😋 Madison’s best new bars and restaurants

😋 Surco Tops Food Cart Review

• The City of Madison released its 2024 Food Cart Review list, in which 22 volunteer reviewers evaluated the city’s food carts. Surco 2 and Surco Peruvian Foods topped the list, followed by Braisin’ Hussies, Bulgogi Korean Taco, and Dairy Godmother.
• City officials will draw up a map of vending locations for the 2025-2026 season, and the highest-ranking carts will get first dibs on location. [City of Madison]

🗳️ Early Voting Turnout Surges in Wisconsin

• More than 97,000 people turned out Tuesday for the first day of in-person absentee voting in Wisconsin. Both Republicans and Democrats have been urging voters to cast their votes ahead of Election Day on Nov. 5.
• The unexpectedly large turnout caused long lines in some places, and a temporary slowdown of the WisVote system that some clerks use to print ballot labels.
• In Wisconsin, in-person absentee voting ends the Sunday before Election Day. Here’s a full list of locations. [AP, City of Madison]

🍻 New Glarus Brewery Plans $55 Million Expansion

• New Glarus Brewing Co., the craft brewery behind Spotted Cow and Moon Man, will break ground in November on a $55 million expansion to its headquarters in Green County.
• The expansion to its Hilltop Facility will include additional space for brewing and distilling, as well as office and retail space, and a beer depot. [BizTimes]

Welcome to our list of the best new restaurants and bars opening in and around Madison! We’ll update this list each month. If we’ve missed a new spot you think we should feature, let us know!

The Kickback (Middleton)

This arcade bar is the first restaurant to open in the new Middleton Market Food Hall, which is envisioned as a cold-weather home for some of the city’s favorite food carts. The Kickback offers over 50 pinball machines and arcade games along with pizza, snacks, and 12 craft beers on tap.

Public Parking (Tenney-Lapham)

JR Mocanu, a Madison native who has spent the last few years in Texas, came back home to open this craft cocktail bar with Jack Yip. In addition to the classics, expect Japanese bar food served with some adventurous new creations.

Babes at Vitense (South Madison)

The 35-year-old bar and grill on Schroeder Road, dubbed “Madison’s ‘Cheers’” by one local broadcaster, closed in 2019 to make way for a housing development. But it’s now moved across the street to Vitense Golfland, set to open Oct. 29, with its vibe and much of its menu intact, including the beloved “Babes Nachos.”