Coffee and Beer in Madison

Earlier this year I went to Madison, Wisconsin for work. I've been to Madison before, once for a friend's wedding and another time for work. It's a great college town, with a bit of a "big city" feel in the center since it's also the state capital. Madison has an enviable location, on an isthmus between two lakes. Since I was working, I didn't have time to do anything touristy, but I did have free early mornings and evenings - perfect for tasting the city's coffee and beer! This post is a short tour of the city, the iced coffee, and the beer.

The City

Downtown Madison

You can tell it's a college town. Lots of houses converted to apartments.

The Capitol building.

View of the lake from the conference center, which was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.

Downtown Madison.

The Capitol from the conference center.

View of the lake.

Inside the Capitol.

It's a really ornate capitol building.

Looking through an arch on the second floor.

It wouldn't be Wisconsin without squeaky cheese curds!

A view toward downtown from across the lake.

The Coffee

First day - iced coffee at Cafe Social!

Barriques was a neat combo cafe, restaurant, and wine shop. Great breakfast. My top choice!

Colectivo is a local chain, with good coffee and a great downtown location.

Lakeside Coffee House was a bit off the beaten path, just outside downtown. Nice place with a water view.

The Beer

Delta Beer Lab, a new spot in an industrial area Southwest of downtown, was my favorite. It's a chemistry themed gay brewery! Great beer, friendly staff, and a simple but fun atmosphere.

Working Draft was lively (even on a weeknight) and had a good selection of brews.

Surprisingly good tacos at Working Draft.

The beer list at Lucille. Great pizza here too.

My trip to Madison was quick, but as you can see, it was full of great drinks. :)