🏈 Former UW football players will own Mickies

🚲 Ride the Drive Canceled: In the midst of ongoing protests against the police shooting of Corey Ruiz, city officials have decided to cancel Ride the Drive, the annual biking event that was supposed to take place on Madison’s east side this Sunday. “We believe holding Ride the Drive would continue to disrupt the neighborhood and businesses,” Madison Parks Superintendent Eric Knepp said in a statement. [City of Madison]

🚨 Council Drops Police Oversight Board Recommendations: At a virtual City Council meeting Tuesday, city leaders dropped amendments that would have made the Police Civilian Oversight Board and Independent Police Monitor more accountable to the city. Over 100 people signed up to give public comment in the meeting. [News 3]

🔥 Protests Continue in Streets: In the wake of city workers and police dismantling the Corey Ruiz memorial Tuesday morning, protests continued in downtown Madison into the night. Both Williamson Street and East Washington Avenue were shut down for periods Tuesday night during standoffs between protesters and police. Madison firefighters had to extinguish several fires set in the streets. [🔒WSJ]

🥞 Former Badgers Take Over Mickies Dairy Bar: While the new owners of the beloved breakfast spot Mickies Dairy Bar on Regent Street haven’t been named, they know the neighborhood. Gotham Bagels owner Joe Gaglio, who will manage the restaurant, said among the owners are several former UW football players who used to play at Camp Randall across the street. According to the State Journal, throughout the diner’s 79-year history, it’s only changed ownership four times. [🔒WSJ]

💰 Want to Help Out Willy Street Businesses? While the Corey Ruiz memorial site is down, it will take a while for area businesses to recoup the revenue they lost when the neighborhood was shut down. Ben Feifarek of Working Draft Beer Company pulled together a list of businesses affected and how to buy gift cards from them, as well as social service organizations that could also use donations. [Working Draft]

Whether it’s bluegill, perch, or walleye on your plate, the fish fry is a hallowed and battered tradition in Wisconsin. In a recent survey by Madison Magazine, nearly half of respondents said they sit down to a fish fry at least once a month.

It feels like the fish fry has been around since forever – but will it be around forever? On the City Cast Madison podcast today, host Bianca Martin talks to Madison writer Jeff Oloizia about his cover story for Madison Magazine on how climate change and global economic trends may be threatening our beloved fish fry.

For now, at least, the fish fry is thriving in the Madison area. Here are some of our favorites around town. If we missed your Friday favorite, email us at [email protected] and let us know why your fish fry rules!

Dexter’s Pub

Oloizia spent time in the east side pub studying its wildly popular fish fry while reporting for his article, and with good reason. Honored as “Madison’s Best Fish Fry” by both Isthmus and Madison Magazine, Dexter’s serves up wild-caught North American fish in non-GMO sunflower oil, with Madison Sourdough rye bread on the side. If you just can’t wait until Friday, they have a limited fish fry on Wednesdays, too.

Quivey’s Grove

It’s like having fish fry out on the farm in this historic Fitchburg location. Not only can you get fish fry in the elegant Stone House restaurant or rustic Stable Grill, but on Friday nights they have an outdoor fish fry under the Paddock Tent.

1847 at the Stamm House

Come out to this restored 19th-century farmhouse in Middleton and indulge in cod (battered or unbreaded), perch (beer-battered or breaded), or walleye (beer battered or hashbrown encrusted) on Friday nights, with a long list of “standard” and “premium” sides to choose from.

Turn Key Supper Club

This favorite on East Washington Avenue offers fish fry on Tuesdays and Fridays. Drink specials include $8 sangria on Tuesdays and $8 Old Fashioneds on Fridays. Cheers!

Oakcrest Tavern

Fish fry isn’t just for Friday at Oakcrest. This west side classic serves fried perch and cod dinners (including kids’ menu versions) Wednesday through Friday. The baked cod dinner, however, is just on Friday.

I mentioned at the top of the newsletter that our members get an exclusive curated events newsletter just for them every week. Another perk of being a City Cast Madison Neighbor is the chance to send a Neighborhood Shoutout, shining a spotlight on a business, a nonprofit, a person – heck, just about anything – in Madison that makes the city just a little bit better.

This week, our members are shouting out two places where they think you ought to drink and eat:

Leah K. is shouting out Java Cat Coffee House! “Their coffee and gelato are amazing, the staff is very pleasant, and the atmosphere is unmatched. The building is a charming little house with a huge yard with lots of shaded seating and quiet corners to relax under a tree. You’d never know you were near a bunch of strip malls! I tend to stop by when I’m shopping but I could hang out there all day.”

Kim I. is singing the praises of Thai Basil! “Cheers to the staff at Thai Basil on University. I accidentally left boxed leftovers on the table. I was half a block down University when I heard someone running, yelling ‘Ma'am! You forgot your leftovers!’ Thanks for having my back, Thai Basil!”

Thanks for having our back, City Cast Madison Neighbors! And we have some shout outs of our own because we have three new members to welcome! Thanks for becoming a Neighbor, Pearl Y., Laurel S., and Logan R. Your support keeps our team of local journalists afloat.

If you want to send out a Neighborhood Shoutout, join Pearl, Laurel, and Logan and become a City Cast Madison Neighbor!