Historic Downtown Madison, Indiana – Part 2

Food is a huge part of any travel experience, and it’s no different in Madison. Despite the fact that Madison is a small town, it is big when it comes to its cuisine. Again, since the town is divided into hilltop and downtown, we will also do so here for simplicity, and since our focus is mainly on the historic downtown district, we’ll begin our entrée explorations there.

Downtown

Fine Dining

Madison amazingly has several excellent fine dining options. At the top of the list is Crystal & Jules. Located at 709 West Main Street, the restaurant is open Tuesday through Thursday from 5 to 8 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 5 to 9 p.m.

This place is popular! So you’re going to want to make a reservation so you can make sure to have a table. Just give them a call early in the day – the day before is even better – and they will gladly hold a table for you and your favorite meal companions.  The number to call is 812-274-1077.

Chef Andy offers a variety of exciting entrees which change with the seasons. My husband and I recently dined there to celebrate our anniversary, and everything sounded so luscious, it was really hard to make a choice.

I ended up getting the roasted duck with creamy polenta, Brussel sprouts and roasted cauliflower. The duck was succulent with perfectly crispy skin. The Brussel sprouts were cooked perfectly (and I usually don’t even like Brussel sprouts!). The cauliflower was tender with a little bit of kick from spicy seasoning. My husband went with the breaded chicken stuffed with spinach, onions, cheese and other yummy stuff, accompanied by very tender asparagus and a side of pasta. Both selections were beautifully presented by very efficient and friendly waiters.

The restaurant offers an extensive wine list and also features a full bar. Great food, combined with a beautiful atmosphere, makes Crystal & Jules a wonderful choice for a special occasion. However, it is on the higher end of the price scale, with most entrees costing $20 or more. If you’re visiting Madison as a vacation destination, Crystal & Jules would be a perfect place for that last night celebration dinner.

Other fine dining options in downtown Madison include:

Bistro One – Located at 122 East Main Street, Madison, Bistro One offers French, Mediterranean and Greek cuisine. From freshly made hummus to decadent desserts, Chef Nick serves nothing but deliciousness at his place. Open Wednesday through Saturday from 5:30 to 9 p.m., reservations are recommended by calling 812-273-9448.

Key West Shrimp House – Located at 117 Ferry Street, Madison, the “Shrimper” is a tradition with the locals. Overlooking the Ohio River, the atmosphere is pleasant, making it a great place to gather with friends. The restaurant features a full bar, and its specialty is seafood. Seating is on a first come basis. The Shrimp House is open Tuesday through Friday from 5 to 9 p.m., Saturday from 5 to 10 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 8 p.m.

Casual Dining

So those three choices may be a little more money than you are wanting to spend every night of a vacation, especially if you have kids along, so here are a few more casual and more economical options for dining in downtown Madison:

The Downtowner – Located on Main Street, the Downtowner offers a variety of sandwiches, salads and soups. They also offer some of the best cakes and cookies on the planet!

Red Pepperoni – Located on the corner of Main and Cragmont, the Red Pepperoni offers a delicious assortment of pizzas, sandwiches, wings, and salads. It also offers an impressive assortment of beers and wine.

The Off Broadway Tap House – Located on the east end of Main Street, The Off Broadway Tap House offers a variety of bar foods. Make sure to visit on Taco Tuesdays for great tacos and the open mic night! (Age 21 and older)

The Historic Broadway Tavern – Located on south Broadway, this place is another local icon. The tavern has three areas of service: the bar, the dining room, and the porch. Food offerings range from burgers and fries to a very excellent chicken marsala. Also, don’t forget their homemade potato chips!

Shipley’s – Located on south West Street, Shipley’s is famous for their Shipley burger, grilled and piled high with all the fixings. (Age 21 and older)

Hinkle’s – Located on west Main, Hinkle’s is a Madison tradition. If you like White Castle burgers, you’ll love Hinkle burgers (with pickle and onion) and home fries on the side. Wash it all down with a creamy Milkshake – there are dozens of choices! This place is cheap and good.

Hong Kong Kitchen – Located on the corner of Main and West, Hong Kong Kitchen offers a variety of delicious Chinese dishes at extremely reasonable prices. Dine in or take out.

Shooters – Located across the street from Hong Kong Kitchen, Shooters is a lively sports bar that offers a variety of foods from pub-style sandwiches to seafood and steak.

Hilltop

If you’re visiting Madison, but your hotel is on the hilltop, you might want to find dinner a little closer to the home-away-from-home. Drive along Clifty Drive on the hilltop and you’ll find the typical chain fast food restaurants – Wendy’s, McDonalds, Burger King, Pizza joints, etc. However, if a burger or slice are not on your mind for dinner, here are a couple places that just might put a smile on your face!

The Sushi Bar, located at 630 Clifty Drive, this restaurant offers an excellent selection of sushi and Japanese cuisine. The outside of the building has the look of a fast food place – it used to be a Wendy’s – but the interior is pleasant and upscale. Family owned and operated, you can expect friendly service and amazing food.

The sushi rolls are always beautiful and delicious. I especially like the 2016 roll, which features tempura shrimp – so yummy! If you’re not into sushi rolls or sashimi, check out the noodle dishes (the soba yaki is so delicious) and the teriyaki bento boxes.

 

Other places to consider:

Harry’s Stone Grill – Across the street from The Sushi Bar, Harry’s is a full service steak house. Eat in one of the dining rooms or on the open-air patio. A full bar is also available.

The Fresh Cut – Located a bit out of the way on SR 62 between Madison’s hilltop and Hanover, the Fresh Cut is worth the drive. Chef Wade offers a variety of sumptuous entrees, including steaks, shepherds pie, shrimp and grits, and gourmet salads. Open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

The Boneyard Grill – Located in Clifty Plaza on Clifty Drive, the Boneyard offers a full bar, steaks, wings, burgers and more.

Los Amigos Taco Truck – Located on Vaughn Drive next to the Habitat for Humanity ReStore, this truck is known for having some of the best Mexican cuisine around and for very reasonable prices! Open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

These are just a few places to help you on your Madison cuisine adventure!

 

 

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Copyright 2016 V. Lori Hedges. All Rights Reserved.