint at the time. Their menu was vegetarian friendly and featured the combo of northern Indian and Nepalese cuisine.
Hüsnü’s
This was a Mediterranean concept on State Street that was pretty popular. Was it Turkish centered? I recall going there several times and appreciating the vegetarian items on the menu.
I’m Here
This was a Vietnamese food cart on Library Mall at the foot of State Street. This may have been my first introduction to Vietnamese Cuisine. I recall getting lunch from this cart often.
La Bamba
Where you could (can) get a “burrito as big as you head.” Portion size I could definitely not eat these days. La Bamba is a Midwest chain with locations in university towns. I remember the burritos being very good. Big portions, of course. Very affordable for hungry college students.
The location I frequeneted was located at 433 N. Broom Street, right off of State Street. The building currently housing Yume Sushi and Asian Kitchen. They have a current location in south Madison.
Madison Bagel Company
This wonderful bakery was my introduction to New York style bagels, which are hard to replicate outside of the New York area. Dense bagels. Lots of topping options. Great cream cheese. I worked next door and lived on the street, so MBC became a frequent breakfast and lunch option. It occupied a small building, so it only had a small lobby where you could order bagels or cram into if it was cold and snowy outside.
Was located at 309 North Henry Street, right off of State Street. There was also an amazing indie video store next door in those days.
Mildred’s
It’s always surprising when a little, short-lived restaurant makes an impression that lats for decades. My girlfriend at the time and I loved to go to this spot on E. Johnson St. There was one sandwich that I fondly recall and I found their menu while writing this piece! Weaver’s Fantasy Sandwich was such an interesting format for a vegetarian sandwich that I may try and recreate it. When I researched this article, Mildred’s comes up often as a restaurant that Madisonians and ex-residents miss.
Swiss, aged cheddar, onion, green pepper, pickled sweet red pepper, pepperoncini, and tomato with mayonnaise and Dijon mustard on a whole wheat pita.
Weaver’s Fantasy Sandwich
The other veggie sandwiches were awesome. The Agurka Sandwich (Cucumbers and dilled cream cheese spread on pumpernickel) or The Leadbedder Sandwich (all the cheeses and mayo). They had some sandwiches with clever names: Gramsci Sandwich (Pepperoni, mozzarella, and pickled sweet red pepper with Dijon mustard and mayonnaise on a white pita.)
Monty’s Blue Plate Diner (still open)
Monty’s Blue Plate Diner in the early 1990s was very much on my dining out rotation with best friends. As a younger vegetarian, I really appreciated that they had so many vegetarian options on their menu. And it was all upgraded diner food in a space with the diner vibe. Monty’s is one of those destination restaurants that is a must-visit when you return to a city (Pancho Villa’s in San Francisco is another must-visit that I will discuss in a future blog).
Monty’s is one of those restaurants where I could go as a vegetarian and have many choices on the menu. For example, in 2025, I could order the Sweet Potato Hash off the breakfast section. I remember the Vegan Banana Walnut Pancakes as always hitting the spot. They have vegan takes on meat-centered comfort food: Veggie Loaf of The Gods.
Wow! They sill have the “Sheldon” – Marinated tofu, sauerkraut with grilled onions, vegan cheddar-style cheese, and vegan 1000 Island, on rye bread.
Desserts? Regular dairy desserts and vegan options. And pie slices!
Paisan’s
This was a popular Italian restaurant that I probably dined at, but my memory is hazy. Does anybody remember where it was located in the early 1990s?
Pasqual’s
There are Mexican restaurants and then there are the special ones that bring you Southwestern-style, California-style, or authentic Mexican menus. Definitely one of my favorite restaurants when I lived in Madison. I like to go to the Monroe location with friends and/or my girlfriend at the time. This was probably my first introduction to Southwestern-style Mexican. It was like stepping away from heavy, cheese-covered Mexican dishes of typical Mexican restaurants for something fresher, more flavorful, and healthier. And whole beans instead of sad refried beans! I also remember their chips and salsa being “God tier.”
Radical Rye
Radical Rye was a popular, amazing sandwich shop in a triangular building at N. Henry Street and State Street (later demolished for Madison Museum of Contemporary Art expansion). One of the earliest sandwich shops that encouraged you to design your own sandwich. They had little printed forms and tiny pencils you could use to design your order. I like to do that, but they also had two “specialties” that spoke my vegetarian sandwich love language. It can be hard to find a gooey veggie melt. I’ve long been a fan of veggie reubens. Radical Rye’s take on the format was top notch.
Rocky Rococo
Pizza is such a popular American cuisine with lots of local and regional variations, but often pizza formats from restaurant to restaurant can be fairly similar. Rocky Rococo’s is still a thriving regional chain, but it was even more popular in the 1990s. Rocky’s originated in Madison in 1974.
Wait, why is it here in a bygone restaurant article? This is, after all, a list of restaurants that Chuck misses. And probably many of you who have moved away or aren’t near one of their current locations. My regular Rocky’s isn’t there, at the foot of State Street, across from Library Mall. I frequented Rocky’s while in library school and later when I was a librarian at Helen C. White Hall. I dined in, although their pizza box was designed for take away.
Rocky’s specializes in pan pizza, which is then served in rectangular slices. Not totally original, but different than most pizza joints. I remember that their bread sticks were “S” tier. And the marinara dipping sauce was amazing. Just a great deal for students.
Rozino’s
I still consider this the best New York style pizza I’ve had outside of New York. Amazing crust. Was located on North Fairchild Street, a block south of State Street and two blocks southwest of the Wisconsin State Capitol. I ate lunch here often when I worked at various places downtown. You could buy their pizza by the slice. Proper New York Style, which meant that you could fold the large slices. Also properly oven baked.
They also had a pizza truck that could churn out late night pizzas for college students. I recall getting pizza from their truck when it was parked on Langdon. I lived on North Henry Street at that time. Rivendell Co-op!
The Stiftskeller – The Terrace – Student Union
I could probably write a separate article about the Wisconsin Student Union and the role it played in my life in Madison as a student and resident. I went to library school next door at Helen C. White Hall. Later, my first office as a librarian, in Helen C. White, overlooked the Terrace, Lake Mendota, and the student union. I could see people drinking and dining on the Terrace, people sailing or windsurfing on the lake, and people ice fishing during the winter months.
Like most university student unions, the building is sprawling and has a variety of food outlets. In the early 1990s, unlike recent decades, there were no corporate chains providing food services. The exterior of the Union has art deco design vibes. The main food halls had (still have?) a faux German food hall design.
In the early 1990s, the Union had a cafeteria, the Ratskeller (Der Rathskeller), the Stiftskeller (Der Stiftskeller), the Terrace, and the ice cream counter. The Ratskeller was your typical college food place where you could get burgers, sandwiches, pizza, snacks, and soft drinks. The Stiftskeller was adjacent to Der Rathskeller and was like pub with deep, cozy booths. You could get beer and popcorn here. The Terrace is a famous outdoor seating and dining area, with unique chairs, where you could sit next to the lake and enjoy live music.
Ratskeller is a name in German-speaking countries for a bar or restaurant located in the basement of a city hall or nearby. Many taverns, nightclubs, bars and similar establishments throughout the world use the term. ~ Wikipedia
My favorite space in the Union was Der Stiftskeller. Grad school for me was the building next door, so it was very easy to spend a few hours in the space studying while eating popcorn and drinking a beer. It was also a great space for hanging out with classmates and friends. On a warm weekend night, the beer and popcorn was bustling because it served people out on The Terrace.
The Terrace at Memorial Union is one of those unique spaces at universities that give colleges their unique flavors. Spaces like the Terrace become must-see destination for returning graduates. The space is a large outdoor set of terraced patios, right on the edge of Lake Mendota. Round tables have set of the signature metal chairs. Your could buy your food (and beer) inside the Union and eat/drink outside. During the weekends, in warm weather, the space would often have live music.
The Daily Scoop is an ice cream counter that serves Babcock Dairy Ice Cream. Ice cream that is made on campus. I remember the ice cream as always being “S’ Tier.
Vientiene Palace
Once you try Vietnamese or Laotian cuisine, you’ll count yourself lucky if you get this food locally. Kansas City has had several Vietnamese restaurants for some time (our fave is Vietnam Cafe) and has recently seen a couple of Laotian restaurants open. I dined at Vientiene Palace a bunch of times during my years in Madison. Liked it so much that I missed it after moving to the East Coast.
On one visit with classmates from library school, one of our buddies, who told us that he could handle extremely spicy dishes, ordered a dish with the highest spice level. It was almost too much for him. We watched him sweat and grimace his way through the rest of our meal together.
Did they move downtown at some point? I found a recent sign at West Gorham and N. Henry Streets.
Wah Kee Chinese Noodle and Restaurant
Wasn’t this Chinese restaurant located in the strip mall across South Blair Street from the Essen Haus? At the intersection of Williamson Street and John Nolan Drive. I recall this being my Chinese restaurant of choice when I lived a few blocks away near the State Capitol. I don’t recall what I got here, but it was probably the usual vegetarian suspects.
Favorites Nominated by Friends
- Portabellas – Italian restaurant
- Pizza Pit – Pizzeria. Where was this?
- The Nitty Gritty – The birthday hamburger joint.
- Upstairs Downstairs – Upscale dining?
- Ovens of Brittany – Fancy, upscale French dining. The place you impressed a date.
What Madison restaurants do you miss? Please share in the comment section below. Thanks!