Curtain cuisine
Decider's guide to pre-show eats
Watching actors cavort onstage makes for a fun evening, but more so if what you’re eating or drinking matches (or negates) the spirit of the production. Decider searched for the best victuals and libations to pair with performances at Madison’s local theaters.
American Players Theatre (5950 Golf Course Rd., Spring Green, 588-7401)
Known for: Shakespeare-focused classical works performed in a woodsy outdoor amphitheater.
Food pairings: The longtime tradition at APT is to pack a pre-show picnic. For the less ambitious, the 40-minute ride from Madison to Spring Green luckily includes drive-bys past some of western Wisconsin’s quirkiest roadside eateries. In Cross Plains, try The Monk’s Retreat (1118 Main St., Cross Plains, 798-3781). The name notwithstanding, it’s a regulars-at-the-bar secular joint where you can load up with a giant plate of spaghetti, a fish-fry, steak and scallops, or a healthy dose of said locals bitching about anything and everything. Further up the road is Rookies (10267 Hwy. 14, Mazomanie, 767-5555), an über-sports-themed restaurant that’ll help to even out your highfalutin evening of wading through the King’s English. Grab a burger or other meat product before heading out back for a ballgame on the replica big-league waffle-ball stadium. If that’s all too lowbrow, stop in at The Old Feed Mill (114 Cramer St., Mazomanie, 795-4909), an actual converted feed mill that serves up fanciness like Atlantic cod dijon, portobello en croute, and racks of lamb. Tons of antique farm implements hang from the ceiling, but diners will definitely want to leave their overalls and pitchfork at home.
Bartell Theatre (113 E. Mifflin St., 661-9696)
Known for: Community theater that spans the spectrum from truly outstanding to head-scratchingly bizarre.
Food pairings: The Bartell has a decidedly DIY feel, so if you’re in the mood to make a full night of it, do it up with an additional brushstroke of bohemia at Café Montmartre (127 E. Mifflin St., 255-5900). Montmartre features an excellent wine selection, high-end pizzas and sandwiches, and a nice array of appetizers that include ingredients like goat cheese and cilantro. The interior is dark and jazzy, so it’s definitely the kind of place that’ll make you feel smart no matter what the topic of conversation. If you’d rather get ritzy with a top-of-the-square, tux-and-white-scarf night out, you’d be hard-pressed to do better than L’Etoile (25 N. Pinckney St., 251-0500) or Harvest (21 N. Pinckney St., 255-6075). Even though both come from the one-word school of pretentious restaurant naming, they live up to their billing by focusing on fresh, high-end dishes and a commitment to creating gourmet dining experiences that stack up against the best in the country. The menus change often, so a good plan is to get dressed up, book a reservation, and enjoy whatever surprises happen to be on offer.
Broom Street Theater (1119 Williamson St., 244-8338)
Known for: Button-pushing original productions in a bare-bones (and sometimes uncomfortably intimate) setting.
Food pairings: Find equally unpretentious and innovative eats across the street at The Roman Candle (1054 Williamson St., 258-2000). Experiment with one of more than a dozen of its specialty pizzas, like the algo malo, a pizza/salad hybrid topped with blue cheese, walnuts, beets, and arugula, or the pestoral, topped with pesto, artichoke hearts, kalamata olives, and feta. The Roman Candle boasts a pretty good beer and wine selection, plus a kick-ass “Roman Candle Split”—ice cream, candied walnuts, and bananas armored in crunchy caramelized sugar. Want to make the evening even more out of the ordinary? Crawl into tiny Lao Laan-Xang (1146 Williamson St., 280-0104) for mind-blowingly spicy Laotian and Asian specialties like moak pa, banana leaves stuffed with meat and hot peppers, or tum som, fried chicken served with a mix of tamarind, shrimp paste, Thai eggplant, and unripe papaya. More timid souls can steel themselves for an unsettling production by consuming heaps of comfort food at Fork & Spoon Café (1133 E. Wilson St., 442-1217). Fresh pasta is the specialty here, with enough creamy, cheesy sauces and Italian wines to sedate any anxious theatergoer.
Madison Repertory Theatre (Overture Center Playhouse, 201 State St., 256-0029)
Known for: Dusting off old chestnuts from master playwrights and cultivating new works from up-and-comers, too.
Food pairings: Down the hall and up the stairs is ultra-convenient Fresco (227 State St., 663-7374). Its fancy-pants menu is sprinkled with spendy delicacies like seared duck breast, beef tenderloin, and “lamb lollipop chops,” plus seafood—from lowly mussels to sashimi-grade tuna. Almost as nearby is the Orpheum Theatre Lobby Restaurant (216 State St., 255-2594), serving updated stick-to-your ribs favorites in an opulent setting. Savor lamb stew with parsnips, braised beef brisket with Brussels sprouts, or pork schnitzel while seated at the foot of a grand double staircase in the restored lobby. Cap off a highbrow theatrical evening with high-end desserts from Sucre (20 W. Mifflin St., 310-4520). Selections change frequently but have included such confections as cordials served in chocolate cups, a trio of crème brûlée, and exotic tortes and tarts. Sucre often suggests pairing selections from its wine list with its desserts for a truly decadent nightcap. For those who lack a sweet tooth, a glass of absinthe will wind the evening down in an agreeably artsy manner.
University Theatre (821 University Ave., 262-1500)
Known for: A wide range of affordable productions featuring students onstage and behind the scenes.
Food pairings: Eat close to campus, and you’ll likely have students serving your meal, too. Gourmet burgers made from five types of creatures can be had at long-time collegiate favorite Dotty Dumpling’s Dowry (317 N. Frances St., 259-0000). Dotty’s student-centric workforce also dishes up fish sandwiches, brats, classic salads, and a good selection of deep-fried snacks. Travel a bit farther and feel like you’re spending a semester abroad with a visit to warm and cozy Jo’s Tazzina Café (45 S. Bassett St., 819-1082). Otherwise ordinary fare like grilled cheese and chicken salad get a Euro twist with brie, champagne-shallot mustard, and maple-balsamic vinaigrette. Jo’s offers different sandwich and soup specials daily, plus fancy coffee drinks. After the show, observe students in action at Crave (201 W. Gorham St., 268-2728). Keep the college mindset going with a bottle of beer, or celebrate the fact that you’ve graduated and gotten a job with a glass of single-malt scotch—Crave has more than a dozen to choose from.
Known for: Shakespeare-focused classical works performed in a woodsy outdoor amphitheater.
Food pairings: The longtime tradition at APT is to pack a pre-show picnic. For the less ambitious, the 40-minute ride from Madison to Spring Green luckily includes drive-bys past some of western Wisconsin’s quirkiest roadside eateries. In Cross Plains, try The Monk’s Retreat (1118 Main St., Cross Plains, 798-3781). The name notwithstanding, it’s a regulars-at-the-bar secular joint where you can load up with a giant plate of spaghetti, a fish-fry, steak and scallops, or a healthy dose of said locals bitching about anything and everything. Further up the road is Rookies (10267 Hwy. 14, Mazomanie, 767-5555), an über-sports-themed restaurant that’ll help to even out your highfalutin evening of wading through the King’s English. Grab a burger or other meat product before heading out back for a ballgame on the replica big-league waffle-ball stadium. If that’s all too lowbrow, stop in at The Old Feed Mill (114 Cramer St., Mazomanie, 795-4909), an actual converted feed mill that serves up fanciness like Atlantic cod dijon, portobello en croute, and racks of lamb. Tons of antique farm implements hang from the ceiling, but diners will definitely want to leave their overalls and pitchfork at home.
Bartell Theatre (113 E. Mifflin St., 661-9696)
Known for: Community theater that spans the spectrum from truly outstanding to head-scratchingly bizarre.
Food pairings: The Bartell has a decidedly DIY feel, so if you’re in the mood to make a full night of it, do it up with an additional brushstroke of bohemia at Café Montmartre (127 E. Mifflin St., 255-5900). Montmartre features an excellent wine selection, high-end pizzas and sandwiches, and a nice array of appetizers that include ingredients like goat cheese and cilantro. The interior is dark and jazzy, so it’s definitely the kind of place that’ll make you feel smart no matter what the topic of conversation. If you’d rather get ritzy with a top-of-the-square, tux-and-white-scarf night out, you’d be hard-pressed to do better than L’Etoile (25 N. Pinckney St., 251-0500) or Harvest (21 N. Pinckney St., 255-6075). Even though both come from the one-word school of pretentious restaurant naming, they live up to their billing by focusing on fresh, high-end dishes and a commitment to creating gourmet dining experiences that stack up against the best in the country. The menus change often, so a good plan is to get dressed up, book a reservation, and enjoy whatever surprises happen to be on offer.
Broom Street Theater (1119 Williamson St., 244-8338)
Known for: Button-pushing original productions in a bare-bones (and sometimes uncomfortably intimate) setting.
Food pairings: Find equally unpretentious and innovative eats across the street at The Roman Candle (1054 Williamson St., 258-2000). Experiment with one of more than a dozen of its specialty pizzas, like the algo malo, a pizza/salad hybrid topped with blue cheese, walnuts, beets, and arugula, or the pestoral, topped with pesto, artichoke hearts, kalamata olives, and feta. The Roman Candle boasts a pretty good beer and wine selection, plus a kick-ass “Roman Candle Split”—ice cream, candied walnuts, and bananas armored in crunchy caramelized sugar. Want to make the evening even more out of the ordinary? Crawl into tiny Lao Laan-Xang (1146 Williamson St., 280-0104) for mind-blowingly spicy Laotian and Asian specialties like moak pa, banana leaves stuffed with meat and hot peppers, or tum som, fried chicken served with a mix of tamarind, shrimp paste, Thai eggplant, and unripe papaya. More timid souls can steel themselves for an unsettling production by consuming heaps of comfort food at Fork & Spoon Café (1133 E. Wilson St., 442-1217). Fresh pasta is the specialty here, with enough creamy, cheesy sauces and Italian wines to sedate any anxious theatergoer.
Madison Repertory Theatre (Overture Center Playhouse, 201 State St., 256-0029)
Known for: Dusting off old chestnuts from master playwrights and cultivating new works from up-and-comers, too.
Food pairings: Down the hall and up the stairs is ultra-convenient Fresco (227 State St., 663-7374). Its fancy-pants menu is sprinkled with spendy delicacies like seared duck breast, beef tenderloin, and “lamb lollipop chops,” plus seafood—from lowly mussels to sashimi-grade tuna. Almost as nearby is the Orpheum Theatre Lobby Restaurant (216 State St., 255-2594), serving updated stick-to-your ribs favorites in an opulent setting. Savor lamb stew with parsnips, braised beef brisket with Brussels sprouts, or pork schnitzel while seated at the foot of a grand double staircase in the restored lobby. Cap off a highbrow theatrical evening with high-end desserts from Sucre (20 W. Mifflin St., 310-4520). Selections change frequently but have included such confections as cordials served in chocolate cups, a trio of crème brûlée, and exotic tortes and tarts. Sucre often suggests pairing selections from its wine list with its desserts for a truly decadent nightcap. For those who lack a sweet tooth, a glass of absinthe will wind the evening down in an agreeably artsy manner.
University Theatre (821 University Ave., 262-1500)
Known for: A wide range of affordable productions featuring students onstage and behind the scenes.
Food pairings: Eat close to campus, and you’ll likely have students serving your meal, too. Gourmet burgers made from five types of creatures can be had at long-time collegiate favorite Dotty Dumpling’s Dowry (317 N. Frances St., 259-0000). Dotty’s student-centric workforce also dishes up fish sandwiches, brats, classic salads, and a good selection of deep-fried snacks. Travel a bit farther and feel like you’re spending a semester abroad with a visit to warm and cozy Jo’s Tazzina Café (45 S. Bassett St., 819-1082). Otherwise ordinary fare like grilled cheese and chicken salad get a Euro twist with brie, champagne-shallot mustard, and maple-balsamic vinaigrette. Jo’s offers different sandwich and soup specials daily, plus fancy coffee drinks. After the show, observe students in action at Crave (201 W. Gorham St., 268-2728). Keep the college mindset going with a bottle of beer, or celebrate the fact that you’ve graduated and gotten a job with a glass of single-malt scotch—Crave has more than a dozen to choose from.
