Madison's pro foodies pick their favorite spots from 2011

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It's no secret that area restaurateurs, food writers, bartenders and chefs have strong opinions about what they eat, so we knew we'd get a good sampling of great suggestions when we asked several of them where they liked to eat this year.

Here are their responses:

  • "It's La Hacienda for sure. I don't get anything but the Parillada plate. They either have a "Grande" or a "Chica," the "Grande" being for five or six people and the other being for two or three. It comes with this little sterno burner and then the plate has got potatoes, pork, chorizo, chicken, roasted peppers. It's ginormous, but that's the best thing in town." - John Jerabek, executive chef, Fresco
  • "One of my favorites is still Eno Vino. They've just been consistently good with their food. Their menu is seasonal, so there isn't one thing in particular I always go back for, but their sea scallops are something that's always on their menu and are very, very good." - Michael Allison, bartender, The Icon
  • "In 2011, I supped on hundreds of dishes at dozens of restaurants, old and new, even nabbing the very first table at Tempest Oyster Bar's opening night. But my favorite meal of the year was at LuLu's Deli & Restaurant. When I was a kid growing up in Madison I lived one block away from LuLu's and every year I chose dinner there for my birthday. On hearing news that they were shutting down, I gathered my own family and we ordered a final resplendent repast: Greek olives and warmed pita bread spread with creamy hummus; delicate falafel and marinated, thin-sliced lamb shawarma with tart yogurt sauce, tomatoes and red onions. We finished with Turkish baklava, a glass of Pinot Blanc, and a toast to a dear old friend." - Adam Powell, food critic, A.V. Club Madison
  • "There are a few places that were my favorites. Kabul because it has a wonderful variety of stuff. Bonfyre American Grille because they have great entrees at reasonable prices. And the Great Dane, because they have a great selection. Those were my three go-to places." - Don Olsen, employee, Madison Sweets
  • "I hate to disappoint other restaurants, because they're so many great ones in town. But I'd have to say my three favorites for the year were Sardine, Nostrano and Osteria Papavero. They are always pushing the envelope in food." - Ken Monteleone, owner, Fromagination
  • "My first answer would be Underground Kitchen. I miss it terribly. The stand out meals for me of 2011 though would have be the ones I've had at L'Etoile. Whenever I sit down in that dining room, I always enjoy the veteran staff and the cooking that just knocks me right over." - Bob Hemauer, general manager, Tornado Club
  • "My two favorites have been Sardine and Stalzy's Deli that opened on Atwood Avenue. I used to work at Sardine, so I'm a little biased, but across the board I think everything is great there, especially the brunch. I think it's one of the best brunches in town. And Stalzy's just has a really nice space and impressive, handmade sandwiches. There's a lot of artistry that goes into what they do." - Sam Haesemeyer, head chef, Brocach
  • "Lately my favorite has been Francisco's Cantina, because they're usually open late and I can always get something to eat when I'm done working here. Their food is delicious and their margaritas are great. And it's also not too expensive." - Ellerton Warhus, bartender, Francesca's al Lago
  • "I enjoy Sardine a lot. I especially like going in there and getting appetizers and oysters, and I really love the atmosphere. It's really a great place to hang out, especially in the early evening. I really like that scene there." - Henry Doane, owner, Tempest Oyster Bar
  • "A couple of our staff's favorite restaurants would be The Weary Traveler and also Brasserie V. The Weary Traveler has a nice, neighborhood feel. It's a cozy, fun place to have a meal. Brasserie V we like because of the food and atmosphere, but they also have the best frites in town." - Michael Ding, co-owner, Umami Ramen & Dumpling Bar
  • "I think Lombardino's is consistently fantastic, genuine and the staff is always friendly. The prices are on par for Madison's food scene and, in fact, less than what you'd find in a larger city for the same thing. Every dish I've tried from here is bursting with flavor, be it crisp greens, savory prosciuttio or melt-in-your-mouth pork." - Shayna Miller, multimedia/style editor, Madison Magazine
  • "I've been going to Ha Long Bay and Greenbush Bar a lot this year. They're both comfortable and are good locations to go and hang out with people. Their food is reliably delicious, there's nothing too fancy about them, but they're nice. I recommend any of the pizzas at Greenbush or any of the thai curry at Ha Long Bay." - Taylor Bougie, assistant manager, Graze
  • "I've really liked Umami and Stalzy's Deli. Those are probably the two places that I went to the most this year. Stalzy's is just nice, good comfort food. Nothing complicated, with good homemade soups and great meat that they use for the sandwiches. And I like Umami because it has a hip atmosphere and it's the kind of place that I could take my wife on a date or take my youngest daughter and have dinner with her." - Pepper Stebbins, bartender, Weary Traveler Freehouse
  • "The first thing that comes to mind is that I've been going to The Old Fashioned a ton recently. It has quickly become my favorite lunch spot in town. I just love the sandwiches, everything I've tried there is phenomenal. The monthly beer specials are also great. So I"m definitely a big fan of The Old Fashioned." - Isaac May, employee, Ambrosius Chocolatier