State Street, That Great Street

If you gave UW–Madison alumni the chance, I suspect many of them would encase State Street in amber to preserve the shops and experiences of their student years.

I’m occasionally guilty of this nostalgic attitude. After all, I’m probably the only person who misses Fat Sandwich, the short-lived and eccentric State Street eatery known for stuffing every imaginable condiment and deep-fried appetizer into sub rolls.

Unlike Fat Sandwich, several timeless State Street establishments survive. Staples range from State Street Brats and B-Side Records to the Chocolate Shoppe and Parthenon Gyros.

Still, stability is not the reality of retail and real estate. And especially not in downtown Madison, where new batches of UW students repopulate the shopping and entertainment scene each fall.

Matt Tramel, the executive director of Madison’s Central Business Improvement District, reminds me: “The one way that State Street has never changed is that it constantly evolves.”

State Street is alive and well, rebounding from COVID-19 pandemic lows. Nearly a quarter of the street’s storefronts saw closures in 2020 and 2021, with total visits dropping from 5 million in 2019 to 2 million in 2020. Now, there are only 10 vacancies among the 160 commercial spaces. And since 2023, State Street is averaging record levels of nearly 7 million annual visits.

On first impression, returning visitors may notice a different State Street — one with a few more high-rise apartments and even swanky Bus Rapid Transit stations, reflecting a growing city.

But the essence of the street, as that vibrant crossroad between the city and the campus, remains awfully familiar. So join us on an eight-block journey as we revisit old haunts and discover new favorites.

Town and Gown

The campus end of State Street technically starts on the 800 and 700 blocks, stretching across Library Mall and the University Club, Memorial Library, Wisconsin Historical Society, and University Book Store. With Bascom Hall towering behind your shoulders, State Street presents a straight path to the Wisconsin State Capitol, with bustling storefronts perfectly framing the view. Welcome to the ultimate intersection of town and gown.

Most students think of the corner of State and Lake as the true beginning of a State Street trip, the ever-reliable Walgreens — and before it, the beloved Rennebohm Drug Store — marking the spot. This 600 block is State Street’s most-striking blend of old and new, mom-and-pops next to national chains.

The sliver storefront of City Bar, the underground cocktail lounge serving speakeasy vibes since 1998, now stands next to a Target. The small-scale version of the big-box department store opened in 2021, offering students a sorely needed walkable option for fresh groceries as well as consumer products.

Across from Target’s red, modern façade sits the classic Bavarian exterior and biergarten of State Street Brats, largely untouched by time since it opened in 1953 (under the name Shorty and Lammy’s Brathaus). Just as it did then, the bar serves its signature red brat, named for the coloring of its split smoked beef and pork recipe. I’d never been the biggest fan of bratwursts, but after ordering the red brat for the first time, I’m a convert. The recipe delivers a flavor-filled bite. Not bad for a $7 meal in 2026.

Longtime neighbors on this block include clothing store Urban Outfitters, popular lunchtime eatery Mediterranean Cafe (friendly competitor Sunroom Cafe closed in 2020), and hippie paradise Sunshine Daydream. Sadly, no longer to be found is Paul’s Book Store, which closed the (used) book on its legendary seven-decade run at 670 State in 2025.

The new tenant, the edgy Raygun design and apparel store, brings a bit of the same spunky spirit with much less of the musty smell. Other newer storefronts include the adorable Mochi Asian gift shop, which stocks brightly colored plush toys as far as the eye can see, and The Guild, a video gaming lounge where you can play on PC stations and the newest consoles with food and drinks brought right to you.

The Late-Night Block

It’s not hard to tell that the 500 block of State Street caters to UW students and their evolving tastes. A popular stop on the Frances Street corner is Colectivo, a Milwaukee-based coffee shop chain. It has glass windows and doors for exterior walls, so you can always see swarms of students socializing in the modern industrial interior.

For the fast-casual crowd, just steps from each other are Raising Cane’s chicken, Mooyah burgers, Potbelly sandwiches, Jimmy John’s subs, Qdoba burritos, and Taco Bell munchies. You can bet this is a busy block on late nights.

Interspersed with these national brands are uniquely Madison mainstays.

B-Side Records, with remarkable resilience in the music streaming era and a stroke of luck with the vinyl revival, continues to sling albums old and new on State. The shop moved from the 400 to the 500 block in 2022, its loyal customers helping to relocate some 5,000 vinyl records and CDs from the original 1982 location. B-Side’s long rectangular layout makes it feel like you’re browsing the world’s coolest (and best-organized) garage sale. My personal standard for a record store is whether its collection includes Pat Benatar. Sure enough, I found her 1980 Crimes of Passion with the sticker price of $28.99, nestled alongside a whole lot of Beatles and David Bowie.

Early settlers to the 500 block’s late-night scene include Mondays Bar — which has been offering generous pours, year-round holiday lighting, and free popcorn since the ’70s — and the Stop & Shop convenience store, which has dutifully held down the Gilman Street corner since the ’60s.

Several since-closed establishments also had long runs on this block, including Gino’s pizza, The (Discount) Den, Cellar Subs, the Afghan restaurant Kabul, the Turkish restaurant Hüsnü’s, and The Pipefitter head shop.

New to the block, but not to Badgers’ hearts, is the Red Shed. The illustrious dive bar relocated from Frances Street in 2024, hauling its red-and-white striped covered wagon to the front window of 508 State. Cheap Long Island iced teas — served since 1969 — are here to stay.

State Street’s Sweet Tooth

State Street’s 400 block is a sight for sore eyes and a sweet tooth, thanks to the Chocolate Shoppe on the Gilman Street corner. This ice cream operation has been in high demand ever since it opened on State Street in 1964, expanding to several Madison locations and shipping products to sellers across the country.

Chocolate Shoppe produces more than 100 flavors, all in the super-premium category for the ice cream’s dense richness and high butterfat content. Its branded labeling makes no bones about the dietary tradeoffs: “You want nutrition, eat carrots.” To my taste (and with due acknowledgment of Babcock Dairy), the award-winning and slyly named This $&@! Just Got Serious flavor is among the most satisfying scoops around.

And if ice cream doesn’t satisfy your sweet tooth, there’s always Insomnia Cookies next door.

Bookending the 400 block is “Madison’s happiest corner,” as self-described by the Badger Liquor Shop that’s occupied the Gorham Street intersection since the 1930s. Even if you’re not a drinker, the store’s iconic neon sign — animating liquid drops from a bottle — still gives you something to smile about.

Happy memories also permeate the block. Bygone favorites range from Gargano’s Pizzeria and Ella’s Deli (now home to Hawk’s Bar & Grill) to the Sacred Feather hat store and Tropic Jewel (which sold its last beads in October). The Tellus Mater kitchenware shop closed in 2019 after nearly six decades on State, but you can still spot its fading name on the storefront now occupied by the Mimosa spiritual gift shop, which replaced cutlery and bakeware with crystals and incense.

New to 419 State Street, where Yellow Jersey bike shop once enjoyed a long ride, is the eatery Izakaya Kuroyama. This fast favorite serves authentic Japanese street food with cozy, traditional ambiance. I can’t think of a better way to relive the college years than to stop in for some ramen — with, of course, an ice cream chaser.

A Melting Pot

Among the many pleasures of a stroll down State Street is the diversity of people and places: a remarkable melting pot of cultures and cuisines.

Forty years ago, Krishna Pradhan MA’74, PhD’82 opened Himal Chuli on the 300 block with his wife, Bishnu, so they could share their native Nepali food with the Madison community. Himal Chuli was reportedly the first Nepali restaurant in the United States when it opened in 1986. When it closed earlier this year, it wasn’t even the only one on State Street. Indeed, the whole span of State reflects something of a United Nations, with grocery markets and restaurants featuring authentic fare from China, Taiwan, Japan, India, Laos, Thailand, South Korea, Mexico, and the Mediterranean and Middle East.

Next to Himal Chuli’s old storefront is the Greek temple façade of Parthenon, a cherished greasy spoon for gyro lovers. Stepping inside the temple, you can see — and smell — cone-shaped slabs of gyro meat spinning on large skewers alongside vertical rotisserie grills. Sliced, served on a grilled pita, and topped with tomatoes, onions, and homemade tzatziki sauce, this little piece of Greece has sustained generations of lamb-eating Badgers since 1972. (And always order the side of fries.)

Other familiar faces on this block include Ragstock, the vintage clothing store and source of student Halloween costumes since 1981; The Soap Opera, which has sold natural bath products inside its pastel-colored walls since 1972; the clothing boutique Jazzman (1980); Mackesey’s Irish Pub (1983); and Triangle Market (1935).

Unfortunately, you can no longer order a morning bun from the Ovens of Brittany, bring a date to Tutto Pasta, or try on stylish ’fits at Sassafras and Karen & Co. But there are new memories to be made among the trendier storefronts on this block, including the Tap Tap arcade bar, Little Sweet bubble tea café, and Madison Modern Market gift shop.

The Arts District

There is no Madison view quite as memorable as the Orpheum Theater’s 55-foot-tall sign and marquee lighting up State Street with the capitol building in the background. It’s a gateway of sorts to State Street’s arts district.

The 200 block of State is home to the Orpheum, Overture Center for the Arts, Madison Museum of Contemporary Art (MMoCA), and Comedy on State. This year, within a one-block radius, you can experience Broadway’s Hamilton and The Great Gatsby and catch stand-up acts by John Mulaney and Adam Conover.

The Orpheum opened its doors as a movie palace in 1927. The Overture Center and MMoCA complex, spanning the entire south block, was designed by renowned architect César Pelli and completed in 2006. State-of-the-art performance halls and galleries fill out the nearly 400,000 square feet. (Some may remember the former occupants of this lot, including Yost’s department store and the Radical Rye sandwich shop.) Nearly as iconic as the Orpheum’s sign is MMoCA’s corner façade, with glass panels that rise three stories high and reveal a glorious glass staircase inside.

A Quick Bite

We’ve made it to the 100 block of State Street, where dozens of vendors and thousands of visitors overflow from the Saturday morning farmers’ market on the Capitol Square. But there’s no need to wait for the weekend to enjoy a quick bite to eat.

The closest storefront to the capitol is Teddywedgers, which opened in 1984. This carryout pasty shop was purchased in 2014 by siblings Anthony Rineer and Karima Berkani ’05, who grew up eating the meat pies as their mother played violin at the Overture Center. They’ve painstakingly preserved founder Miles Allen’s original recipe and no-frills service. For the longest time, I assumed this modest corner spot was a convenience store. Imagine my surprise when I finally stopped in for this story and was treated to the most satisfying $6 meal in the modern economy. Ready to serve in seconds on a chilly morning, the round, hearty pasty — the traditional version served with ground steak, potatoes, and onions — warmed and filled me up. And trust me: you only need the “half.”

Across the street is Ian’s Pizza, which has been serving pies by the massive slice since its original store opened on Frances Street in 2001. While past generations of UW students still salivate over the rectangular pan-style slices of Rocky Rococo (also a staple on State for a time), today’s Badgers go wild for Ian’s best-selling mac and cheese pizza and other imaginative offerings. In 2011, the restaurant gained national attention for its part in Madison’s Act 10 protests, feeding protesters as many as 1,000 pizzas per day and receiving donation orders from all over the world.

Hemp retailers have flourished almost everywhere since a 2018 bill federally legalized the distribution of certain THC products. On the 100 block of State Street, you’ll find Pinebox cannabis dispensary and The High Crowd Cafe, which, yes, serves THC-infused lattes and teas.

You can still get traditional lattes and teas across the street at Michaelangelo’s Coffee House, a fixture since the ’90s.

UW alumni can see themselves reflected in the display windows of Vintage on State, which opened last year and almost exclusively stocks old-fashioned Badger gear. Time for another ’90s Starter jacket! For dancing enthusiasts and aspiring DJs, the three-story Cielo nightclub is another new addition to the block.

And at the end of this journey, there’s one more familiar sight: a construction crane. The five-story Wisconsin History Center will open in 2027 on the corner of State and N. Caroll, showcasing the Wisconsin Historical Society’s vast collections for an estimated 200,000 visitors per year.

After that will come a reimagined pedestrian plaza at the top of State Street. The City of Madison unveiled design proposals last summer, including a concept that draws inspiration from Library Mall down by the UW.

And that, in short, is State Street: always changing, but forever connecting the campus and city.

What are your favorite State Street memories? Email onwisconsin@uwalumni.com, or write to 1848 University Avenue, Madison, Wisconsin, 53726.