Everyday Kitchen
Everyday Kitchen opened as part of the Lodgic coworking space.
If you think all that happened in the restaurant world during COVID-19 was that dining spots closed, you would be wrong. Eateries kept opening — a good number of them, even. Sometimes a lease had already been signed; sometimes a vacant storefront was too good to pass up. If you lost track of new restaurants in the area since March 2020, we’ll get you up to speed. These restaurants opened between the March 17, 2020, shutdown of indoor dining and June 2, 2021, when Public Health Madison and Dane County lifted its COVID-19-related health orders.
2262 Winnebago St.
Jamie Hoang is at the helm of this Thai-Lao spot inside the Bur Oak. Thick pork dumplings, pho tai, bun and drunken noodles are menu favorites; everything is beautifully presented — even in takeout containers.
611 N. Sherman Ave.
The parking lot of this modest strip mall adjacent to Maple Bluff is full most days now thanks to Ancora, which has space for a nice outdoor patio as well as ample indoor seating. In addition to coffee, there are deluxe breakfasts, egg sammies, bowls and sandwiches.
177 S. Fair Oaks Ave.
Breakfast, lunch, dinner, cocktails and indoor golf. It’s clubhouse fare, millenialized, with deviled eggs topped with tobiko, burgers outfitted with arugula and gruyere, and brats decorated with lime crema and Mexican corn.
1370 Water Wheel Drive, Waunakee
This third location in a former Boston’s Pizza has all the menu favorites, like Spanky’s Meatloaf.
7015 Sligo Drive
There was a bit of a barbecue explosion during the pandemic. This chain is out of Ohio. Brisket is a specialty and there’s a Nashville Hot Chicken sandwich, too.
604 University Ave.
Coffee, glazed and specialty doughnuts, quiche and breakfast burritos.
116 King St.
D’Vino’s cicchetti bar concept can finally be fully implemented. It’s the Italian version of a tapas bar with lots of appetizers, wines and housemade limoncello.
2801 Marshall Court
The menu is of-the-moment, but coherent, with an emphasis on vegetables (sesame broccolini, roasted cauliflower) and meats (braised beef short ribs, slow roasted Berkshire pork chop — on farro!) .
2611 Monroe St.
This elegant eatery from L’Etoile alums Itaru Nagano and Andrew Kroeger had to revamp with takeout but has evolved into a neighborhood favorite. The small menu focuses on fresh and local, with pastas, a couple upscale entrees, and a dinner for two.
Feast Artisan Dumpling and Tea House
904 Williamson St.
Dumplings with fillings not seen elsewhere in town (cucumber, egg and mushroom; ribeye and carrot) paired with specialty teas.
610 Junction Road
Sushi rolls and donburi.
2161 Zeier Road
A food court with Japanese, Taiwanese, Chinese, Vietnamese stalls and an Asian bakery.
Gloria’s Mexican Restaurant - Sun Prairie
2808 Prairie Lakes Drive, Sun Prairie
A new branch for Gloria’s, which also has a location on Junction Road.
1216 East Washington Ave.
1261 Cabela Drive, Sun Prairie
1824 Parmenter St., Middleton
This coffee shop wins the prize for most expansion during the pandemic, zooming from one location on State Street to add three satellite locations. (Since health orders ceased, it’s even added a fourth, Grace Coffee Peloton at 1004 S. Park St.) The new locations have larger menus than State Street, with brunch and sandwich offerings and a long list of cocktails.
708 ¼ E. Johnson St.
The small global fusion menu features sweet potato tamales, budae jjigae and lumpia, the crispy Filipino spring roll. With a nod to its own locale, there’s a walleye fish fry on Friday featuring fish from the Red Lake band of Chippewa in northern Minnesota.
2975 Sub-Zero Parkway, Fitchburg
The Verona brewpub expanded with a new brewery, tasting room and more extensive kitchen. Appetizers, salads, tacos and sandwiches make this more than just snacks.
709 Atlas Ave.
David Rodriguez had the old International school bus before the pandemic to drive to catering gigs, but parked it and opened it as a “drive up restaurant” last winter. Smash burgers and the Friday fish fry are go-tos.
705 S. Gammon Road
Indian/Pakistani restaurant specializing in karahi, a curry style named after the metal pot it’s cooked in.
1835 Monroe St.
Take-home prepared meals and meal kits of comfort food, with a dining room promised.
Linda Falkenstein
Le C's Patisserie & Tea House
411 State St.
Bubble tea and pastries.
2911 University Ave.
A build-your-own spot focused on health options, so you can go protein-heavy, veggie-heavy, or come to your own balance.
2161 Rimrock Road
This small chain features smoked meats in sandwiches and dinners, and some non-barbecue main courses like fish and chips, trout, walleye and fried chicken.
558 State St.
Many margaritas, tequilas and mezcals; tacos range from traditional to trendy.
313 W. Johnson St.
A Tory Miller southern/fusion-style takeout operating from Estrellón, which remains closed. Pick a protein and three sides. And what proteins — blackened trout, gochujang grilled chicken — and what sides (7-Up biscuits!).
4702 East Towne Blvd.
You see we weren’t kidding about the barbecue explosion. Ten sauces, from Georgia mustard to Carolina vinegar to Alabama white.
600 Williamson St.
The old Wah Kee at the Gateway Mall is now Mr. Seafood, which serves big platters of boiled seafood.
The Muskellounge and Sporting Club
4102 Monona Drive
The bar looks like a basement den of the 1950s and has lots of cool games. Beer, cocktails, wine, meat and cheese plates, and Fraboni’s pizza.
4802 E. Washington Ave.
Another big-platter-of-seafood place, with Cajun spicing.
Rising Sons Lao & Thai Restaurant
600 W. Verona Ave., Verona
A third location for the Thai spot that started as Rising Sons Deli on State Street.
1965 Atwood Ave. inside Monona Bank
Rusty Dog coffee and sandwiches, soups and baked goods. Paul’s Pel’meni are available at lunch only.
10 N. Livingston St.
5507 Monona Drive
The Livingston Street location opened as a Sal’s offshoot called Dark Horse shortly before the pandemic, but changed names and shifted its upscale menu to pizzas; now dinner entrees are back. Salvatore’s Monona took over the old Pizza Oven site.
117 S. Pinckney St.
Another of-the-moment menu, with more appetizers than sandwiches. There’s a burger with housemade pickles and “Settle Down” sauce, or an oat-and-veggie patty; the dinner entree is a Friday-only fish fry. Sunday there’s a brunch menu, too.
558 N. Midvale Blvd.
Manhattan-based burger-and-shake chain now expanded nationally, including into Hilldale.
4674 Cottage Grove Road
An offshoot of Takara, the local Japanese mini-chain, brings sushi and more to this restaurant-scarce neighborhood on the east side.
Linda Falkenstein
Taco Local
811 Williamson St.
Street tacos, served three to a plate, with chopped salad and street corn, are the heart of the menu. Breakfast tacos, tortas and burritos, too.
540 State St.
Big variety of teas and boba. Tenko carries hojicha green tea, and offers cheese foam — made from yes, cheese (sometimes cream cheese or mascarpone), milk and whipping cream.
6067 Gemini Drive
Coffee in the up-and-coming Grandview Commons area: drip, pour overs, cold brew nitro on tap. The breakfast menu has a number of a.m. sandwiches and toasts along with a hearty bowl; lunch is a small selection of sandwiches.
Viet Kitchen
682 S. Whitney Way
Pho, banh mi, teas and smoothies.
27 W. Main St.
The organic roasters from Viroqua now have coffee shops in Viroqua, Bayfield and on the Capitol Square. Big latte selection, sandwiches and bowls.
112 King St.
Both the “street food” and the “snacks” sides of the menu are packed with fun bites that pair well with beer, from the expected poutine and nachos to the more surprising beignets and yakitori. Beers are brewed onsite.
5510 University Ave.
“Gooey” is the theme here, with hot spicy cheese bread, cinnamon rolls and cookies, plus bubble tea. nA
