The 1920s were an era of decadence, emerging high fashion, increased consumerism and Prohibition. In honor of reaching a new decade, this year’s Best of Madison celebrates the connections between the rip-roaring 1920s and today, the new golden age. Best of Madison showcases the best of the best in the city. See the 572 winners our readers declared the bee’s knees in our 39th annual readers poll.

Best of Madison 2020 was presented by The Ho-Chunk Nation and Ho-Chunk Gaming-Wisconsin.

Dining & Drink

Artisan Food Product

★Carr Valley Cheese

★Hook’s Cheese Co. Inc.

★Madison Chocolate Co.

Bakery – Bread

★Madison Sourdough

★Stella’s Bakery

★Clasen’s European Bakery

Bakery – Sweets

★Greenbush Bakery

★Bloom Bake Shop

★Lane’s Bakery & Coffee

BBQ

★Smoky Jon’s #1 BBQ

★Beef Butter BBQ

★North and South Seafood & Smokehouse

Breakfast

★Hubbard Avenue Diner

★Marigold Kitchen

★Short Stack Eatery

Brewery

★New Glarus Brewing Co.

★Ale Asylum

★Working Draft Beer Co.

Brunch

★Sardine

★Great Dane Pub & Brewing Co.

★Short Stack Eatery

Burger

★Dotty Dumpling’s Dowry

★Culver’s

★DLUX

Butcher

★Knoche’s Old Fashioned Butcher Shop

★Ken’s Meats & Deli

★The Conscious Carnivore

Caterer

★Blue Plate Catering

★RED

★Wood BBQ Catering & Events

Cheese Producer

★Hook’s Cheese Co. Inc.

★Carr Valley Cheese

★Farmer Johns’ Cheese

Chicken Wings

★Chicken Licks

★Alchemy Cafe

★Monk’s Bar & Grill

Local Chef

★Tory Miller, Graze, L’Etoile, Estrellón

★Dave Heide, Liliana’s Restaurant, Charlie’s On Main, Little John’s

★Jed Spink, RED (Spink is no longer at RED. He currently is co-owner and executive chef at DarkHorse by Sal’s.)

Chinese

★Imperial Garden

★Chang Jiang

★Hong Kong Cafe

Chocolate

★Gail Ambrosius Chocolatier

★Madison Chocolate Co.

★CocoVaa Chocolatier

Coffee Roasters

★Barriques

★Just Coffee Cooperative

★True Coffee Roasters

Coffee Shop

★Colectivo Coffee

★Barriques

★Firefly Coffeehouse & Artisan Cheese

Cup of Tea

★Macha Tea Co.

★Java Cat

★Barriques

Destination Restaurant

★Ishnala Supper Club

★Hi Point Steakhouse

★Driftless Glen Restaurant

Ethnic Grocery Store

★Fraboni’s Italian Specialties & Delicatessen

★La Rosita

★Asian Midway Foods

Farmers’ Market (Other than Dane County Farmers’ Market)

★Monona Farmers Market

★Northside Farmers Market

★Westside Community Market

First Date

★Eno Vino Downtown

★RED

★Eno Vino Wine Bar & Bistro

Fish Fry

★Quivey’s Grove

★Avenue Club and the Bubble Up Bar

★Dorf Haus Supper Club

Food Cart

★Banzo

★Good Food

★Los Hernandez

Fried Cheese Curds

★The Old Fashioned

★Craftsman Table & Tap

★Curd Girl

Greasy Spoon

★Mickies Dairy Bar

★Monty’s Blue Plate Diner

★Gus’s Diner

Grocery Store

★Woodman’s Food Market

★Metcalfe’s Market

★Willy Street Co-op

Ice Cream/Custard/Gelato

★Chocolate Shoppe Ice Cream Co.

★Babcock Hall Dairy Store

★Culver’s

Indian/Nepalese

★Swagat Indian Restaurant

★Swad Indian Restaurant

★Himal Chuli

Italian

★Lombardino’s

★Paisan’s

★Cento

Japanese/Sushi

★RED

★Muramoto

★Takara 88

Kid-Friendly

★Hubbard Avenue Diner

★Nitty Gritty

★Monty’s Blue Plate Diner

Korean

★Sol’s on the Square

★K-Peppers

★Five Star Korean BBQ

Lake View

★Memorial Union Terrace

★Paisan’s

★Sardine

Latin American

★La Taguara

★Monona Bakery & Eatery

★El Wiscorican

Liquor Store

★Woodman’s Food Market

★Steve’s Wine Beer Spirits

★Trixie’s Liquor Store

Mediterranean/Middle Eastern

★Banzo

★Parthenon Gyros

★OLIVA Italian Mediterranean Cuisine

Mexican/Southwestern

★Eldorado Grill

★Canteen

★Tapatios Cocina Mexicana

New Restaurant

★Buck & Honey’s – Monona

★Bar Corallini

★The Heights

Outdoor Dining

★Eno Vino Downtown

★Fresco

★Everly

Local Pastry Chef

★Jason Harder, Hubbard Avenue Diner

★Elizabeth Dahl, L’Etoile & Graze

★Kate Schommer, Short Stack Eatery

Pizza

★Salvatore’s Tomato Pies

★Sugar River Pizza Co.

★Glass Nickel Pizza Co.

Restaurant

★Eno Vino Downtown

★The Coopers Tavern

★RED

Restaurant Ambience

★Eno Vino Downtown

★Liliana’s Restaurant

★Cento

Sandwich Spot

★Casetta Kitchen and Counter

★The Coopers Tavern

★Milio’s Sandwiches

Seafood

★Tempest Oyster Bar

★Sardine

★RED

Southeast Asian

★Ha Long Bay

★Sa-Bai Thong Thai Cuisine

★Lao Laan-Xang Restaurant

Specialty Food Store

★Fromagination

★Fraboni’s Italian Specialties & Delicatessen

★Brennan’s Cellars

Steakhouse

★Tornado Room Steak House

★Delaney’s Steak Seafood Wine

★Johnny Delmonico’s Steakhouse

Supper Club

★Ishnala Supper Club

★Tornado Room Steak House

★Toby’s Supper Club

Tapas (Small Plates)

★Eno Vino Downtown

★Estrellón

★Eno Vino Wine Bar & Bistro

Takeout

★Parthenon Gyros

★Miko Poke

★RED

Upscale Dining

★L’Etoile

★Eno Vino Downtown

★Cento

Vegetarian/Vegan-Focused

★The Green Owl Cafe

★Monty’s Blue Plate Diner

★Everly

Winery

★Wollersheim Winery

★Drumlin Ridge Winery

★Bailey’s Run Vineyard & Winery

Nightlife

Bar for Beer

★Great Dane Pub & Brewing Co.

★Vintage Brewing Co.

★The Coopers Tavern

Bar for Cocktails

★Merchant

★Avenue Club and The Bubble Up Bar

★State Line Distillery

Bar with a View

★Memorial Union Terrace

★Eno Vino Downtown

★Camp Trippalindee

Bartender

★Stephanie Paull, Blue Moon Bar & Grill

★Pete Thompson, Vintage Brewing Co.

★Travis Splan, Eno Vino Downtown

Place for Trivia

★Echo Tap & Grill

★Tanner’s Bar & Grill

★Nitty Gritty

Bloody Mary

★Eldorado Grill

★DLUX

★Short Stack Eatery

Cocktail

★Girl with the Dinosaur Tattoo, Alchemy Cafe

★Margarita, Canteen

★Margarita, Pedro’s Mexican Restaurante

Distillery

★Wollersheim Distillery

★Old Sugar Distillery

★J. Henry & Sons

Local Craft Beer

★Spotted Cow, New Glarus Brewing Co.

★Fantasy Factory, Karben4 Brewing

★Warped Speed, Lake Louie Brewing

Dance Venue

★Red Rock Saloon

★Crucible (tie)

★Majestic Theatre (tie)

★FIVE Nightclub

Dive Bar

★Le Tigre Lounge

★Caribou Tavern

★Silver Dollar Tavern

Hotel Bar

★Eno Vino Downtown, AC Hotel by Marriott Madison Downtown

★Camp Trippalindee, Graduate Madison

★The Wise, HotelRED

LGBTQ Bar

★Shamrock Bar & Grille

★FIVE Nightclub

★Crucible

Live Music Venue

★The Sylvee

★High Noon Saloon

★Majestic Theatre

Neighborhood Bar

★Dexter’s Pub

★Echo Tap & Grill

★Avenue Club and The Bubble Up Bar

Old-Fashioned

★The Old Fashioned

★Avenue Club and the Bubble Up Bar

★Dorf Haus Supper Club

Sports Bar

★Players Sports Bar

★Nitty Gritty

★Wilson’s Bar & Grill

Wine Bar

★Eno Vino Downtown

★Toot + Kate’s Wine Bar

★Eno Vino Wine Bar & Bistro

Arts & Entertainment

Local Actor

★Sarah Day

★Karen Olivo

★Henry Malueg

Art Gallery

★Chazen Museum of Art

★Madison Museum of Contemporary Art

★Hatch Art House (tie)

★River Arts Inc. (tie)

Local Band or Singer – Alt/Indie

★Kat and the Hurricane

★Best Practice

★Mackenzie Moore

Local Band or Singer – Blues

★The Jimmys

★Kelsey Miles

★Madtown Mannish Boys

Local Band or Singer – Classical

★Willy Street Chamber Players

★Greg Zelek

★Bach Dancing & Dynamite Society

Local Band or Singer – Country

★Madison County

★Zac Matthews Band

★Shawn Schell

Local Band or Singer – Cover Band

★Cherry Pie

★Zac Matthews Band

★Best Practice

Local Band or Singer – Folk/Bluegrass

★WheelHouse

★Soggy Prairie

★Oak Street Ramblers

Local Band or Singer – Funk/Fusion

★VO5

★Phat Phunktion

★The People Brothers Band

Local Band or Singer – Hip Hop/R&B

★The Jimmys

★Rob Dz

★Rip

Local Band or Singer – Jazz

★Ladies Must Swing

★Waunakee Big Band

★Lo Marie

Local Band or Singer – Latin

★Tony Castañeda

★Angela Puerta

★Orquesta MAS – Madison All Stars

Local Band or Singer – Rock/Metal

★Cherry Pie

★Lords of the Trident

★PILOT

Local Band or Singer – Singer/Songwriter

★Zac Matthews Band

★Bree Morgan

★Mackenzie Moore

Local Blogger

★Midwest Munchers, midwestmunchers.com

★Madison Mom, madisonmom.com

★Balkanina, balkanina.com

Classical Music Group

★Madison Symphony Orchestra

★Willy Street Chamber Players

★Bach Dancing & Dynamite Society

Columnist/Print Journalist

★John Nichols

★Neil Heinen

★Michael Perry

Comedian/Comedy Group

★Jackson Jones (tie)

★Monkey Business Institute (tie)

★Atlas Improv Co.

★Dina Nina Martinez

Local DJ

★DJ Nick Nice

★DJ Fusion

★DJ Aaron Jai

Movie Theater

★Marcus Palace Cinema

★Marcus Point Cinema

★Flix Brewhouse Madison

Museum

★Madison Children’s Museum

★Chazen Museum of Art

★Wisconsin Historical Museum

Local News Website

★channel3000.com

★nbc15.com

★madison.com

Performance Venue

★Overture Center for the Arts

★The Sylvee

★American Players Theatre

Performing Arts Group

★American Players Theatre

★Madison Symphony Orchestra

★Forward Theater Co.

Podcast

★Social Mornings with Jackson & Steph

★Madtown Mom Squad

★Cady Jax Knits

Photographer

★Maureen Cassidy Photography

★Laura Zastrow Photography

★Abbots Lane Photography

Radio Team

★Jonathan & Kitty, 105.5 Triple M

★Jackson & Steph, Today’s Q106

★Krista & the Morning Rush, 93.1 Jamz

Social Media Personality

★Jason Nolen, Cats of Madison

★Cassidy Miller & Cedar McAllen, Nox’s Madison Dog Park Meetup

★Niketa Rae

TV News Team

★Tim Elliot, Isabel Lawrence, Meghan Reistad and Charlie Shortino, NBC15

★John Stofflet, Leigh Mills, Brian Doogs, Mike Jacques, NBC15

★Amber Noggle and George Smith, WKOW

TV Personality

★Charlie Shortino, NBC15

★Amber Noggle, WKOW

★Charlotte Deleste, News 3 Now

Youth Performing Arts Group

★Children’s Theater of Madison

★Black Star Drumline Performance Group

★Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestras

Home & Lifestyle

Alterations

★Binh’s Tailoring

★Right Size Alteration Services

★Monetti Tailoring

Antique Store

★Odana Antiques & Fine Arts Center

★Deconstruction Inc.

★The Cozy Home

Appliance Repair

★Tri-County Appliance

★Appliance Service Unlimited of Middleton Inc.

★Handy Appliance Center

Assisted Living

★Attic Angel Community

★Oakwood Village

★Oak Park Place

Auto: Domestic Auto Dealer

★Zimbrick Inc.

★Bergstrom Automotive

★Don Miller Auto Group

Auto: Import Auto Dealer

★Zimbrick Inc.

★Smart Motors Toyota

★Wilde East Towne Honda

Auto: Luxury Auto (Import and Domestic)

★Zimbrick Inc.

★Bergstrom Automotive

★Fields Jaguar Land Rover Volvo Madison

Auto: Used Car Dealer

★Zimbrick Inc.

★Smart Motors Toyota

★Bergstrom Automotive

Auto Detailing

★Zimbrick Inc.

★Buck’s Legend – Pro Detailing

★RC Detailing & Custom Accessories

Auto: Dealer Auto Service Shop

★Zimbrick Inc.

★Bergstrom Automotive

★Smart Motors Toyota

Auto: Non-Dealer Auto Service Shop

★Aeschbach Automotive LLC

★Smith’s Service Center

★Hometown Auto Clinic

Auto Body Repair

★Zimbrick Inc.

★Ball Body Shop Inc – Division of Smart Motors Toyota

★Gerber Collision & Glass

Auto Parts

★Zimbrick Inc.

★O’Reilly Auto Parts

★NAPA Auto Parts

Barber Shop

★Mark’s Barber & Styling

★Monona Barber Shop

★The GIRL Barber

Bed & Breakfast

★The Speckled Hen Inn

★The Livingston Inn

★Naeset-Roe Inn

Bookstore

★A Room of One’s Own

★Barnes & Noble

★Frugal Muse Books Music & Video Inc.

Boutique Hotel

★HotelRED

★Mansion Hill Inn

★Graduate Madison

Childcare

★Hearts & Hands Inc. of Mount Horeb

★Campus For Kids Learning Center

★Kids Express Learning Center

Chiropractor

★LSM Chiropractic

★Discover Life Chiropractic

★Infinite Athlete Chiropractic & Rehab LLC

Cleaning Service

★Chem-Dry of Madison

★Mother Earth Cleaners

★Clear Vision Cleaning LLC

Clothing (Men)

★Duluth Trading Co.

★Jazzman

★Men’s Warehouse

Clothing (Women)

★The Purple Goose

★McFee on Main

★Hive of Madison

Commercial Developers

★Urban Land Interests

★The Alexander Co.

★T. Wall Enterprises LLC

Computer/Cell Repair Service

★Graphite Inc.

★Madison Computer Works Inc.

★Raven Computers Inc.

Consignment Store

★Happily Ever After Children’s Resale Boutique

★The Pink Poodle

★Next Generation of Stoughton

Dry Cleaner

★Klinke Cleaners

★Lake Mills Cleaners & Dyers Inc.

★Best Cleaners of Madison Inc.

Electrician

★Dave Jones Inc.

★All Comfort Services

★Cardinal Heating & Air Conditioning

Flooring

★Sergenian’s Floor Coverings

★Nonn’s

★Coyle Carpet One Floor & Home

Florist

★Felly’s Flowers

★Klein’s Floral and Greenhouses

★George’s Flowers Inc.

Furniture

★Don’s Home Furniture

★A1 Furniture & Mattress (*Editor’s note: all stores are closing, Stoughton Road location set to rebrand this year)

★The Century House

Gift Shop/Specialty Store

★Orange Tree Imports

★The Soap Opera

★Wild Birds Unlimited

Hair Salon

★Be Inspired Salon

★ANiU Salon & Spa

★Ecco Salon

Handyman Service

★FIX’M Home Repairs

★Hill Electric Inc.

★Sigi’s Custom Solutions

Health Specialty Store

★The Healthy Place – Apple Wellness

★Willy Street Co-op

★Community Pharmacy Downtown

Heating & Cooling

★All Comfort Services

★General Heating & Air Conditioning Inc.

★Harker Heating & Cooling Inc.

Home Accessories

★HomeGoods

★Signs by Caitlin

★Don’s Home Furniture

Home Builders

★Veridian Homes

★Hart DeNoble Builders Inc.

★Brio Design Homes

Home Health Care Agency

★Agrace Hospice & Palliative Care

★SSM Health at Home

★Comfort Keepers In-Home Senior Care

Hotel

★The Edgewater

★AC Hotel by Marriott Madison Downtown

★The Madison Concourse Hotel and Governor’s Club

Interior Design

★Zander’s Interiors

★Dwellings Interiors

★Brown & Beam

Jeweler

★Goodman’s Jewelers

★TQ Diamonds

★Chalmers Jewelers

Kitchen & Bath Design

★Frey Construction & Home Improvement LLC

★Dream House Dream Kitchens

★Bella Domicile

Laser Hair Removal

★ANEU Med Spa (tie)

★Ideal Image (tie)

★Robertson Cosmetic Center

★Electrolysis Clinic & Laser

Lawn, Garden & Landscape

★The Bruce Co.

★K&A Greenhouse

★Klein’s Floral and Greenhouses

Local Maker

★Vicki Cookies

★Wild Bloom Studio

★Melissa Jenkins Designs

Moving Company

★Two Men and a Truck Madison

★Badger Brothers Moving LLC

★Gorilla Movers of Wisconsin Inc.

Mortgage Company

★Summit Credit Union

★UW Credit Union

★Fairway Independent Mortgage Corp.

Music Store

★Strictly Discs

★B-Side Records

★Half Price Books, Records, Magazines Inc.

Musical Instrument Store

★Ward-Brodt Music Store

★Heid Music

★Farley’s House of Pianos LLC

Nail Salon

★Laquerus

★Polished Nail Studio

★Allura Nail Boutique LLC

Outdoor Living

★REI

★Patio Pleasures Pools & Spas

★Don’s Home Furniture

Pet Day Care & Boarding

★Camp K9 Pet Resorts and Day Camp

★Waggin’ Tails Doggie Dude Ranch & Pet Lodge

★The Dog Den

Pet Grooming

★Lori’s Pet-Agree Salon LLC

★Tabby & Jack’s Pet Supplies, Grooming and Doggie Daycare

★Groomingtails Pet Salon

Pet Supplies Store

★Mounds Pet Food Warehouse

★Mad Cat Pet Supplies

★bad dog frida

Physical Therapy

★UW Health

★Capitol Physical Therapy

★SSM Health

Plumber

★Dave Jones Inc.

★Monona Plumbing & Fire Protection Inc.

★Benjamin Plumbing

Real Estate Company

★Keller Williams Realty

★First Weber Realtors

★Stark Company Realtors

Retirement Community

★Oak Park Place

★Oakwood Village

★Attic Angel Community

Roofer

★Frey Construction and Home Improvement LLC

★Waunakee Remodeling Inc.

★Ridge Top Exteriors

Shoes

★The Shoe Box

★Morgan’s Shoes

★DSW Designer Shoe Warehouse

Spa

★Kneaded Relief Day Spa & Wellness

★Rejuvenation Spa

★Bergamot Massage Therapy & Bodywork

Specialty Spa

★The Brow Boutique

★Float Madison

★European Wax Center

Sports Team Apparel Store

★University Book Store

★DICK’S Sporting Goods

★UWshop.com (Name of the Game and Insignia)

Tattoo Shop

★Blue Lotus Tattoo & The Piercing Lounge

★Ultimate Arts Tattoo

★Lost Lakes Tattoo

Thrift Store

★St. Vincent de Paul Store

★Agrace Thrift Store

★Goodwill

Veterinarian

★True Veterinary Care

★Cat Care Clinic

★Sauk Point Veterinary Clinic

Wealth Management

★Edward Jones – Financial Advisor: Eric C Faust

★BMO Wealth Management (tie)

★Carreira Quinn Financial (tie)

★Walkner Condon Financial Advisors

Web Design

★The Digital Ring

★Strategic Brand Marketing LLC

★Lion Tree Group

Wisconsin Bank

★State Bank of Cross Plains

★Park Bank

★Oregon Community Bank

Wisconsin Credit Union

★Summit Credit Union

★UW Credit Union

★Dane County Credit Union

Recreation

Alternative Fitness Center

★Flyght Cycle

★Transformation Center

★Orangetheory Fitness

Bike Shop

★Machinery Row Bicycles

★Budget Bicycle Center

★Trek Bicycle Madison

Bowling Alley

★Ten Pin Alley

★Schwoegler’s Entertainment Center

★Bowl-A-Vard Lanes

Campground

★Devil’s Lake State Park

★Governor Dodge State Park

★Blue Mound State Park

Dog Park

★Prairie Moraine County Park

★Badger Prairie County Park

★Token Creek County Park

Fitness Center

★Princeton Club

★Anytime Fitness

★Prairie Athletic Club

Golf Course

★Pleasant View Golf Course

★University Ridge Golf Course

★The Oaks Golf Course

Martial Arts Studio

★Kicks Unlimited

★MadCity Martial Arts

★Infinity Martial Arts

Park

★Olbrich Botanical Gardens

★Devil’s Lake State Park

★Tenney Park

Personal Trainer

★Brent Berger, Transformation Center

★Katie Frank, REFORMadison

★Erin Tallard, Transformation Center

Pilates

★Club Pilates

★REFORMadison

★Prairie Athletic Club

Resort

★Sundara Inn & Spa

★Kalahari Resorts Dells

★Wilderness Hotel & Golf Resort

Running/Biking Trail

★Capital City State Trail

★Pheasant Branch Conservancy

★Ice Age National Scenic Trail

Sports & Recreation Shop

★REI

★Fleet Feet Madison & Sun Prairie

★Brittingham Boats

Yoga

★Dragonfly Hot Yoga

★Inner Fire Yoga

★The Studio

Best of Madison 2021

Didn’t see your personal favorite businesses on this year’s list? Be a part of the nomination and voting process for next year’s Best of Madison readers poll. We received 120,417 nominations in August 2019 and a record-breaking 340,145 final votes in October 2019 — the highest in Madison Magazine history. We will be taking nominations for the 2021 Best of Madison from Aug. 1-31 at madisonmagazine.com. The top six vote-getters in each category will move on to final voting in October.