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Savor Scout › Campuses › Wisconsin › Madison, WI › University of Wisconsin-Madison

Restaurants near campus

Restaurants near University of Wisconsin-Madison

238 places to eat within a mile of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, closest first, including Open Book Cafe and Badger Market in Medical Sciences.

The 50 places to eat closest to University of Wisconsin-Madison

Closest first, out of 238 within a mile. Distances are straight-line from the campus, so a walk runs a little longer.

Right by campus · about a 5-minute walk (6)

About a 10-minute walk · a quarter to half a mile (44)

Listings from Overture Maps open data (September 2026), open places with a street address only. Hours and openings change, so check before you go. Want one picked for what you're craving instead? Ask Savor Scout near University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Can't decide between them? Say what you're craving and Savor Scout picks one near Madison, WI.

The food scene around University of Wisconsin-Madison

238places to eat within 1 mile
74%independent, not chains
15coffee shops and cafés

Open listings put 238 places to eat within 1 mile of University of Wisconsin-Madison, 86 within a ten-minute walk (half a mile), and 534 within 3 miles. The most common: sandwiches (17) and Mexican (16). 9 are fast-food counters; the rest are sit-down restaurants, cafés, bakeries and takeaway spots.

Where to walk: the streets with the most places to eat within 1 mile are State St (81), University Ave (21), Monroe St (17) and Regent St (17).

What stands out around University of Wisconsin-Madison is Asian, salad and gastropubs — types that are listed here at 3 to 4 times the national rate.

By type of food — tap one for what to order and how to spot a good one:

Sandwiches 17 Mexican 16 Coffee 15 Pizza 15 American 12 Bakery 10 Bar & grill 9 Chinese 8 Burgers 7 Ice cream 6

Popular cravings near University of Wisconsin-Madison, within 1 mile: Asian food (36 places), Mexican food (16), Korean food (2) and Vietnamese food (2). Each guide covers what to order and how to tell a good kitchen from an average one.

Food guides for University of Wisconsin-Madison

Sandwich Shops near University of Wisconsin-Madison 17 Mexican Food near University of Wisconsin-Madison 16 Pizza near University of Wisconsin-Madison 15

Eating on a student budget near University of Wisconsin-Madison

Cheap and bad overlap much less than price filters suggest. Of the places listed nearby, 9 are fast-food counters: the cheapest default, rarely the cheapest good meal. The value is usually in lunch specials, counter service, short menus and dishes built on rice, noodles, bread or beans. Where to eat when you're broke covers what to look for, or search cheap eats near University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Need somewhere open right now? These listings do not carry live opening hours, and late at night a fair share of what is listed as open is not. The late-night guide covers how to check before you go, or search late-night food near University of Wisconsin-Madison and call ahead.

The campus

  • Location — Madison, WI
  • Setting — in a city
  • Size — 20,000 students or more
  • Type — Public four-year institution

Campus figures are from IPEDS, the US Department of Education's institutional survey. Size is reported as the survey's own bracket rather than an exact headcount, because that is what the public dataset gives and we would rather quote it than estimate.

Nearby cities

Guides worth reading

What to eat during finals week Where to eat when you're broke Where to eat late at night Where to take visiting family and friends Eating out with a dietary restriction

Questions about eating near University of Wisconsin-Madison

What restaurants are near University of Wisconsin-Madison?
A few to start with, nearest first: Badger Market in Medical Sciences (cafeteria, 0.2 mi), Der Rathskeller (german, 0.2 mi), Carte (salad bar, 0.2 mi), Saigon Sandwich (sandwich shop, 0.3 mi) and Steenbock's On Orchard (american, 0.3 mi). They are chosen local-first, then listed by distance; a starting point, not a ranking.
How many places to eat are near University of Wisconsin-Madison?
Open map listings put 238 places to eat within 1 mile, 86 of them within a ten-minute walk, and 534 within 3 miles. About 74% are independent rather than chains; 15 are coffee shops or cafés and 9 are fast-food counters.
Where is the food near University of Wisconsin-Madison?
The busiest streets are State St (81 places), University Ave (21 places), Monroe St (17 places) and Regent St (17 places).
What kind of food is near University of Wisconsin-Madison?
The most common types are sandwiches (17), Mexican (16), coffee (15) and pizza (15). Unusually common compared with the rest of the country: Asian, salad and gastropubs.

Nearby campuses

Comparing schools, or eating with friends across town? These are the closest campuses to University of Wisconsin-Madison.