Mexican fare is well represented, as is French and Italian. Although Madison diners enjoy eating around the world, they never forget their roots. A number of restaurants feature the best of Midwestern cuisine and change their menus almost nightly to take advantage of fresh, regional food products such as poultry, fish and berries. Who are they kidding. Restaurants like Louisianne's, La Paella and L'Etoile, whose owner, Odessa Piper, has single-handedly trained many of Madison's top chefs, prove you can enjoy fine dining here and, might we add smugly, for quite a bit less money.
Visitors are amazed at the incredible choice and food value in Madison.
Across the board, service usually is efficient and very friendly. And that is difficult to maintain in a city like Madison that, despite the presence of a large student population, has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the country. It means that wait staff, especially at places that have withstood the test of time, are loyal and committed. It's wise to look over all the listings, however, to know what's available. Take seafood, for instance.