Muskellounge And Sporting Club
4102 Monona Dr, Madison, WI 53716
Could you give me our Wisconsin Grandparent’s basement in bar form? Here we are, it’s the Muskellounge and Sporting Club. Shuffleboard, darts and Big Buck Hunter with a side of craft cocktails or maybe a crisp Hamm’s? Muskellounge serves up a great pizza and an even better Old Fashioned. If I haven’t sold it for you yet, this place also does a Meat Raffle. My Midwesterners know what I’m saying. It pays a beautiful homage to our roots as an outdoorsy, kind and welcoming place. As an added bonus, maybe you don’t allow taxidermy on your walls at home, we aren’t here to judge. Muskellounge would be happy to host your trophy on their walls for you to stop in and share your tale. You can take it home whenever the house rules on taxidermy change.
Mint Mark
1929 Winnebago Street, Madison, WI 53704
Not to be dramatic but when you go, just promise me you’ll get the Biscuit. Creamy butter and honey garlic, need we say more? Home to delicious cocktails and draft Sangria, Mint Mark is a place we are thankful to live near to. Though Summer has all too quickly left us, Mint Mark’s take on Bee’s Knees will never be out of season. Pair any drink of your choice with the delicious food coming out of the kitchen and you will be pleased. One of our favorite Cheeseburgers in Madison comes from their kitchen or for something different try their Pierogi. If they’re serving a special, it is certainly special, so do that.
Nattspil
211 King St, Madison, WI 53703
Nattspil, you will always carry such a special place in my heart. We love your pizza, we love your cheap beer, we love your interior that we really can’t quite make sense of. We love you Nattspil. After we got engaged, we didn’t entirely have a concrete plan of what to do next. What do you do after getting engaged? We found our spot in a window seat, beaming in the red light and post engagement glow. Truth is, we don’t come here enough to be able to proclaim, “The usual!” Something to strive for, I guess. We ordered two beers and a sausage and pepperoni pizza, it was delightful as usual. When people ask us our favorite pizza in Madison, Nattspil is always at or near the top of our list. Is Nattspil Madison’s best kept secret? If so, go there so you can be in on it.
Ice Cream Social
2421 University Ave, Madison, WI 53726
Ice Cream Social was an answer to our craft ice cream prayer. We love any and all ice cream but after visiting city after city with craft ice cream parlours we couldn’t help but wonder, are we going to have to be the ones who open this thing? While most of us took our time during the pandemic to finally try making sourdough, Katrina from Ice Cream Social threw herself into a sweeter hobby. Ice Cream Social saw its’ first sale through the power of social media and the idea of what a little ice cream might be able to accomplish began to bubble. Since that first batch, Katrina and the team at Ice Cream Social have continued to take some of the extremely valuable proceeds a small business makes and reinvest them into causes within the Madison community. Between the smell of fresh waffle cones, sweet ice cream and good people, Ice Cream Social is worthy of your time and money.
“With the motto “Small Batches for Big Change,” she donated the money from her weekly ice cream sales to organizations in her community fighting for social and racial equity.”
Ice Cream Social
Leopold’s Book Bar and Cafe
1301 Regent St, Madison, WI 53715
Leopold’s Book Bar and Cafe is a delightful find. Like some place from a movie or some place written in a book or even just some place that we feel we could only find in Europe, this quaint book shop, bar and caffe sits waiting for you to open the door. There is something so special within the walls of Leopold’s. Bartenders who double as Baristas serving coffee late into the night amidst the backdrop of a bookstore. Corner booths and tucked away tables, Leopold’s is a lovely spot to spend an afternoon or evening.
The Ohio Tavern
224 Ohio Ave., Madison, WI
If you haven’t been to The Ohio Tavern you’ve most likely unknowingly passed it. Important note before we get too far in, CASH ONLY. The Ohio is a gem of a spot for foodies, aspiring karaoke idols and bingo fanatics. Fan favorite tacos like the Bud Lite, Travelin’ Matt, and Bo Gia are our go to orders (see menu for details.) With cheap beers and delicious margs it’s easy to fall in love with this place. Follow the simple rules of, “Don’t be a dick” and “Squeeze your F####in lime” and you too can enjoy a Madison evening on their back deck. Inside restaurant space is small and they don’t accept reservations so plan ahead and get there before the rush.
Another Year Down
This year we celebrated one year of Madison Musts and we are so grateful to you all for your support. Thank you to the restaurants and businesses of Madison who have hosted us and shared their stories. Our hope is that we’ve provided you with inspiration and information for where you should check out. We also plan to continue supporting the beautiful community of small, locally owned businesses here in the Madison area. We have no intention of being critics, only biggest fans, of the many wonderful artists and culinary professionals who call Madison home.