12 months of meals

Hungry...need food....

Where should you grab a bite to eat right now, and what should you order? Which entrees are mostly likely to bring you to your knees? What new bistro will best enhance your Instagram?

These are the questions we answer in this recap of where Isthmus reviewers have been eating and drinking since the publication of our last “Dining” special section. With an ever-growing number of restaurants focusing on fresh, seasonal ingredients, not all mentioned dishes may be available at all times. Reviews are by André Darlington, Linda Falkenstein, Amelia Cook Fontella, Allison Geyer, Kyle Nabilcy, Kate E. Newton, Adam Powell, Candice Wagener and Rosemary Zurlo-Cuva.

1847 at the Stamm House

A total facelift highlights the stunning beauty of the property. The interior is back to raw stone and wood beams. The small bar on the lower level remains, and there’s another large bar upstairs in the airy main dining room featuring a well-composed list of craft cocktails. Fresh and seasonal produce dominates — although don’t overlook a rotating daily special drawn from comfort foods like chicken and dumplings and beef stroganoff. The Friday fish fry is Lake Superior whitefish or trout. (A.D.)

5th Element Coffee

With its high ceilings and shiny reclaimed bowling-lane bar, this new coffee purist’s shop feels airy and spacious. The menu is streamlined — there’s no food, other than pastries brought in from Batch Bakehouse — with espresso and manually brewed coffee its focus. Even more narrowly focused are the beans, all single-origin and roasted by either Four Monkeys Coffee, a roaster based in El Salvador, or Yes Coffee Roasters of Monroe, Wis. And 2011 World Barista Championship winner Alejandro Mendez is at the helm. (A.C.F.)

A-OK Sunshine & Spirits

A bright blue and yellow geometric floor, gleaming subway tiles and blond wood accents give A-OK a postmodern cafeteria feel. The coffee shop/hipster diner/beer and cocktail bar serves Kin-Kin coffee and espresso. The beans are small-batch roasted and single origin, and the drinks are meticulously prepared. The kitchen serves a few classic diner breakfasts and a hefty burger. (A.G.)

Avenue Club and Bubble Up Bar

This summer, a major overhaul took place at the Avenue. The new Avenue Club and Bubble Up Bar showcases specialty mixed drinks, champagne and sparkling wines — “Bubble & Bitters” matches sparkling rosé with a cherry bark vanilla-soaked sugar cube, for instance. Brunch is packed, and on Friday nights the dining room is furiously busy. The beer-battered cod yields easily beneath a crunchy exterior. (A.P.)

Barolo

Raise a glass to the rewards of Barolo, the wine bar Madison deserves. Service is uniformly warm and knowledgeable, and servers offer samples of wines before you buy. Wines are served by the glass, priced from $6 to $10, and also by the bottle. Barolo also offers smartly designed plates for pairing. Try a rustic flatbread; the selection changes daily. (A.P.)

The Boathouse at the Edgewater

For a town full of lakes, Madison lacks lakeside dining. Enter the Boathouse, the new Edgewater Hotel’s casual dining spot — boat right up to the pier. The mix of Madisonians and hotel visitors, landlubbers and seafarers lends the Boathouse a unique joie de vivre. Snack on Old Bay fries and a crab cake and a Wisconsin craft beer. (L.F.)

Cafe Hollander

This Belgian-inspired beer bar is part of a small chain of Milwaukee gastropubs that pay homage to the Benelux countries. Of the 38 beers on tap, some are true Belgians, some American; four are house beers. From the food menu, best bets are over-the-top burger concoctions and thoughtful salads. (L.F.)

Cow & Quince

This open-kitchen farm-to-table market/restaurant occupies a cheery, sunny space in New Glarus. The menu features breakfast and lunch, thoughtfully made and elegantly presented. There is a thrilling lack of pretense. Try the breakfast sammie with Jordandal farm bacon or the biscuits and gravy with Lucky Dog farm pork gravy. A prix fixe dinner happens once a month. (A.D.)

Curry in the Box

University Avenue is a second location for the Fitchburg fast-casual restaurant. Dishes are Thai-inflected, but the menu adopts flavors from India and even Japan. It’s hard to enthuse enough about the panang chicken curry. Solid lunch specials, too, with plenty of bang for $8. (A.P.)

Daisy Cafe & Cupcakery

Though thought of as more of a morning hangout, Daisy is a chill spot for a casual early dinner. It’s the kind of place to go on a night you just don’t feel like cooking but still want something that seems like it came out of your own kitchen. Veggie dishes like the roasted vegetable enchiladas or the cornucopia soup — more of a stew, really —are hearty and earthy, like something your hippie aunt would make. (A.C.F.)

El Sabor de Puebla

Tucked into a converted house on Williamson Street, it’s homey and happy, with bold colors set against charming knotty pine walls. Reyna Gonzalez, well known for her tamales, is the proprietor and cook. Her brother Juan is a farmer (he’s behind Los Jalapeños CSA), and the restaurant sources directly from him in summer and fall. The menu is familiar Mexican fare — tacos, tortas, enchiladas — with a few surprises, like the tlacoyos. (A.D.)

Estrellón

James Beard Award-winning chef Tory Miller’s latest has a Spanish vibe. There’s so much you should order: the breathtaking pan con tomate, a simple tomato puree with olive oil and salt atop a toasted baguette; the grilled octopus, hefty tentacles presented simply but at their tender best; a pintxo of boquerones (anchovy) presented as a Caesar salad homage. (K.N.)

Fast Biryani

Hyderabadi cuisine is the specialty, with haleem (a stew of chicken or mutton, cracked wheat, lentils, ginger and rocket-hot chilis), a novel entree for Madison. A stroke of brilliance comes with the flatbread wraps: A scoop of curry is rolled up in naan (or paratha) with lettuce and cheese. The Chicken 65 and Beef Dumke Kabab are perfect for satisfying an immediate Indian craving. (K.N.)

Forage Kitchen

Here, build-your-own salads and rice or quinoa bowls have transformed the fast-food world of lower State Street. The “Power Bowl” of brown rice, lentils, roasted sweet potatoes, spicy slaw, guacamole, jerk chicken and lush green goddess dressing is the ultimate healthy comfort dish. (L.F.)

Freiburg Gastropub

This sleeker, modern version of a German restaurant has a friendly neighborhood atmosphere, the best imported beers and well-prepared, farm-fresh food. This menu full of pork, fresh salads and a number of vegetarian options is in line with other recent additions to the restaurant scene. The jäger burger could be listed among the best in the city, and the schnitzels and schweinebacken are excellent. (R.Z.C.)

Freshii

This franchise restaurant combines a youthful, Apple store-like aesthetic with fresh food (mostly vegetables) to go, in salads, bowls, soups or wraps; plus, fresh-squeezed juices. The Thai lemongrass burrito (quinoa, cabbage, carrots, cilantro, edamame, spicy lemongrass sauce) works well as a green wrap and may be one of the best things on the menu. (A.D.)

Gib’s Bar

This Victorian house redone as a multi-level bar has a relaxed but elegant east-side vibe. The spaces manage to be both intimate and airy. There’s well-curated wine and beer, but this is really a cocktail bar, with ever-changing and surprising offerings. Don’t overlook the sea urchin ice cream from the snack menu. (A.D.)

Gooseberry on the Square

The premier by-weight salad bar on the Capitol Square provides plenty of choices beyond the expected shredded carrots, from fresh fruit to fresh mozzarella bathed in basil olive oil. Breakfasts and lunch sandwiches are served in a new, clean, modernist interior, the better to match Bruce Graham’s 1974 classic modernist glass-box bank building. (L.F.)

Graft

Graft is a very pretty, capable restaurant that swings for the fences. It’s a menu with broad appeal: entirely satisfying rillettes of diced smoked trout, harissa-rubbed chicken thigh atop Israeli couscous, flank steak with coffee butter. Massive wine list. (K.N.)

Green Life Cafe

This juice bar, creperie and cafe fuses California’s laid-back dining style with a more Midwestern take on healthy food. Opt for crepe specials and a roster of salads in this cheery orange dining room decorated with art and plants. (K.E.N.)

Hamilton’s on the Square

The mood is always friendly in this chummy, intimate dining room. Dishes tend to be rich. Lamb is very good, as is the duck confit sandwich. Later at night a snack menu kicks in to join the solid cocktail list. As the music gets louder, it’s a more raucous hangout. (K.N.)

HopCat

The 130 taps are a big draw, but the bar also nails its pub burger (add “bar cheese,” Michigan’s answer to pimento cheese, melty and gooey from the first bite) as well as the Angry Bird, a breaded Buffalo chicken sandwich. The pork schnitzel is a surprisingly juicy slice of pork fried with a crisp crust, under a smothering of gravy and fried egg salad. (K.N.)

Julep

Finally, Madison fully embraces new Southern food. With its smoked ham hock terrine, buttermilk biscuits, Nashville salad, crumb-topped mac and cheese, shrimp and grits and a magnificent perlou (something like a hybrid between jambalaya and paella), Julep is doing right by the South. (K.N.)

Kangchen

Strip-mall Indian spot with Indo-Chinese fusion cuisine a specialty. Think rice and noodle dishes flavored with traditional Indian spices like cumin, coriander and turmeric doused in spicy Szechuan or Manchurian sauces. Or stick with a solid chicken tikka masala. (A.G.)

Kung Fu Tea

Bubble tea spot on State Street, but jasmine, Earl Grey, oolong, white gourd and longan red date tea are also on the menu. Drinks come as “classic” (no milk), with milk, or add a fruit flavor for a drink that Kung Fu calls “punch.” (L.F.)

La Rosita

Real Mexican food, akin to the glorious tacos, gorditas and tortas made in markets all over Mexico. La Rosita relies upon high-quality, well-prepared and perfectly seasoned meats. The chorizo is a wonderful surprise. Forget that greasy red stuff; La Rosita’s homemade version is dry and sweet, in large crumbles with crispy edges. Beef-lovers will appreciate the cecina, a dried beef specialty that can be hard to find. (A.C. F.)

Le Petit Croissant

If Le Petit Croissant made nothing but baked goods, it would still be a godsend to this no man’s land next to the Beltline/Verona Road interchange. Cinnamon rolls are firm and plump and glazed with heavy cream and confectioner’s sugar. Crepes are served in two varieties: sweet (Nutella) and savory (ricotta cheese). Sandwiches, too. (A.P.)

Madison Oriental Market Deli

The deli’s in the rear of the market, where beef larp, pungent and rich, and green papaya salads are both made to order. Round out the meal with an order of purple sticky rice. Grab some of the crisp Hmong stuffed chicken wings to eat while you wait. (L.F.)

Madistan

Gyros, burgers and fried chicken are just a front for great Pakistani food. Look for the several Pakistani entrees scribbled on a whiteboard. There you’ll find dishes like chicken biryani, chicken achar and aloo chole. The beef kabab and chicken tikka rolls, with their sour-spicy yogurt sauce, are the apex of street food. (L.F.)

Mezze

What a thrill to have Mezze, where couples take advantage of the nooks and crannies to get close. The feel is charming, subdued and wildly dissimilar from anything nearby. The sense that Mezze is an oasis is furthered by the small, convivial bar. Fresh herbs on the counter are destined for cocktails, there’s a good wine list, and top-notch bottles of liquor line the back shelves. The small plates menu skews Lebanese; head for the pizzas and the za’atar fries. (A.D.)

Naf Naf

Build-your-own Mediterranean pita sandwiches and rice plates from this micro-chain out of Chicago. Excellent baba ganoush, hummus and crisp falafel; don’t pass up the fiery s’khug sauce. (L.F.)

Nani

Dim sum is served here daily. The menu/placemat arrives with a pen. Write a quantity next to your selections, as when ordering sushi, and the menus are whisked away to be replaced with real versions of the small dishes. This is great fun for kids and adults. Dumplings, pan-fried green chive cakes and deep-fried sesame balls are all good picks to start with. (A.P.)

Norske Nook

Breakfast, lunch and dinner pale in comparison to the roster of pies at this DeForest branch of the Osseo, Wis., legend. From Old Fashioned Butterscotch Pudding to Pecan Stout to fresh raspberry, the quality of the pies is unimpeachable. (K.N.)

Paint Bar

Flatbread pizzas and paninis are perfect fuel while you work on painting your masterpiece on a canvas you buy onsite. Wine, beer and wine-based cocktails will augment your creativity. (A.C.F.)

Pasqual’s Cantina, East Washington Avenue

Urban loft meets the Southwest. Pasqual’s works well for a cheap date night as well as a meal with the family. The new Cantina, while preserving the old favorites, has created new small-plate dishes designed to please the happy-hour crowd. Called “Street Food” on the menu, the five singly-served tacos and Oaxacan shrimp mini-tostadas offer new and welcome flavors. (R.Z.C.)

Portage Pi

Grab-and-go nook inside the Graduate Hotel lobby specializes in hand pies, sweet and savory, made in-house. The beef short rib, with its potent horseradish dipping sauce, is a must-order. (L.F.)

Sabor Queretano

Great taqueria hidden in a strip mall behind the East Towne McDonald’s. The chicken milaneza is a sleeper hit. Look for lamb birria on the weekend. It offers a full contingent of huaraches, sopas, flautas, gorditas, tacos, tortas, burritos and the like; fillings from a list of steak, chicken, chorizo, pastor, carnitas, tongue and tripe. (L.F.)

Salvatore’s Tomato Pies, East Johnson Street

This Trenton-style pizzeria pushes the envelope with farm-to-table pizzas and tacos. Inventive daily specials vie with popular regular pies like the fig and bacon and the Forestiere. A maximalist approach is evident in the tacos, which arrive as two fully loaded beasts. (A.D.)

Second Salem

The drive to Whitewater is worth it for this nanobrewery’s Bone Orchard India Pale Ale. The Greek Nachos are a fun starter, as are the huge soft pretzels. And the porter batter on the fried cod, available every day, actually tastes like porter. (K.N.)

Sí Cafe

Madison’s only coffee stop in a barber shop. Sí brews only espresso and pour-overs made from Yes Coffee Roasters beans, which are carefully sourced from small farms. (A.G.)

SoHo Gourmet

The brick-and-mortar offshoot of the SoHo food cart adapts traditional Asian flavors and preparations for a Midwestern palate. Call it Wisco-fusion. The dumplings are great, but the real focus is on the rice plates, which come with a choice of meats. Look for congee — a thick rice soup with chicken, mushrooms and ginger — on the weekend. (A.G.)

TnT’s Coffee & Cafe

Coffee house with Belgian waffles, breakfast sandwiches and burritos. For lunch, chicken salad on a fluffy croissant is a knockout punch. Coffee beans are from Colectivo. (A.P.)

Taigu

Shanxi cuisine is the specialty here, with housemade cat’s ear and knife-cut noodles the heart of the restaurant. Look to the traditional Chinese menu for dishes like spicy pork belly with dried tofu and pickled Chinese cabbage with beef. Even the simple scallion knife-cut noodles are a standout. (C.W.)

Takara 88

Innovative, whimsical sushi, sashimi and nigiri in this beautiful subdued room make the Middleton version of the local Takara chain a more upscale experience. Besides the fresh sushi, the lunch udon special is a good buy. (A.P.)

Tavernakaya

At this new Japanese gastropub on the Square, skewers and small plates point to the kitchen’s greatest skills. And, at long last in Madison, we have a restaurant serving the savory pancake okonomiyaki. The ponzu steak frites and the Taiwanese three cup chicken also prove the kitchen can execute. (K.N.)

Waypoint Public House

A fine place to sit on the Yahara with a burger and a beer and watch the boats come in. Knoche’s beef anchors the burgers, and an impressive tap list joins a sandwich- and salad-centric menu. There’s also a substantial brunch. (K.N.)

Wiener Shop

Eleven gussied-up versions of hot dogs, plus outrageous, allusive, extravagantly topped weekly specials. Vegan option is a tempeh dog made locally by Bandung restaurant. (L.F.)

Willy Ty’s

Comfortable pub food in suburban Sun Prairie. Cheese-stuffed Gooey Louey is the house burger, but the “griddled cheeses” may be the highlight of the menu; they all come with a side of tomato bisque for dunking. Respectable beer list, too. (K.N.)

World of Beer

The house specialty at this Middleton establishment is the Chimay Burger, with mushrooms, caramelized onions and Chimay Grand Classique, a cheese made by Belgian brewer Chimay. In addition to taps, there are beer infusions (peanut butter porter, anyone?) and beer cocktails ranging from boozy to fruity to sour. (K.N.)