New roommate? Spare cash from the parents? Whatever the case may be, it's time to spend a night on the town. How about Italian? And since Noodles' doors are shut, sadly, that is not an option. Instead, read on to find out about some of Madison's great Italian restaurants!
Paisan's
If you're looking for good food in a good location, Paisan's, 80 University Square, is the place. Its location near the southeast dorms makes it a perfect dinner stop with your friends after class or after a pop-in visit from the parents. The atmosphere sets a comfortable and intimate tone with a touch of Italian flavor. If the weather is nice, you can enjoy the decorative outdoor seating. The restaurant offers good service, a comfortable Italian atmosphere and food prices that match other State Street restaurants.
If you're watching your wallet, stop in to Paisan's during the day for any of the value lunch specials they offer. Sandwiches are served all day, either a la carte or as a dinner combo with your choice of a pasta, porto or vegetable salad. If Italian food just isn't your thing, Paisan's can still satisfy your hunger with a hearty burger offered on the sandwich menu. Pizzas are without a doubt the best value buy, ranging from $6 to $15. The menu offers a variety of traditional pizza toppings in addition to the specialty pizzas which include vegetarian pesto and taco pizzas. With a wide selection of familiar pasta dishes, Paisan's offers a range of safe choices and reasonable prices in Italian eating.
-Laura Ferguson
Gino's
Gino's, 540 State St., qualifies as your classic Italian joint, a term that suits its feel more than a restaurant. The dark wooden booths lining the dining room, the single candles flickering on each table and the decor all add to Gino's lived-in atmosphere-one of an established, comfortable local favorite. This was fairly evident from the service there, as our waitress was secure enough to let us wait a good 15 minutes before coming to take our orders. (Garlic bread came on the house as a result.) Gino's takes reservations on weekend evenings.
Gino's non-pizza meal choices are many and varied, ranging from appetizers like stuffed artichokes a la parmigiana to pasta carbonara, pasta served with alfredo sauce, onions and Canadian bacon. The deep-dish pizzas (from $12.95 to $20.95) are tempting, as are the wide array of Italian entrees ($9.95 to $14.95) and Monday's special, Gino's $8.95 homemade lasagna. Unfortunately, a small budget limited us to sharing a regular 12-inch pie. The dish's pesto half, while greasy, was enjoyable, but the Margherita half-tomatoes, basil, pesto and mozzerella-was surprisingly devoid of flavor. Still, the pizza came out in under 20 minutes, and it seemed worth trying Gino's real specialties if your wallet (or your parents') allows.
-Katie Will
Tutto Pasta Trattoria
On a blustery night in Madison amidst the first week of classes, nothing could be better than a good Italian dish at Tutto Pasta Trattoria, 305 State St. Upon entering from its disguised corner door, the friendly staff was quick to show us to a table, either on the street level or in one of the two dining areas downstairs. We settled for one of the downstairs rooms, with its mint colored walls decked with Italian pictures and light Italian music playing overhead. If you want to beat the crowd, try for early evenings on weekdays. Either way, reservations are recommended, as the restaurant is a favorite amongst theatregoers. Bread and a delicious mix of olive oil and balsamic vinegar were served before the meal.
Their menu covers everything from spaghetti to homemade pastas. Fittingly, the restaurant is known for their dish Tutto Pasta ($9.95 for lunch and $11.95 for dinner), bowtie pasta topped with a light tomato cream sauce and gracious flavorings. The Pizza Margherita was delicious ($8.95) as was the cheese-filled Manicotti ($10.95 for lunch and $12.95 for dinner).
Though Tutto Pasta Trattoria is a long walk from campus, it is definitely time well spent. Besides being open for lunch every day at 11 a.m., they're also open late, Sunday through Thursday until 1:30 a.m. and Friday and Saturday until 2:30 a.m.
-Katie Ernest
Lombardino's
Lombardino's, 2500 University Ave., has been an Italian institution for years, specifically, since 1952. This particular culinary experience began on a Friday night at 7:30. The small restaurant was easily filled to capacity and one could feel the high energy and activity inside. Not having a reservation was the first mistake, yet luckily the staff was able to accommodate, and found a nice little table in the bar area.
The mosaics on the wall were beautiful and the old-world, rustic decoration most likely has never changed, and should not. The dark tones provide a great ambiance to enjoy this eating experience, despite the noise of a full restaurant of happy food connoisseurs. The extensive wine menu was the most noticeable addition to the new and improved Lombardino's. A bottle of Syrah made a spectacular choice, but one almost cannot go wrong with the combination of the abundant unique and classic wines Lombardino's keeps, and the helpful, knowledgeable waitstaff. To start the meal, the calamari fritti ($9) was outstanding, served with marinara sauce and horseradish. The calamari was cooked to perfection and not too greasy. The Ribolitta soup ($6) is rumored to be outstanding, made with a white bean and tomato base, olive oil and smoked pork. Next, the plethora of choices for one's entree were quite innovative. Ranging from delicious pizzas, to orecchiette with Fraboni's sausage, to a filet served with mashed Yukon gold potatoes and a wine reduction sauce, there is an entree for everybody on this menu. The Pizza Lombardino (ranging from $10 to $12), with prosciutto, olive oil, cheese and arugula, and the tagliatelle with lamb ragu rounded out the choices and were delicious.
Everything was perfect, and these entrees solidified Lombardino's as one of the premiere Italian restaurants in Madison, if not the entire state. Lombardino's is certainly worth overcoming the bustle and noise, as long as you have a reservation, and are prepared for an upscale Italian meal that will be unforgettable.
-Jonathan Blackburn
