There might be plenty of fish in the sea but which one reigns supreme when it’s a Friday night and you’re in need of a good old fashioned fish fry?
Thankfully, Madison is awash with bars, grills, and restaurants ready to satisfy your fish fry needs on pretty much any day of the week. To get the insider’s scoop on where to get the freshest catch, City Cast Madison caught up with Isthmus editor and food writer, Linda Falkenstein.
But before diving into Linda’s favorites, here’s a quick history lesson on how fish fry has come to be such a significant part of Wisconsin’s food culture.
Fish fry is a tradition centered around three things: The Catholic Church, Prohibition, and Wisconsin’s abundance of freshwater fish.
Many Catholics abstain from eating meat on Fridays, and since a large portion of Wisconsin’s first settlers were German and Polish Catholics, they brought the practice with them to the state.
But the fish fry as we know it today truly got its start in the 20th century when taverns sold plates of fried fish as a means to stay afloat during prohibition. Since freshwater fish like walleye, perch, and bluegill were plentiful and cheap, it was a simple way to get people in
When prohibition was lifted and fish fries could be served alongside a cold pint of beer, the rest was history. Add in some french fries and a new Wisconsin religion was born.
As Linda has noted in the past, sharing is caring when it comes to good fish fry. Here’s where she gets her fix.
This Fitchburg spot offers the quintessential classics. The fish is cod, fried with a crispy beer batter, and served with fresh coleslaw.
Located north of Madison in Waunakee, Linda recommends going with the perch.
This marquee Madison restaurant serves their fish fry with the option of cod, walleye, or lake perch with poppy seed coleslaw and matchstick french fries.
Still hungry?
Some other local favorites for fish fry include Villa Tap, Slices Bar and Grill, Dexter’s Pub, Oakcrest Tavern, and Tip Top Tavern.
One Madison man has spent years reviewing the fish fry at hundreds of local spots. His favorite? Haddock at Dorf Haus in Sauk City.
