If you only do one thing: Sample the local cheese offerings, from cheddar to curds
You can't visit America's Dairyland without tasting the local specialty. Wisconsin is one of the country's largest dairy producers, and it takes the craft seriously as the only state that ensures dairy quality by requiring a license to make cheese.
Fortunately, you don't need to be a Packers fan to be a cheesehead in Madison. Start your education at Fromagination, a European-style cheese shop located on the Capitol Square. The friendly cheesemongers will walk you through display cases stacked with golden blocks of goodness. Whether you're craving a traditional or artisanal style, you can enjoy your 15-year aged cheddar or black sheep truffle cheese on the seasonal, pet-friendly patio. Next, get schooled at Babcock Dairy Plant and Store on the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus. Built in 1951, the building still serves Food Science students. Grab a seat for you and your pet on the patio and sample their jalapeño cheddar, aged cheddar, and dill Havarti cheeses with a Badger Box from the Dairy Store.
There are few things more comforting than the warm, gooey bite of a cheese curd fried in a crispy batter. Fried cheese curds pair perfectly with beer, so it's no surprise that some of the best spots to get your curd on include local pubs with pet-friendly patios. Vintage Brewing Co. in Capitol East serves white cheddar curds from Ellsworth Creamery that are breaded instead of battered. If you prefer your cheese curds battered in the beloved local ale Spotted Cow, head to Tipsy Cow near the Capitol Square. Over on the East Side of town, Starkweather Brewing Company offers deep fried Munster curds from Decatur Dairy in Brodhead, WI. That's just the tip of the iceberg, or cheese block, for Madison's cheese curd scene.