Looking for the next new restaurant hitting Madison’s food scene?
Check out these buzz-worthy places to eat and drink in the Isthmus — plus, some spots coming soon. Keep tabs on this list to stay ahead of the culinary curve, and don’t forget to bookmark it.
September openings
Baked Wings & Things, 250 State St. | Wings
Just like the name suggests, you’ll find baked chicken wings here, plus a wide range of other bar foods like smash burgers, fries, tots, and onion rings.
Taj Indian Restaurant, 444 S. Park St. | Indian
The popular restaurant is moving to the former The Borough Beer Co. & Kitchen location with a menu that offers options for all dietary restrictions.
August openings
Moon Bar, 328 W. Gorham St. | Bar
No need to grab Katy Perry to travel to this intergalactic bar that is now slinging drinks on UW campus.
July openings
Ashirwad Indian Restaurant, 128 State St. A | Indian
Dig into classics like chicken tikka masala, palak paneer, and lamb biryani inside this color-drenched sister restaurant to The Globe.
June openings
The Windsor, 4237 Deere Crossing | Restaurant + bar
This sprawling new hangout features room for 300 to dine inside, plus two patios, volleyball courts, and indoor and outdoor stages for live music.
Sern Sapp, 1146 Williamson St. | Laotian
From the family behind Lao Laan-Xang comes this new lunch spot serving pho, Laotian stir-fried noodles, spring rolls, crepes, and more.
Did we miss a June opening? Let us know.
May openings
HWY1 | 2701 Monroe St. | Fast-casual
Goodbye, Miko Poké. Hello, HWY1. While Madison’s first-ever poke shop is closing, it’s being replaced by a fast casual restaurant owned by the same folks. They are planning to remodel and reopen sometime in June, this time with a menu inspired by Mexico.
Did we miss a May opening? Let us know.
April openings
GlouGlou | 11 N. Allen St. | Bistro
From popup to permanent. If you loved all of GlouGlou’s previous pop-ups with natural + organic wines, you’ll love knowing a brick-and-mortar is expected to be open in May. Pour one up for us.
Orchard | 881 W. Verona Ave. | Restaurant
This local restaurant is taking farm to table to the next level by partnering with The Cider Farm. Many of the drinks here showcase apples from the local farm + chefs make a diligent effort to locally source all other ingredients for dishes too.
Los Atlantes Restaurant & Bakery, 2304 S. Park St. | Bakery
South Madisonians now have easier access to the Mexican bakery’s specialty mole, daily conchas, and chile rellenos.
Did we miss a April opening? Let us know.
March openings
Fya Syde Kitchen | 1925 Monroe St. | Takeout
Jamaican flavors are taking over Madison with dishes like oxtail stew and jerk chicken. Those familiar with partner businesses the Fyasyde pick-up/delivery service + food truck Grateful Melt will be able to find menu items from both spots on Fya Syde’s menu.
Pink Heifer Saloon & Smokehouse | 569 State St. | Barbecue
The owners of Pink Heifer Saloon & Smokehouse are opening a new version of their three-year-old restaurant in Downtown Madison. The first Pink Heifer BBQ Saloon will move in next to Mooyah Burgers, Fries, & Shakes on State Street with a projected opening date of July 21. This is intended to be the first of 25 locations of the new venture.
Did we miss a March opening? Let us know.
February openings
Mishqui Peruvian Bistro | 225 King St. | Bistro
Another Peruvian restaurant is now open in town. Cynthia Garcia will be adding a third restaurant to her collection with Mishqui Peruvian Bistro. The downtown bistro will be open seven days a week for breakfast, lunch, and dinner service.
Zafferano Ristorante | 2969 Cahill Main | Restaurant
Feast on a fusion of Italian and Indian cuisines at this newly opened restaurant. Our eyes are locked on the burrata with mango chutney, but there are plenty of other mouthwatering entrees like the masala chicken parmesean.
Alimentari | 2623 Monroe St. | Deli
This local deli successfully completed its move to the east side, now offering its beloved specialty Italian meats and cheeses. Next time someone asks, “Where’s the gabagool?” Point them in this direction.
Did we miss a February opening? Let us know.
January openings
Taco Madre | 2827 Atwood Ave. | Restaurant
A new Mexican restaurant is now open in the former location of Daisy Cafe, serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner with a variety of dishes like breakfast burritos, tacos, and choripollo. Expect homemade tortillas made with local masa at this new location.
Level 5 Donuts | 2086 Atwood Ave. | Bakery
Here’s some hole-some news — You can officially stop by this local bakery to pick up plant-based donuts. And we recommend doing so quickly because they are known to sell out before closing time.
Did we miss a January opening? Let us know.
Coming soon
Stella’s Bakery, 1219 Regent St. | Bakery | ETA: October 2025
This is no longer exclusively a pop-up. The popular bake shop is planning to open a brick-and-mortar on Regent Street by mid-October.
Lane’s Bakery, 2120 W. Greenview Dr. | Bakery | ETA: Winter 2025
This 70+ year old bake shop coming back, just in a different form. It will no longer offer sales through a retail front, but soon you can get your hands on its delicious items through TnT’s Catering.
Ba Lao, 811 Williamson St. | Sandwiches | ETA: Fall 2025
A new concept from the team behind Ahan, Ba Lao will serve banh mi sandwiches + boba tea to-go by day and transform into a vibey, intimate bar by night.
Pink Flamingo Brunch Cafe, 638 State St., Ste. #201 | Brunch | ETA: TBD
Details about this new brunch restaurant in Downtown Madison are forthcoming, but the team is currently hiring for roles like servers, cooks, and hosts.
