With 45 participating restaurants, foodies in Madison have a near impossible task in in choosing where to eat during Summer Restaurant Week (July 20-25). The tough decisions don’t end there: On each fixed-price, three-course menu, diners will need to pick just one dish — out of several options — for each course. We’ve made the decision easier for you by combing this summer’s Restaurant Week menus for standout items, from appetizers to dessert.
Bassett Street Brunch Club: Donut holes + dip flight
As if cinnamon sugar-coated donut holes weren’t delicious enough, Bassett Street Brunch Club is serving them alongside three dipping sauces — caramel, blueberry and chocolate — for a decadent, brunchy dessert. Available at lunch ($20). 444 W. Johnson St., brunchclubmadison.com
Craftsman Table & Tap’s berry fields spinach salad.
Photo courtesy of Craftsman Table & Tap
Craftsman Table & Tap: Berry fields spinach salad
This summer salad is chock-full of fresh strawberries and blueberries, then drizzled with honey poppy seed dressing. Dried cranberries and candied walnuts add a little extra sweetness, tempered by savory red onions and burrata cheese. Add salmon, shrimp or chicken for an up-charge. Available at lunch ($20). 6712 Frank Lloyd Wright Ave., Middleton, craftsmantableandtap.com
Heritage Tavern: Summer sweet corn chowder
A first course standout Heritage Tavern’s Restaurant Week menu is a simple corn chowder that adds a few mix-ins: pickled summer peppers, potatoes and grilled scallions. Available at dinner ($40). 131 E. Mifflin St., heritagetavern.com
Johnny Delmonico’s: Grilled cauliflower steak
A trip to this classic steakhouse doesn’t mean you need to leave your vegetarian friends at home. Johnny Delmonico’s Restaurant Week menu features a grilled cauliflower steak entrée that’s accompanied by red chimichurri, blistered tomato and wild rice pilaf. Available at dinner ($50). 130 S. Pinckney St., johnnydelmonicos.com
Kettle Black Kitchen’s cantaloupe gazpacho.
Photo courtesy of Kettle Black Kitchen
Kettle Black Kitchen: Cantaloupe gazpacho
Kettle Black Kitchen’s reinvention of the classic gazpacho includes a sweet summertime twist, cantaloupe. Available at dinner ($50). 1835 Monroe St., kettleblackkitchen.com
La Pollera Colombiana’s Salpicón.
Photo courtesy of La Pollera Colombiana
La Pollera Colombiana: Salpicón
This Colombian fruit cocktail is sometimes mixed with a cola drink and consumed as a beverage, but at La Pollera Colombiana, it’s decidedly a dessert — arriving at the table topped with ice cream. Available at lunch ($20) and dinner ($30). 3579 E. Washington Ave., lapolleracolombiana.net
Les Délices de Awa’s jollof vegan bowl
Photo courtesy of Les Délices de Awa
Les Délices de Awa: Jollof vegan bowl
There’s several vegan-friendly options at this West African joint during Restaurant Week. The centerpiece of this one is the jollof — a traditional one-pot rice dish made with tomatoes, chilis, onions and spices — which is served alongside hearty beans and fried plantains. Available at lunch ($20). 2045 Atwood Ave., lesdelicesdeawa.com
Mariner’s Inn: Betty’s Cheesecake
The cheesecake at Mariner’s Inn’s, which is an original recipe, comes smothered in Door County cherry sauce. Available at dinner ($30-50). 5339 Lighthouse Bay Drive, marinersmadison.com
Merchant’s blackened catfish.
Photo courtesy of Merchant
Merchant: Blackened catfish
Merchant’s blackened cajun-style catfish comes served over a sweet potato corn hash and buttered corn broth for a rich, comforting main course. Available at dinner ($30). 121 S. Pinckney St., merchantmadison.com
Nonno’s Ristorante Italiano’s Involtini di prosciutto crudo con pere.
Photo courtesy of Nonno’s Ristorante Italiano
Nonno’s Ristorante Italiano: Involtini di prosciutto crudo con pere
Salty meets sweet with this quintessentially Italian antipasto: toasted pear wrapped in prosciutto, served over buffalo mozzarella and a bed of balsamic glaze-drizzled arugula. Available at dinner ($40). 704 S. Whitney Way, nonnosristoranteitaliano.com
Orchard’s Orchard dog.
Photo courtesy of Orchard
Orchard: Orchard dog
Orchard’s rendition of the classic brat sits in a pretzel hoagie bun and is loaded with pickled red onions, dijon, house pickles and Clock Shadow Creamery cheddar cheese curds. Available at lunch ($20). 881 W. Verona Ave., Verona, orchardrestaurants.com
Osteria Papavero’s Insalata di calamari.
Photo courtesy of Osteria Papavero
Osteria Papavero: Insalata di calamari
Seared squid is the star of this Mediterranean salad, which also features tomatoes and cucumbers with chili, mint, basil, scallions and balsamic vinaigrette. Available at dinner ($30). 128 E. Wilson St., osteriapapavero.com
Porta Bella: Limoncello cake
To cap off a rich Italian dinner, opt for Porta Bella’s limoncello cake — which is made of Sicilian lemon-infused sponge cake and Italian mascarpone — as a palate cleanser. Available at dinner ($30). 425 N. Frances St., portabellarest.com
Salvatore’s Italian style grilled corn.
Photo courtesy of Salvatore’s Tomato Pies
Salvatore’s Tomato Pies (Monona and Sun Prairie locations): Italian-style grilled corn
Corn on the cob gets an upgrade at Salvatore’s. Head to its Monona and Sun Prairie locations for Italian-style grilled corn that’s smothered in aged cheddar, Calabrese chili butter, onion ash salt and parsley. Available at dinner ($30-$40). 5507 Monona Drive, Monona; 121 E. Main St., Sun Prairie, salvatorestomatopies.com
Sultan: Potato and berry chaat
On Sultan’s Restaurant Week menu, all three courses are already determined, so there’s no decision-making required. Its first course is a sweet start: spiced yukon gold potatoes in blueberry compote, accompanied by raspberries, tamarind and mint chutneys, yogurt dressing and mint. Available at dinner ($50). 1054 Williamson St., sultanmadison.com
Tex Tubb’s birria ramen.
Photo courtesy of Tex Tubbs Taco Palace
Tex Tubb’s Taco Palace: Birria ramen
Tex Tubb’s unique take on ramen includes traditional staples like a hard-boiled egg, sesame and scallions, and for some Mexican flair, beef birria and lime. Available at dinner ($30). 2009 Atwood Ave., textubbstacos.com
The Stuffed Olive’s Mediterranean caprese.
Photo courtesy of The Stuffed Olive
The Stuffed Olive: Mediterranean caprese
The Stuffed Olive’s Mediterranean flatbread is anchored by homemade pesto and fresh mozzarella, then embellished with roasted tomatoes in olive oil, red onions and a drizzle of balsamic glaze. It’s best enjoyed with a martini, of course. Available at dinner ($30). 351 State St., thestuffedolive.com
Umami Ramen & Dumpling Bar: Hiyashi chuka noodle salad
July’s forecast calls for a cold bowl of noodles. The Hiyashi Chuka Noodle Salad is chilled and tossed with vegetables — red bell peppers, cucumbers, carrots, bean sprouts, shredded cabbage and scallions — then adorned with cilantro, crushed peanuts and soy citronette dressing. Available at dinner ($30). 923 Williamson St., umamimadison.com
Elsa Englebert is an editorial intern at Madison Magazine.
COPYRIGHT 2025 BY MADISON MAGAZINE. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THIS MATERIAL MAY NOT BE PUBLISHED, BROADCAST, REWRITTEN OR REDISTRIBUTED.