For some, visual aesthetic is kitschy furniture, funky wallpaper and neon signs. For others, it is sleek marble, polished grey tones and white tablecloths. Whatever style you’re into, aesthetically pleasing venues turn dining into an experience.
Here is a list of coffee shops, restaurants and wine bars in Madison for when you need to appease your appetite for visual aesthetic.
1. Colectivo Coffee
According to their website, the name and aesthetic of Colectivo Coffee is inspired by the artful and funky buses used for public transportation across Latin America, called “colectivos.” This local chain is home to award-winning coffee, all-day breakfast, sandwiches, soups, salads, and more.
Fully operable garage doors open the barista station and seating to a large sidewalk patio and a second-level mezzanine that overlooks State Street. The décor features industrial accents, saturated primary colors and their signature sugar skull.
2. A Pig In a Fur Coat
Their motto says it all: “good food : good people : good farms : dead animals.” If this isn’t enough to lure you in, the welcoming bright yellow door should do it.
Inside, a single chandelier hangs over the entrance and Edison-style lights dangle over the tiny bar and communal style tables. This communal style eatery is comfortable, chic, and lively.
The menu is short but sweet with a variety of meat, seafood and vegetable plates dotted with luxurious gestures.
3. Graduate Madison
The Graduate Madison is part of a chain of college town hotels catered specifically to each campus. Their storytelling design style infuses all things historically UW, including dictionary definitions of “jump around” hanging on the wall, student ID room keys and a communal table in the lobby where students can study.
On their website, they describe their aesthetic as “Mad-for-plaid digs (with ample space to jump around)”.
4. Café Hollander
Located a couple of miles off-campus in the Hilldale Shopping Center, Café Hollander accredits their design and menu inspiration to European grand cafés.
This two story venue features multiple distinct areas including outdoor seating on both floors, a booth area, and a greenhouse style room with a live tree in the middle of it.They prominently advertise their love for bikes and Belgian decor but also offer dining menus for breakfast through dinner.
5. Bel Air Cantina
Bel Air Catina is known for their tacos and tequila (only $2.00 on Tuesdays and Thursdays) but there is mucho más to this venue’s appeal.
Bel Air’s infusion of Mexican décor and Californian surf style features surfboards hung on the wall, an LED light box with taco and tequila puns, full walls of tequila bottles and brightly colored and patterned tables.
6. Eno Vino Downtown
Eno Vino Downtown has a classic visual appeal. Sleek floor-to-ceiling windows create views of the Capitol for both outdoor and indoor seating. The menu provides tapas, full meals, craft cocktails and wine from a mishmash of global cuisines.
It is located above recently opened AC Hotel Downtown Madison on North Webster Street, so if you get a little carried away with the wine, just stay the night.
7. Short Stack Eatery
Short Stack Eatery needs no description for Madison locales. This order-at-the-counter, find-your-own-table, all day breakfast joint is notorious for lines out the door and simply incredible food.
Their “make yourself at home” ordering and seating style is matched with vintage postcards skewed under the glass tabletop, old bent license plates as order numbers and random, colorful cutlery. Here, it is easy to make yourself feel at home.
Good food is pretty easy to come by these days, especially in our lively city of Madison so raise your standards and visit these restaurants that will be pleasing to both the eye and taste buds.