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City Cast Madison

Rob Thomas

Madison might not be a city known for its bagels the way 

. But when it comes to the round breakfast delights, we’ve got plenty of delicious options, whether you want a full morning sammie or just a bagel and schmear.

Here are some of the best places in Madison to get a bagel:

If you’re planning to bring bagels into the office, Bagels Forever is the place you have to go to. Since 1973, the retail bakery on University Avenue has been making New York-style bagels in Madison. You can also ship a box of bagels to your favorite out-of-towner.

Mermaid doesn’t have a physical store, so I feel a little like a secret agent when I preorder my bagels days in advance and then pick them up, made-to-order, at Mermaid’s commercial kitchen on South Baldwin Street. They also sell challah bread and chocolate babka.

As the name suggests, this is the Madison spot that former New Yorkers say comes the closest to their hometown bagels. I’m a big fan of their bagel sandwiches, whether it’s the simple egg and cheddar or the chicken breast sandwich known as the Massapequa.

This bakery on East Main Street makes its bagels using small-batch sourdough breads milled with local, organic ingredients. Don’t expect any wild flavors — they keep it simple with plain, sesame, and everything bagel options, keeping the focus on the quality of the bagels.

Those on a plant-based diet or otherwise looking for grain-free bagels know to go to Paleo Mama Bakery, which offers their “Pagels” to take home. Check out the new bakery and retail space that just opened up on Park Street.

Folks line up for these hand-rolled bagels at the Monroe Street Farmers’ Market, and the owner is planning to open 

his own brick-and-mortar location on Speedway Road this fall

Madison has plenty of great bagel options, from Mermaid Kitchen to Gotham Bagels to Bagels Forever. 

The Best Bagels You Can Find in Madison

Where To Find the Best Bagels in Madison

The latest on the best and newest restaurants and bars in Madison. We'll help you find where to eat, drink, and socialize.

Madison Food & Drink

Food & Drink

Derek Kolstad is getting back to Normal. Normal, Illinois, that is. The Madison-born screenwriter behind the first three “John Wick” movies (named after his Wisconsin grandfather) was calling from the road on the way to Normal, where he was screening his new action movie, also called “Normal.”

In “Normal,” a small-town sheriff (Bob Odenkirk) who’s new to a sleepy Minnesota town of Normal discovers that the entire population, from the glad-handing mayor (Henry Winkler) to the local barkeep (Lena Headey), are all in on a terrible secret. And they’ll go to murderous lengths to stop their new sheriff from uncovering it.

Kolstad is coming back to Madison to screen “Normal” and talk 

about it April 11 at the Barrymore Theatre

 as part of the Wisconsin Film Festival. Tickets are rush-only at the door for that screening, but “Normal” will officially open in theaters on April 17.

Do you think the people of Normal, and of Wisconsin, will embrace your film as a representation of the Midwest?

I grew up in Madison, and most of my family still live throughout the state, as well as Michigan and northern Minnesota. These are the kinds of towns I grew up in. I don't mock anything. I embrace it, and everything is kind of a love letter to them. I think they'll pick up on what I'm cooking here.

Was Wisconsin a place of excitement and danger for you growing up here?

I always lived in my head, man. I grew up on the west side, and every weekend I was at the Marcus Theatres, and then there was a 99-cent theater in Middleton. I loved Madison, and the idea of moving to Los Angeles to pursue a career in movies, which was a dream that I had had since I was 11, it felt easier going to Mars.

But as far as (the idea for) “Normal,” a lot of my family is still out in Mazomanie. And I would drive through the downtown section and there’s always that one store that’s open where you’re like “How the hell is that store open? Is there really enough business here for a yarn store?”

So “Nobody 2” was inspired by the Wisconsin Dells, and “Normal” was inspired by Mazomanie. If you were adding a third movie to the Wisconsin action trilogy, where would it be set?

There’d have to be a quintet. You have to have one up in Green Bay, because not only am I a Packers fan, I’m a shareholder. My parents lived in Junction, just outside of Wausau. And then I have a lot of family up in Superior. Those are the core-memory locations that I got.

Do you have any other favorite Madison memories?

A lot of memories I have of downtown Madison are going to the Orpheum. My favorite experience was one time going to the Orpheum, and not knowing what movie we were going to watch. And it was “The Hunt For Red October,” which was awesome.

I love Madison. I go back there a couple of times a year. The thing about “Normal” is that it’s a thank you to the people and the places where I grew up.

Derek Kolstad may be best known for writing the first three "John Wick" movies. His latest action film, "Normal" starring Bob Odenkirk and Henry Winkler, is a love letter to Wisconsin.

Madison-Born Derek Kolstad Goes From 'John Wick' To 'Normal'

After ‘John Wick,’ Madison-Born Writer Wants Something ‘Normal’

Find the best of everything that Madison has to offer.

Madison’s Best

Madison's Best

Easter is Sunday, and you might think that with the holiday being just three days away, your chances of taking the fam out for brunch are close to nil.

But a quick survey of local restaurants offering Easter Brunch this year found that all of the below spots had at least a couple of reservation times open. Here’s where you can get your brunch on. Most offer discounts for kids.

The historic hotel on Lake Mendota offers a $72-per-person brunch in the Grand Ballroom, including a midwest spin on eggs benedict and challa breakfast strata. They still have reservations available in the 9 o’clock hour and at 1 p.m.

The home page for this downtown hotel says its Easter Brunch is sold out, but I did find a 

. Its $59 buffet is popular for a reason, with carving stations, breakfast faves like vanilla bean French toast, and fresh-baked pastries for dessert.

There are plenty of spots left for brunch 

at the downtown Art Deco surf ‘n’ turf spot

, which will feature a prime rib and ham carving station, an omelet station, and a “French toast station.” So many stations!

The brewpub is serving an all-you-can-eat buffet for $35 at its Fitchburg location and is adding special pot roast glazed ham dinners to the regular brunch menus at its downtown and eastside locations.

This restaurant inside the Best Western Premier Park Hotel on the Capitol Square 

 with beef tenderloin and ham, four cheese hash brown cake, and a “flambe strawberry shortcake” station.

Most Easter buffets have a kids’ discount, but how many have their own dedicated kids’ buffet? Madison Club has one with chocolate chip pancakes and chicken tenders, while the grownups enjoy sausage and bacon, chicken tinga loaded hash browns, and a Belgian waffle station.

Brunch is sold out at Little Cloud, the restaurant at the microdairy and boutique hotel in Paoli. But come later after your afternoon nap for an Easter egg hunt on the grounds, followed by Easter dinner in the evening.

What brings a family closer together than gathering around a pot of fondue? The Melting Pot is offering a family-friendly Easter event where kids can help prepare the fondue, decorate their own chef’s hat, and even meet the Easter Bunny.

And to those celebrating Passover this week, chag Pesach sameach!

Don't have plans for the family on Easter morning? Don't worry. Most spots in Madison have openings still for their brunch events, including the Great Dane, Madison Concourse Hotel and The Post.

The Best Spots For Easter Brunch in Madison

Where to Go For Easter Brunch in Madison

It’s spring in Wisconsin, which means the weather is a rollercoaster and your coat closet is full of both heavy winter parkas and light spring jackets, just in case. You decide what to wear, and I’ll tell you about some of the great things in Madison this month to go out and experience! Deal?

🍅 The Farmers’ Market Goes Back Outside

Along with the nicer weather comes the return of the 

 to the Capitol Square on April 11. The market will be there every Saturday through November 14, except for July 11, where it will move to Breese Stevens Field to make room for 

On April 18, Madison record stores will be packed for Record Store Day, with exclusive limited-edition vinyl releases and used records for sale. A week later, on April 25, a dozen Madison indie bookstores are getting together to celebrate 

, with in-store parties and readings and special giveaways, 

including a free print by Madison artist Megan Stout featuring all 12 bookstores

It just isn’t spring in Madison until the 

, which for 44 years has brought thousands of Madisonians together to celebrate UW-Madison. This year’s race is on April 25, and includes an 8K run, an 8K wheelchair race, and a 2-mile walk through downtown and the campus.

Forward Theater closes out its 2025-26 season with a biggie, 

 running in the Overture Center Playhouse April 9-26. Lauren Gunderson’s comedy is an update on “Much Ado About Nothing” set in the world of romantasy audiobook narrators.

 is coming to the Orpheum Theater on April 16, as hosts Chuck Bryant and Josh Clark take an amusing deep dive into a surprise topic. They’ve recorded 2,000 episodes, but there’s always something new to learn!

 returns to the Alliant Energy Center from April 17-19. It’s the largest three-day horse fair in America, with 300 clinics, seminars and educational events, over 500 vendors, and of course hundreds of horses.

Your Guide to April 2026 in Madison

April 3 will be the end of an era for Madison journalism. 

Tone Madison, the proudly independent online publication

 that has challenged Madison’s institutions from political to cultural since 2014, is closing its doors.

“We didn’t water down our voice to placate advertisers or funders,” the editors wrote in their announcement. “There were no unaccountable executives, no rich men turning our publication into a plaything, no compromise. We’re proud that we were always willing to poke the bear, even when other outlets were busy trying to make friends with the bear.”

The Tone Madison archive will remain online, so readers can enjoy some of their favorite stories and headlines that Tone published over the years. Here are some of our faves. Who else but Tone could have written about a feud between a local editorial cartoonist and a witch?

This one’s a bit of a homer, as City Cast Madison’s Executive Producer Hayley Sperling wrote for Tone Madison back in 2018 to share a sneak peek into the delight that is late-night 

 and what makes the experience quite so magical.

Writer Reid Kurkerewicz makes the case for 

why John Wilde is Wisconsin’s most famous painter, 

not without some reader pushback, and the fascinating legacy he leaves behind.

That Time a Witch Cursed Phil Hands’ Dick

As Tone Madison’s editor’s note declares: “I don’t know if Tone Madison has ever published a headline more attention-grabbing than this one.” A feud between a cartoonist and a professor ended with…

dismantling of the statue of the “Forward” symbol 

during the summer of 2020, and how hollow the act feels in the face of racism she was intimately familiar with and facing during her undergraduate time at UW-Madison.

UW-Madison professor Sami Schalk started a movement of amplifying pleasure activism, and others contributed their own forms of pleasure activism – from 

 last-minute Tuesday night concert by “metalcore giants” Underoath 

and found sad pizza, empty chairs, and good music, interspersed with a band Q&A all in an arcade.

Breese Stevens Field’s $500 ‘Curated Picnic Basket’ Experience’

Tone co-founder Scott Gordon highlights the moment when access to

 entertainment in Madison began to feel, “uncontainable and unhinged”

: the $500 “curated picnic basket” that included apples, pears, and… disposable plates? This might seem more commonplace in the days of luxury cabanas at Breese Stevens Field, but back in 2017, the price tag was shocking.

state’s greatest bizarro digital communication,

 or something,” when Megadeth’s Dave Mustaine commented “cool building” about the state’s Capitol Building, just a few years shy of its centennial celebration.

For a film culture writer, it’s easy to criticize the multiplexes. But it’s not so easy to criticize the indie theatrical scene. So kudos to Tone film editor Grant Phipps for being willing to take on both in his piece questioning why theaters of all sizes are still showing films by problematic directors like Roman Polanski and Luc Besson. It’s a no-sacred-cows essay that encapsulates what makes Tone Madison so special.

For a decade, Tone Madison has been an essential part of Madison’s independent media landscape. As the website announces that it's shutting down on April 3, we revisit some of our favorite stories and headlines.

The Most Memorable Tone Madison Headlines

People, places, and scenes from Madison's past.

Madison History

Each month, we run down the best new restaurants in the Madison area that have either opened or announced plans to open in the near future. If you know of any that we missed, drop us a line at 

The former Benvenuto’s Italian Grill location on McKee Road is now a golf simulator lounge that includes a full bar and pizza from Salvatore’s Tomato Pies.

The owners of this Monticello barbecue spot have opened a fast-casual version of its restaurant at 567 State St., including brisket sandwiches and mac ‘n’ cheese with pulled pork.

This new spot on High Point Road near Alicia Ashman Public Library sells Philly cheesesteak sandwiches as well as other sandwiches and loaded fries. Look for their food truck at various festivals and other events this summer.

An upscale Mexican restaurant is coming to the space at 313 W. Johnson St. that Estrellon used to occupy. In the liquor license application submitted to the city, the anticipated opening date is Aug. 1.

Mint Mark is opening its own outdoor cocktail bar on the sixth floor of the building it occupies on East Washington Avenue, where you can have a drink and enjoy the view or wait for your table downstairs. They’re shooting for an April 13 opening date.

A favorite at the Sun Prairie Farmer’s Market, this bakery is opening its first brick-and-mortar location on Main Street on March 28.

After building up a following selling catfish steaks and gumbo from its food truck, Sista’s is opening its own physical location on April 6 at the Amoco gas station at 1129 S. Park St.

The space formerly occupied by The Ready Set at 113 S. Main St. 

, a restaurant that will evoke supper club vibes with steaks, relish platters, and “old fashioneds for days.” Expect an April 22 opening.

Pastry chef Shawn Bolduc opened his first brick-and-mortar space at 2044 Atwood Ave. on Feb. 21. In addition to the baking classes and made-to-order cakes that Baked Lab is known for, the new space will serve snacks and 

 during the day and plated desserts and beer and wine in the evening.

The owners of Ahan opened this cozy bar on Williamson Street as a place for folks to wait for a table at their acclaimed restaurant. But it’s a great space on its own, serving cocktails and fun snacks like a veggie summer roll and lao bratwurst.

Located inside the oLiv Building on West Johnson Street, 

 offers green tea infused with pomegranate and ginger syrups, Vietnamese egg coffee, and, of course, the titular sandwich on freshly-baked bread.

This Italian restaurant chain will open its first Wisconsin location at Hilldale sometime in 2026 in the space that was formerly Amara, offering wood-fired pizzas, fresh pastas, and “garlic knot sliders.”

It’s never too cold for an ice cream treat, and this new spot at 405 S. Park Street serves ice cream bars, sundaes, cold drinks, and other goodies. Follow them on social media for daily specials.

Himal Chuli is gone. Long live Himali Chulo! The grandson of the founders of the legendary State Street Nepali restaurant is planning to reopen the spot in February with a slightly different name, similar menu, and many of the same employees.

Gourmet hot dogs used to be all the rage in Madison with spots like O.S.S. Madison, and this Stoughton pop-up aims to keep that spirit alive. Can’t wait to try the PB&J-inspired The Teacher’s Pet.

 is getting a new restaurant from Ho-Chunk chef Elena Terry, who plans to turn the former gift shop space into a cafe with homemade soups and pastries, with an eye towards dinner service down the road. The opening date is as hazy as an impressionist painting, but Terry is thinking late spring or early summer.

What started as a coffee truck serving commuters on University Avenue has now become a charming coffee shop in Sun Prairie, with the shop’s namesake cat watching over the customers.

Fresh off the success of their Indian-Italian fusion restaurant Zafferano Ristorante, the owners are 

opened a Mediterranean-East Asian restaurant

This bagel business that draws long lines at the Monroe Street Farmers Market will get its own brick-and-mortar location on Speedway Road (kitty corner from the Village Bar) this summer.

This Filipino pop-up known for lumpia spring rolls and pork belly adobo 

is the latest tenant at Global Market and Food Hall

 is one of the first tenants to move into the Madison Public Market when it opens in March.

Timber Hill Winery in Milton is behind this small plates concept, also confirmed for the Public Market.

 is this Indian street food restaurant – think chai and chaat.

A longtime Park Street favorite that was displaced by development 

reopened up the street in the former Borough Beer Company spot

. The location shift comes with a shift in focus, as the restaurant offers an extensive craft cocktail menu in addition to North Indian cuisine.

Former Bar Corallini executive chef Giovanni Novella

 opened his new restaurant in the former Novanta location on University Avenue. Its seafood-forward menu is inspired by Novella’s childhood on Italy’s Amalfi Coast.

This new restaurant and sports bar opened on Bristol Street in Sun Prairie, offering “a taste of the East Coast with a twist of Sun Prairie niceness.” The menu is limited at launch, but includes burgers, smoked sausage, and chicken wings.

The Milwaukee-based coffee shop chain opened its fourth Madison location on Dec. 3 on Williamson Street.

Expect an “Irish bar with French sensibilities” in this spot

, set to open this spring in the Bay Creek spot that formerly housed Black Rose Blending. The owners haven’t committed to a specific style of food because they still need to build a kitchen in the location.

For the adventurous or the indecisive, a food hall has a lot to offer. One Social Food Hall currently has several vendors – 

 (an offshoot of Senor Machetes) offering Mexican food, 

 offering burgers and other pub grub, and 

. serving up lobster rolls and tuna poke bowls. Swing by 

 for a cocktail or a Wisconsin beer to go with your meal.

This month's list of new restaurants include a Philly cheesesteak shop on the far west side, a new barbecue restaurant on State Street and a new bakery in Sun Prairie.

The Best New Places to Eat in Madison

Madison's Best New Restaurants

, the new bakery at 2044 Atwood Ave., is Shawn Bolduc’s dream made real. Once an arts administrator at the Wisconsin Union Theater, Bolduc changed careers to become a baker, making wedding cakes and teaching baking classes out of a food incubator space.

Now, Bolduc has his own physical location for Baked Lab. 

, host Bianca Martin talks to Bolduc about his vision for his bakery, and how he’d decorate the ideal Madison wedding cake.

Here are some other locally-owned bakeries in and around Madison where people who don’t mind getting a little flour on their fingers are making their dreams come true.

2935 S. Fish Hatchery Road, Fitchburg. Open Mondays through Fridays 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturdays 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., closed Sundays.

Since 2002, this Fitchburg institution has expanded from an indie bakery specializing in Russian and European pastries to a full-service bakery with a cafe serving breakfast and lunch. You can also find them at area farmers’ markets in the summer.

2021 Winnebago St. Open daily from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Once a home bread bakery, this brick-and-mortar location opened in Schenk Corners in 2023. Still known for its bread, which ranges from traditional sourdough to adventurous varieties like miso sesame, the bakery also has a cafe and hosts events like “Half-Baked” improv shows.

961 S. Park St. Open Mondays through Fridays 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Saturdays 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sundays 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

No gluten, no problem at this Madison bakery that moved into a former Barriques on Park Street. They offer over 80 delicious gluten-free products as well as paleo-friendly offerings, from vegan pecan bars to keto mint oreo truffle bombs.

6712 Frank Lloyd Wright Ave., Middleton. Open Tuesdays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

What started out of a UW-Madison student's apartment has become a full-service bakery, offering cakes, cookie cups, and brownies along with cake decorating classes for young and old.

1219 Regent St. Open daily 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.

wait in line at the Dane County Farmers’ Market

 anymore for Stella’s signature Hot ‘n’ Spicy Cheese Bread. At their new cafe, not only do they sell large and mini loaves, but they have sandwiches for lunch, coffee, beer and wine, and a patio that will be open for Badger Saturdays.

916 Williamson St. Open daily from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Tucked away on Willy Street is Madison Sourdough, a favorite spot for locals and visitors alike. This bakery is special because not only do they use local grains in their products, but they also 

. They claim roughly 40% of the flour they bake with is milled in house.

1402 Williamson St. Open Tuesdays through Fridays from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Known for their croissants and pastries, Batch Bakehouse has been a Madison staple since 2009. 

The bakery tends to sell out of items later in the day so get there early or call ahead to reserve your sweet treat.

Greenbush Bakery is a Madison institution known for its eponymous donuts, which can also be found at many grocery stores around town. The bakery is also a certified Kosher dairy kitchen. L'chaim!

1924 Fordem Ave. Open Wednesdays through Sundays from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Far Breton Bakery on the North Side specializes in French pastries and its owner has previously worked at the Ovens of Brittany, L'Etoile, Harvest, and Samba Brazilian Grill.

1851 Monroe St. and 557 North St. Hours vary by location.

With locations on both sides of town, Bloom Bakeshop is a favorite for many Madisonians. The small batch bakery opened a second location in the 

Did we miss your favorite bakery? Let us know!

Looking for a sweet treat? From cookies and croissants, to bread and beyond, we've got you covered. 

Madison’s Favorite Bakeries

The Best Bakeries in Madison

It’s a big year for classical music fans in Madison. This is John DeMain’s 32nd and final year as music director of the Madison Symphony Orchestra. He has a new book, “

From the Madison Symphony Orchestra to the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra, there are plenty of top-quality classical music groups in Madison to enjoy.

The Best Places to Hear Classical Music in Madison

Where to Enjoy Classical Music in Madison 

We're trying something new at Madison Minutes! See if you can solve this crossword puzzle about people, places and things (especially lakes) you ought to know in Madison! 

Madison, Explained

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