Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
It's mostly students at the well-lit and capacious
Plaza Tavern
(319 N. Henry St.,
608/255-6592,
www.theplazatavern.com
) just off State Street at the corner of Johnson
Street, known for its tangy burgers. Two floors of twentysomethings—the upper level
looks for all the world like a house party—socialize at
Genna's
(105 W. Main St., 608/
255-4770,
www.gennaslounge.com
) across from the Capitol along West Main Street. A
half block away is the dimly lit
Paradise Lounge
(119 W. Main St., 608/256-2263,
ht-
tp://thenewparadiselounge.com
)
, once home only to serious hard-core drinkers but now a
hangout for the black-and-flannel crowd. A few doors down is the
Shamrock Bar
(117 W.
Main St., 608/255-5029), one of Madtown's three gay bars.
I've always liked the
Come Back In
(508 E. Wilson St., 608/258-8619,
www.comebackintavern.com
)
, a huge tavern some seven blocks northeast, a great place to
quaff a tap—for all the world like a subterranean German
bierhall.
Another string of bars—nay,
sports bars
—chock-full of students is found along Regent
StreetdownfromCampRandallstadium.Thehordesofstudentsgenerallydon'tstrayasfar
asthesubdued
Greenbush Bar
(914RegentSt.,608/257-2874,
www.greenbushbar.net
)
,an
excellent Italian neighborhood eatery (in an old Italian Workmen's Club) and
the
place in
the area for a glass of wine or a scotch.
LIVE MUSIC
Always, but always, you can find something at the
High Noon Saloon
(701A E. Washing-
ton Ave., 608/268-1112,
http://www.high-noon.com
)
. It was opened by a legendary Madis-
on alt-club owner after her equally legendary previous alt-club burned down.
FARM FRESH
Visiting friends in Madtown over the weekend? Well, you ain't sleepin' in Saturday.
No matter how hungover or workweek-weary we are, rising early for a stroll around
the Capitol at the
Dane County Farmers Market
(
www.madfarmmkt.org
)
—the
largest of its kind in the United States—to pick up goat cheese, salmon, and organic
produce (and java) is an absolute must.
More than 200 farmers line Capitol Square April-October and dispense
everything you could possibly imagine.
Key word: organic—though not exclusively. Everything, however, must be
grown/raised in Wisconsin. The only-in-Madison juxtapositions include an organic
