We here in Wisconsin are not generally known for small plates or small portions. But if you go out to eat in Madison and just feel like a little something, or a few little somethings, there are plenty of restaurants that offer delectable small plates options.
One of those spots is Izakaya Yurokama, a new restaurant on State Street inspired by Japanese bar culture known for small bites and cocktails. On the City Cast Madison podcast today, host Bianca Martin talked to owner Hugo Leung about the concept:
Here’s some other places in Madison where you can enjoy small-plate dining:
As the name suggests, dining at this family-owned restaurant on State Street feels like wandering through a bustling Taiwanese night market. Sample fresh-made xiaochi, or “little eats,” like sweet potato plum fries or BBQ chicken skewers.
Despite not having signage outside, this King Street spot has become an icon for its pizzas and its dim sum menu, which includes crispy lamb wontons and shu mai dumplings.
This tapas and martini bar (inside the oLiv building, naturally) offers a range of shareables, including flatbread pizzas, steak skewers and fried stuffed olives (also naturally). You may have a hard time ordering a martini to go with, however – there’s 107 different kinds.
While this stylish Madison favorite (now in a larger location on E. Washington Ave.) has a “Big Time” menu for hearty appetites, the Blink-182 inspired “All The Small Plates” menu offers smoked sunchokes, herbed garlic sausage, butter lettuce salad and more.
“Small plates. Big flavors. No tipping.” This Pakistani restaurant on Willy Street specializes in adventurous dining, with the small plates menu including tandoori salmon and curry kale cucumber salad. Or, for something really special, try the eight-course “apothecary tasting menu.”
This west side restaurant is the big dim sum player in town, offering 60 dumplings, cakes, congee, crepes and buns. Dine in or assemble your own dim sum platter for carryout.
This Willy Street spot is the place to go for handmade dumplings, especially soup dumplings like pork and scallop. Pair a plate with a beverage from their extensive selection of hot and iced teas.
Also on Willy Street, Ama Kitchen is a great place to sample Nepali cuisine, like Momo (Tibetan handmade dumplings) pakoda (fried vegetable fritters) and mushae (steamed soybean pods drizzled with tamari).
