⛸️ Your guide to February in Madison

🍝 Cafe La Bellitalia Closing, Cafe Zaragoza Opening

• If it seems like there’s a lot of turnover in the Madison restaurant scene lately, you’re right. The owner of Cafe La Bellitalia posted on Facebook that the north side Italian spot will close on March 10 after 19 years.
• Meanwhile, Cafe Zaragoza, a Mexican restaurant with an event space, is supposed to open soon on Park Street. And UW students craving a great fast-food chicken sandwich can take heart – Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen is coming to the campus end of State Street.
• Dig deeper: Listen to Cap Times food and culture editor Lindsay Christians break down what’s in and what’s out on Madison’s dining scene with Bianca Martin on the City Cast Madison podcast. [Cap Times, 🔒WSJ, 🎧City Cast Madison]

🙌 Center For Black Excellence Names New Leader

• Jason Fields, a former Milwaukee state representative, has been tapped to be the chief operating officer for the much-anticipated Center for Black Excellence and Culture in Madison.
• Fields, who led the Madison Region Economic Partnership since 2021, will be in charge of programming for the center, which is under construction on Badger Road and set to open next year.
• Related: Get caught up on the history of the center and what’s in store for the space with this City Cast Madison podcast interview with the center’s founder Dr. Rev. Alex Gee. [Cap Times, 🎧City Cast Madison]

🧊 Mother Nature Builds Some Freaky Ice Sculptures

• The fluctuating temperatures this winter has resulted in some unusual natural formations on Madison’s lakes.
• Called “ice heaves,” the ridges look like frozen waves rising out of the surface of the frozen lakes. The wild temperature swings cause ice to expand as it melts and refreezes, with sections pushing against each other to create pressure ridges from a few inches to a few feet high. But be careful if you want to check them out – they can be a sign of thinner ice or open water nearby. [ 🔒 WSJ]