Kyle Nabilcy
The spicy tuna at Hot Lunch.
Behold the spicy tuna at Hot Lunch.
If you grew up with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the good seasons of The Simpsons, or remember when there were only three Star Wars movies, you’re going to lose your mind at Hot Lunch. Tchotchkes and action figures line every ledge in the space, and the sandwiches when Hot Lunch first opened in 2022 were famous for coming with classic ‘80s/’90s kid treats like Fruit by the Foot. I never got any, so this may be a deep cut by now.
Also a deep cut, literally: the one splitting the Stalzy’s baguettes that hold a lot of Hot Lunch sandwiches. They are stuffed full with toppings, whether it’s the cheese-blanketed hot beef, the creamy and crunchy spicy tuna, or the verdant vegan banh mi. Has this nostalgic kitchen ever thought of implementing Subway’s old V-cut, in which a wedge of bread cut out of the middle of the bun is left on top to hold down the toppings? That might make these behemoths easier to eat.
The banh mi presents more pho flavors than a classic banh mi, with hits of mint and lime — and that’s to say nothing of the cauliflower used in lieu of any meat fillings. (The cauliflower is pretty tasty, though.) The hot beef is less an Italian beef than an Italian-meets-roast pork sandwich, with melty cheese and jus. The spicy tuna delivered on its name, and also featured some unexpected crunch from whole wasabi peas mixed in. I enjoyed them all.
Braised pork belly was the only sandwich I tried that came on sliced bread. The bread was griddled with so much butter it was squishy, and the sliced pork belly suffered from unevenly rendered fat and minimal seasoning.
The Hot Lunch menu is mostly sandwiches, with cocktails and some fun non-alcoholic housemade sodas (grape and orange) and a smattering of sides and specials. I’d pass on the potato salad, soupily laden with mayo; conversely the actual soup, a charred cauliflower and onion bisque during one visit, was lovely, if goofily served in a small plastic juice cup. Ultimately, Hot Lunch feels like it wants to be a dive bar with unexpectedly solid food — and despite its name, it’s open for lunch and dinner.
Just a third of a mile away, Grey Market is known more as a bar with almost incidental food. But its menu actually has quite a bit of composition and focus.
Kyle Nabilcy
The shrimp salad at Grey Market.
Would you, could you, in a bowl? If it’s the shrimp salad at Grey Market, sure.
Grey Market has been open since late 2024 in the former Star Bar/Dark Horse/Dark Star space at East Washington Avenue and Livingston Street. It has clean lines and a more sophisticated look than when it was Dark Star Art Bar. It’s not just an oysters and cocktails spot. Italian vibes are where the place really shines. The Morty is filled with luxurious slices of mortadella, slathered in nutty, aromatic pistachio/basil spread, and with just the right amount of arugula so as to not pull focus. An Italian grinder was similarly everything I wanted it to be, if a little aggressively oil-and-vinegared. Fans of “Mike’s Way,” the seasoning at the sub chain Jersey Mike’s, would love it unhesitatingly.
Less successful is Grey Market’s hot beef, bread-heavy and under-filled with barely warm cold cut-grade beef. Much better is the shrimp salad, bountifully filled with tender little shrimp in a lemony dressing.
If it’s bacon you want, skip the wan and bland BLT and wait for the next appearance of the wedge salad on the menu. Salads here shift rapidly, but Grey Market’s expertly portioned classic wedge deserves permanence. Those seeking a dish for the table will enjoy the pimento crab dip, a stupendous quantity of rocket-hot baked dip with far too few toast rounds. Save some of your potato chips for it.
I should mention the bowl-plates in which Grey Market serves its sandwiches. They’re certainly good at corralling chips and crumbs, but they look kind of silly holding a sandwich as opposed to a salad.
Hot Lunch and Grey Market, as representatives of a “broader sandwich moment” in Madison (perhaps driven by rising prices for entrees) can be uneven. But as options in a relatively small geographic area of town, each has its place — and its wins.
Hot Lunch
708 E. Johnson St.; 608-405-5566; facebook.com/madisonhotlunch
$4-$16
Grey Market
756 E. Washington Ave.; 608-284-9161; madisongreymarket.com
$14-$30
