Highest-rated restaurants in Madison by diners
Highest-rated restaurants in Madison by diners
Humans are creatures of habit. We tend to stick to our morning routines, rewatch movies we've seen time and time again, and hit up the same tried-and-true restaurants when going out for a meal. In fact, 35% of Americans said they rarely, if ever, try a new restaurant they haven't been to before, and 5% say they never do, according to a survey of more than 2,600 diners from TouchBistro.
But those numbers look quite different when you focus on younger generations—56% of Gen Zers and 47% of millennials in the U.S. say they visit new restaurants once a month or more. When it comes to deciding which new restaurant to try, younger generations are also more likely to rely on online reviews, through sites like Yelp or Google or from social media. The TouchBistro survey found that 71% of Gen Zers and 72% of millennials have opted to try a new restaurant solely because of favorable reviews online.
Some of the best restaurants in your neck of the woods might be those established spots that customers have been visiting for decades, but some may be brand new. More than 10,000 new restaurants opened in 2023, up 5.7% from 2022, according to a report from BentoBox. The states that saw the most new restaurants open up in 2023 were Florida, Texas, California, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania, but new locales are popping up all over the U.S.
To help you determine which spots—both new and long-standing—to try out, Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated restaurants in Madison, according to Yelp reviews from diners as of January 2024. Only restaurants with at least 20 reviews were considered. Read on to find some inspiration for the next time you dine out.
Note: The photos in this article are stock images and do not necessarily reflect each restaurant listed.
#30. Turkish Kitchen
- Rating: 4.5/5 (35 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2616 Monroe St. Madison, Wisconsin
- Categories: Turkish, Mediterranean, Kebab
- Read more on Yelp
#29. Luang Prabang
- Rating: 4.5/5 (45 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 728 State St. Madison, Wisconsin
- Categories: Thai, Food Stands
- Read more on Yelp
#28. Estacion Inka
- Rating: 4.5/5 (175 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 616 University Ave. Madison, Wisconsin
- Categories: Peruvian
- Read more on Yelp
#27. Sake
- Rating: 4.5/5 (22 reviews)
- Address: 6654 Mineral Point Road Madison, Wisconsin
- Categories: Sushi Bars, Japanese
- Read more on Yelp
#26. Novanta
- Rating: 4.5/5 (356 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 8452 Old Sauk Road Madison, Wisconsin
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Mediterranean
- Read more on Yelp
#25. Hot-N-Spicy
- Rating: 4.5/5 (106 reviews)
- Address: 4602 Monona Drive Madison, Wisconsin
- Categories: Laotian, Thai, Asian Fusion
- Read more on Yelp
#24. BAMBU
- Rating: 4.5/5 (63 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 550 North Midvale Blvd. Madison, Wisconsin
- Categories: Juice Bars & Smoothies, Bubble Tea, Vietnamese
- Read more on Yelp
#23. Novanta
- Rating: 4.5/5 (61 reviews)
- Address: 2903 University Ave. Madison, Wisconsin
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Mediterranean
- Read more on Yelp
#22. Arod's Tex Mex & American Grill
- Rating: 4.5/5 (33 reviews)
- Address: 2161 Zeier Road Unit 4 Madison, Wisconsin
- Categories: Tex-Mex
- Read more on Yelp
#21. Touch of Ukraine
- Rating: 4.5/5 (25 reviews)
- Address: 2438 Winnebago St. Madison, Wisconsin
- Categories: Ukrainian, Comfort Food, Beer Bar
- Read more on Yelp
#20. Ogden's North Street Diner
- Rating: 4.5/5 (162 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 560 North St. Madison, Wisconsin
- Categories: Diners, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#19. Madison Chocolate Company
- Rating: 4.5/5 (59 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 729 Glenway St. Madison, Wisconsin
- Categories: Chocolatiers & Shops, Cafes
- Read more on Yelp
#18. La Taguara
- Rating: 4.5/5 (473 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3502 East Washington Ave. Madison, Wisconsin
- Categories: Venezuelan, Caribbean, Colombian
- Read more on Yelp
#17. Los Atlantes
- Rating: 4.5/5 (32 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 5706 Raymond Road Madison, Wisconsin
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#16. Casetta Kitchen and Counter
- Rating: 4.5/5 (131 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 222 West Washington Ave. Ste 30 Madison, Wisconsin
- Categories: Italian, Wine Bars, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#15. Saigon Sandwich Madison
- Rating: 4.5/5 (45 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 273 North Charter St. Madison, Wisconsin
- Categories: Food Trucks, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#14. DelecTable
- Rating: 4.5/5 (22 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 3248 University Ave. Madison, Wisconsin
- Categories: New American, Cooking Classes, Venues & Event Spaces
- Read more on Yelp
#13. Lallande
- Rating: 4.5/5 (22 reviews)
- Address: 1859 Monroe St. Madison, Wisconsin
- Categories: French, Modern European, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#12. Sookie's Veggie Burgers
- Rating: 4.5/5 (26 reviews)
- Address: 260 West Gilman St. Madison, Wisconsin
- Categories: Burgers, Vegan
- Read more on Yelp
#11. The Globe
- Rating: 4.5/5 (137 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 309 North Henry St. Madison, Wisconsin
- Categories: Asian Fusion, Soup, Tapas Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#10. Kettle Black Kitchen
- Rating: 5.0/5 (32 reviews)
- Address: 1835 Monroe St. Madison, Wisconsin
- Categories: American, French, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#9. Marie's Soul Food
- Rating: 5.0/5 (65 reviews)
- Address: 1637 Monroe St. Madison, Wisconsin
- Categories: Soul Food
- Read more on Yelp
#8. Little Tibet Madison
- Rating: 5.0/5 (65 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 827 East Johnson St. Madison, Wisconsin
- Categories: Himalayan/Nepalese
- Read more on Yelp
#7. Roll Play
- Rating: 5.0/5 (39 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3241 Garver Green Ste 115 Madison, Wisconsin
- Categories: Cafes, Tabletop Games, Pan Asian
- Read more on Yelp
#6. Fairchild
- Rating: 5.0/5 (111 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 2611 Monroe St. Madison, Wisconsin
- Categories: Seafood, Wine Bars, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#5. Common Pasta
- Rating: 5.0/5 (26 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1 East Main St. Madison, Wisconsin
- Categories: Italian, Food Trucks
- Read more on Yelp
#4. El Grito Taqueria
- Rating: 5.0/5 (35 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 50 State St. Madison, Wisconsin
- Categories: Food Trucks, Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#3. Hot Lunch
- Rating: 5.0/5 (29 reviews)
- Address: 708 1/4 East Johnson St. Madison, Wisconsin
- Categories: Salad, Sandwiches, Soup
- Read more on Yelp
#2. Nook
- Rating: 5.0/5 (59 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 2138 Atwood Ave. Madison, Wisconsin
- Categories: New American
- Read more on Yelp
#1. Fresh Cool Drinks
- Rating: 5.0/5 (41 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 704-712 State St. University of Wisconsin Madison Madison, Wisconsin
- Categories: Thai, Food Stands, Juice Bars & Smoothies
- Read more on Yelp
This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Jaimie Etkin, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 331 metros.
