This Midwestern destination has more award-winning cheeses than France or Italy—here’s how to visit their capital like a cheese expert

Madison, Wisconsin has a lot to offer. The city center sits on a narrow isthmus between Lake Mendota and Lake Monona, earning it the nickname “Lake, City, Lake,” and offers abundant opportunities for hiking, cultural exploration, and outdoor adventures. But Madison’s real star is its dynamic local food scene, which continues to surprise and delight visitors with its creativity, quality and community spirit. A notable mention is its cheese scene: Wisconsin’s 800 Cheesemakers. won more awards than any other state or country in the world in the World Cheese Championship.

“Cheese making goes back 185 years before Wisconsin was a state, and it wouldn’t be without immigrants moving here,” Ken Monteleone, who has lived in Madison for 30 years and owns a cut cheese shop. fromaginationsaid Travel + Leisure. “We have fourth-generation cheesemakers. Their families came here from Switzerland and they still make cheese today.”

Monteleone, whose knowledge is like an encyclopedia of Wisconsin cheese, added that “this cheese tradition really runs deep throughout our city.”

But it’s not just the cheese that makes Madison worth a visit. Chef Tory Miller: the talent behind The Etoile and Graze—builds its menus around local ingredients sourced directly from the Madison Farmers’ Market. Miller, a James Beard Award winner and “Iron Chef Showdown” champion (after beating Bobby Flay), grew up in Racine, Wisconsin, where he spent his childhood helping out at his parents’ restaurant. Although he never planned to settle in Madison, after training in New York, he returned home and quickly became captivated by the city’s famous market. “Every Saturday was amazing. And I met a lot of amazing farmers and producers,” he said.

Local pride in locally grown and sourced ingredients is shaping the city into an exciting culinary scene. “Madison has become a destination for cooks who grew up here and went somewhere else, or who have heard of Madison,” Miller added. “There is a huge influx of really young culinary talent.”

So what should you prioritize on your trip? Here are Miller and Monteleone’s recommendations.

Things to do in and around Madison, Wisconsin

• Visit the Saturday Farmers Market: Chef Miller insists, “If you come here, you have to go to the Saturday farmers market.” Monteleone adds that the Dane County Farmers Market, held from April to November, is a must-see for anyone who loves farm-fresh ingredients.
• Explore the coasts: Monteleone recommends enjoying Madison’s outdoor beauty by renting a bike or canoe, taking a picnic, or simply strolling along the shoreline. “Just enjoy the outdoors, especially if the weather is right,” he told T+L.
• Lake Menona Bike Trail: Miller praises the cycling scene in Madison and recommends renting an e-bike, calling the trail around Lake Menona, in particular, “amazing.”
• Dine at James Beard-winning restaurants: “The food scene has really exploded in Madison, we have a lot of great locally owned shops and restaurants, and many of our food scenes have won the James Beard Award or been nominated for the James Beard Awards,” Monteleone told T+L.
• Visit the new Glarus brewery: New Glarus is close to Madison and the downtown area is amazing, according to Miller. “I always talk about cheese and beer. Down south there’s the Bourbon Trail in Kentucky, and they go to all these distilleries. You can book brewery tours and cheese tours here.”
• Go to the Frank Lloyd Wright Taliesin Preservation: Miller says the drive to the Frank Lloyd Wright Museum in Spring Green is scenic. “And there’s amazing food that people don’t really know about because it’s a small town, but there are really cool young people making really great local sorbets and ice cream,” he added.
• Check out other neighborhoods: Monteleone lives on the east side of Madison, which he says has a bohemian vibe. “It definitely has a different flavor than Capitol Square or the west side of Madison. There are some very different neighborhoods where you can really get a taste of different communities in Madison, amazing.”
• See the “Driftless” Area: The Driftless area in southwestern Wisconsin is known for its rugged, mountainous landscape, the result of being untouched by the last glacier that covered most of the state. Because it lacks the glacial “drift,” or sediment deposits, found elsewhere, the region’s soil is especially rich. Miller says about 80 percent of Madison’s food comes from this area, calling it “so vibrant and beautiful” and a must-visit.