Caught off guard and regretting my response.

Today while spending some “me time” around the square doing crossword puzzles, drinking iced tea, etc.  Two women approached me asking me what restaurants are good in the area.  I reply with, “What kind of food do you want to eat?”  and they respond, “Healthy, vegetarian.”  I say, “Oh, ok, I’m a vegetarian too,” and I start to name a couple of my favorite restaurants around the capital square, I eventually send them off to The Capital Taphaus on State St.  They have a pretty good vegetarian sandwich.  They thank me and head on their way.

I was really caught off guard with this inquiry and as I walked home I knew there was a place I had forgotten about.  I thought and thought and halfway home it hit me.  The Great Dane Pub and Brewery.  AHHHH.  I wanted to run all the way back and find those ladies and send them to The Great Dane!  I have a food blog for crying out loud!  How could I not blurt this out immediately??  I blame downtown Madison for having so many restaurants.

So I think it’s time I let you all in on some amazing food and beer.

The Great Dane Pub and Brewery is one of our go-to places around here.  They have a diverse menu with a good amount of vegetarian options including pizzas, amazing mac and cheese, falafel, a veggie burrito, and more.  They also have great burgers, fish and chips, and lots of Sconnie favorites.

But the best Sconnie favorite that they have there is their beer! The Great Dane is a brewery and their beer is very very good.  Being a light-beer drinker I usually stick to the Landmark Light and the Crop Circle Wheat, but no matter what kind of beer you like they have a delicious option for you.

My only gripe about this place is their selection of side items.  I only get the fries there because all the other sides I have tried including their coleslaw and cous cous have been majorly disappointing. 
Other than that though, the rest of the food, the atmosphere, and the service are great.

I apologize to the women that I sent to the Taphaus, hopefully they still have a good lunch and a nice time there.  It is a great place, but The Great Dane would have definitely been a better choice for them.  I will not make this mistake again! : )

Insider Tip:  Sometimes this place gets crowded, so if you’re just going there for drinks, there is a Rathskellar with its own bar downstairs that a lot of people don’t know about.  I always seem to find seating down there.

Lazy Jane's Cafe

Located on well-known Williamson St. in a very eclectic neighborhood, Lazy Jane's Cafe offers up the homiest eating experience in Madison that I know of.  The cafe is basically a house that was simply converted into a communal eating space by eliminating some walls, adding some more furniture, and creating an ordering/serving area in the entryway.  The kitchen doesn't even seem to be very accommodating for the business they bring in; and I'm always amazed at how they can pump so much good food out of it.  This neighborhood favorite compiles homey furniture, cozy seating, and a mish-mosh of dinnerware to give guests a lovely home-away-from-home experience.

Let's not forget about the food here.  They have a great cafe menu with plenty of options and its a great place to grab lunch during the week, but my favorite time to go to Lazy Jane's Cafe is on Saturday mornings.  On Saturdays the cafe only serves breakfast which at any other restaurant would turn me off (due to my issues with eggs, and recent vegetarianism).  Fortunately, this place has some great surprises on their menu.  The last time I went, here's what I had.

Seitan Hash and Tomato Bisque

Tanya had the Biscuits and Gravy and Melon Soup.

It was all delicious as always, but I was really impressed by how good they made the seitan taste.  It was my first time every having it and it tasted just like any other breakfast sausage or meat (maybe a little spicier, but I didn't mind).

The tomato soup was incredible as well.  There were huge chunks of tomato in it and it was really creamy and seasoned well.

The melon soup was almost like a juice, and was surprisingly refreshing and palate cleansing.

Tanya said the biscuits and gravy were great and I trust her opinion :).  They looked amazing.

Lazy Jane's is one of those neighborhood places where you can tell they put so much love into the cafe and into the food.  It is incredibly inviting, cozy, and delicious; and the staff is fun and friendly.  I recommend Lazy Jane's all the time for visitors looking for a good local place for breakfast or lunch, and I'm recommending it to you now.  Check it out.  You won't be disappointed.

Check out their Yelp page here for more info.

Insider Tip:  The cafe is cash only, but they have an ATM inside.  Get there early on Saturdays to beat the rush for breakfast or go for a late brunch.  If you go later though, you may miss out.  They run out of some dishes quickly.