Diners' Choice: Innovative restaurants in Madison

OpenTable

Updated April 05, 2025

Looking for the best restaurants that are fit for foodies in Madison? You’re in the right place. Each month, OpenTable analyzes nearly 2 million global diner reviews from the past four months. We sort the results by location and category to help you discover new favorite restaurants. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

Paoli Schoolhouse American Bistro

4.9

4.9 (997)

$31 to $50

Farm-to-table

Madison

About the restaurant

Paoli Schoolhouse American Bistro is located on the banks of the Sugar River in Paoli, WI. The Schoolhouse was built in 1864 and was converted into a restaurant in 2008. We pride ourselves in supporting local vendors and ingredients to bring you the best quality dishes.

Enjoy a meal in our beautiful bistro or on the deck/patio as weather permits. We have a great selection of wine, cocktails, and carry a variety of domestic and craft beers.

The Schoolhouse is also a great venue for small events - micro weddings, rehearsal dinners, bridal showers, baby showers, and any other celebrations!

Top review

Heather

Dined 5 days ago

We go here every few weeks and it is our favorite restaurant in the area… consistently great food and service!

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4.8

4.8 (2238)

$31 to $50

Bistro

Madison

About the restaurant

Eno Vino Wine Bar & Bistro Voted "Madison's Best Wine Bar" By Madison Magazine Readers, consistently over the years. Eno Vino offers 200+ wines by the bottle & another 45 by the glass. From the beginning, Eno Vino was established as a place to share great wine, sensational, hand-crafted cocktails and fresh, inviting food. Whether you would like to entertain friends, enjoy an evening out with a loved one or unwind during happy hour ~ we invite you to enjoy an evening at Eno Vino.

**Please note**
For outdoor terrace reservations- Please call the restaurant at 608-455-0663.
All guests must be 21 years of age to drink alcohol, regardless of parental accompaniment.

Top review

Debra

Dined on Apr 24, 2025

Always delicious, innovative food. Beautifully elegant dining room with a spectacular view of the Capitol, especially after dark. Flawless, professional, personable, and knowledgeable waitstaff. Every visit is a treat.

Palette Bar and Grill

4.7

4.7 (517)

$30 and under

American

Madison

About the restaurant

Palette provides a colorful dining experience with an American inspired menu and seasonally rotating cocktail selections with an emphasis on seasonal colors and flavors. With a patio on East Washington directly across from Breese Field we provide a lively pregame destination.

Located in the former Mautz Paint Company warehouse sharing the space with Hotel Indigo. We kept our buildings architectural features intact while updating the space with contemporary design elements and nostalgic touches. We wanted to keep the space faithful to its roots; filled with hues of colors and textures reminiscing of times when the East Washington corridor was a booming industrial area in the city.

Top review

Kim

Dined on Apr 23, 2025

Delicious food, great decor was quite empty but made for nice, quiet evening.

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Cooper's Hawk Winery & Restaurant - Middleton, WI

4.7

4.7 (610)

$30 and under

American

Middleton

About the restaurant

Experience the perfect fusion of award-winning wines, Napa-style tasting rooms, and modern casual dining at Cooper's Hawk Winery & Restaurants. Enjoy contemporary American cuisine influenced by international flavors from our scratch kitchen. Each dish is expertly paired with our selection of wines for the best food and wine match. Whether you explore the tasting room for a pre- or post-dinner adventure or join the world's largest wine club, we believe in the power of food and wine to create lasting connections. Dining reservations are highly recommended, but walk-in guests are always welcome on a first-come, first-serve basis. Gluten-free and vegetarian dishes are available.

Top review

Nikki

Dined 2 days ago

Very upscale, clean and contemporary. Our waiter was very friendly and kind and brought us a handful of wine samples for his recommendations. You can get samples of any wine there while you are dining. Will definitely go back. HIGHLY recommend the Calamari on the menu. Food came fast and the wine pours are generous :)

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Experience

Brunch & Bubbles | Saturdays & Sundays 10am – 2pm

Experience

Wine Tastings and Rotating Chef Recommendations

Sultan

4.7

4.7 (38)

$31 to $50

Pakistani

Madison

About the restaurant

Small plates Pakistani restaurant serving modern takes on South Asian cuisine showcasing Wisconsin and Midwest ingredients. No tipping restaurant that pays all staff a living wage and profit share.

Top review

gerryVIP

Dined 4 days ago

“Lab night” was amazing My first time there and from start to finish it was outstanding Service was great. A perfect opportunity to taste what sultan is all about A must go…

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Experience

Apothecary Tasting Menu

The Melting Pot - Madison

4.6

4.6 (663)

$31 to $50

Fondue

Middleton

About the restaurant

At The Melting Pot, fun is cooked up fondue style, creating an out of the ordinary dining experience.
You'll discover all the ingredients for a perfect evening, including attentive service, private tables, & an atmosphere of casual elegance. In addition to the cheese & chocolate fondues which have made The Melting Pot famous, they offer a fine selection of beef, chicken, seafood, vegetarian & gluten free entrees, as well as an exceptional wine list & a full bar. You may enjoy a romantic evening for two, a special occasion with forty of your closest friends, a dining experience to impress your boss, or a night out with the family. Whatever the occasion, an evening at The Melting Pot is always a celebration. Reservations are highly recommended. We do our best to ensure every guest receives the highest level of service. As such, we are unable to hold your reservation longer than 10 minutes past your selected time. If you are running behind schedule, please just give us a ring!

Top review

Halie

Dined 1 day ago

Jake was so helpful. He was very attentive to things that we requested and definitely will go back!

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Experience

Graduation 5/10

Experience

🌷Mother's Day - Sunday, May 11th🌷

Experience

Perfect Night Out package for Two - $219

Stone Porch Alehouse

4.6

4.6 (80)

$30 and under

American

Verona

About the restaurant

Stone Porch is named after it's huge stone wrap around porch but we don't let that vibe end there. Comfort food, refreshing cocktails to warm up the insides and a great team looking to make your visit memorable. Our head chef, Jacob Goldsberry, believes that from scratch is always best and that brings an authenticity to each dish that will remind you of home.

Top review

Mindy

Dined on Apr 19, 2025

The food was delicious. So many choices and homemade. The best stone fired flatbread pizza I’ve ever had. The staff were very friendly, knowledgeable and attentive. Great place-definitely one of the top restaurants in the Madison area!

Samba Brazilian Grill

4.5

4.5 (1019)

$50 and over

Brazilian Steakhouse

Madison

About the restaurant

For those of you who are not current or former gauchos who roam the prairies of Brazil, you might need an explanation of our style of service. At the end on a long day of work tending to cattle and stock, Brazilian cowboys (Gauchos) and their families would prepare great feasts. They would skewer various meats, roast them over a fire pit and bring them to the table for carving. There would be a bounty of seasonal vegetables, stews and salads using fresh ingredients from the fruits of their labor.

Top review

Preston

Dined on Apr 3, 2025

That was a great experience and the food was fantastic.

Buck & Honey - Mount Horeb

4.5

4.5 (103)

$31 to $50

Contemporary American

Mount Horeb

About the restaurant

At Buck & Honey’s, we've taken great care to ensure your first visit makes you feel like you're stopping by an old friend's house. We are privately owned and offer a wide variety of traditional fare with only the freshest available ingredients, curated by our Executive Chef, Sammy Millan. We are new to the Mount Horeb community and couldn't be more excited! Great pastas, tender steaks, seafood, fresh entree salads, unique specialty sandwiches, critically acclaimed Friday fish fry and our deliciously crispy thin crust pizzas round out our offerings. Check out our extensive wine list too. We offer a cozy environment with amazing staff. Join us for live entertainment and special events. Also We serve brunch from 11am-3pm on Saturday and Sunday. We also have an amazing event venue on the second level. We are here to show what Wisconsin hospitality is all about!

Top review

OpenTable Diner

Dined on Apr 20, 2025

Staff was friendly and fun! Our meals were wonderful -cocktails and apps tasty! Thanks for a nice Easter brunch~

Zafferano Ristorante

4.1

4.1 (16)

$31 to $50

Italian

Fitchburg

About the restaurant

Located in the heart of Fitchburg, WI, Zafferano Ristorante is a one-of-a-kind dining destination that brings together the rich, comforting flavors of Italian cuisine with the bold, aromatic spices of Indian gastronomy. Our carefully curated menu blends traditional favorites from both cultures, offering an unforgettable fusion of flavors.

From handcrafted pastas and wood-fired pizzas to spiced curries and tandoori-inspired delights, each dish is prepared with the freshest ingredients and a passion for culinary artistry.

Zafferano’s offers an inviting ambiance perfect for date nights, family gatherings, and special celebrations. Pair your meal with our carefully selected wines and craft cocktails to complete your experience.

Top review

Angela

Dined on Apr 4, 2025

Love this place! Creative and delicious - I have already been twice :)

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Experience

55+ Day Time Happy Hour 11 AM- 3 PM

Experience

Tue-Wed-BOGO 50% off on all fusion pizzas

Experience

Wednesday-Live Music- Fusion Violin Show 6:30PM

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