As I sit in my shadowy study, scouring the depths of my brain in search of new and original content to write about, my mind can’t help but land on my college years, reminiscing of the good ol’ days when I would visit my friend at UW Madison on the weekends. A night of drinking was guaranteed, but even more guaranteed was that our bellies would always be full. And so, I present to you, our favorite restaurants in Madison.

Cheba Hut

Honestly, this might be one of the best sandwiches I’ve ever had. Cheba Hut is a stoner sandwich place with some of the most interesting combinations of ingredients I’ve ever seen, but somehow, they all work together and deliver the most incredible sandwich you’ve ever tasted. It also has plenty of interesting decoration, with tons of stoner art and stickers everywhere you look.

Okay, halfway through writing this post I did a Goog and, of course, Cheba Hut is a franchise throughout the U.S. and there are dozens of locations. So I’m sure it can’t be as good as I remember it to be, but nonetheless, it’s a great sandwich joint (pun intended).

Ian’s Pizza

Open late and always served fresh, Ian’s is the best pizza place for a late-night snack. They have tons of different topping options to choose from, and I’ve never been disappointed. Whether you’re on your way back from the bars or finishing up after a late night of studying, Ian’s is the place to go.

I will say, this place gets packed with drunk college students Thursday-Saturday, and the lines can get super long, so just a heads up.

Mickie’s Dairy Bar

An old-fashioned brunch spot, Mickie’s Dairy Bar is the perfect place for breakfast after a night out. They load up your plate with the most delicious potatoes, eggs, toast and whatever else you need to cure your hangover, all at a very reasonable price. Bring cash though, because this is a cash-only establishment.

Portillo’s

I couldn’t resist putting my favorite fast-food restaurant on here. Well, maybe I shouldn’t say my favorite, because it’s mainly the chocolate cake shake that I like here, but since Portillo’s are hard to find outside of Chicago, I recommend paying it a visit anytime you see one. And this is where I’m doubling down on the chocolate cake shake. It’ll blow your mind.

QQ Express

QQ Express is maybe the most interesting Chinese fast-food place I’ve ever been to. It’s basically underground, dirt cheap, and has the biggest bang for your buck you will maybe ever get. You choose your meat and your side of rice or noodles, and they load you up until the to-go box literally will not fit anymore without breaking – not until the box won’t close, but until the rubber band that they use to keep the box shut won’t stretch any further.

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Let me know if there are any other spots in Madison that I missed, and like and subscribe for a new post every Wednesday!

Safe travels!