The Best Outdoor Patios Across Madison
Summer is so short in Wisconsin, when it’s finally nice enough to casually lounge outdoors again, we burst onto the scene with a fury. And that time is coming, friends.
Cap Times photographer Ruthie Hauge started cataloging all of Madison’s great outdoor gathering spaces during the pandemic. And she never stopped. Now the Cap Times guide’s got more than 350 patios for dining, drinking, bringing your dog, taking in the views, paddling to, or just gathering with friends.
Lindsay Christians, food editor at the Cap Times, gives us the scoop on some of the hidden treasures across our fair city (and beyond)!
To check out their patio map, see go.captimes.com/patios.
⛱️ Join us every Thursday as we explore Madison's food culture, from the brewers and bakers to the chefs and cheesemakers.
Wanna talk to us about an episode? Leave us a voicemail at 608-318-3367 or email madison@citycast.fm. We’re also on Twitter and Instagram!
Want more Madison news delivered right to your inbox? Sign up for the Madison Minutes morning newsletter.
Looking to advertise on City Cast Madison? Check out our options for podcast ads at citycast.fm/advertise.
Subscribe To Our Newsletter
Latest Episodes
Madison’s Best New Restaurants of Fall 2026
An Asian bistro on the Square, a hibachi and ramen spot on the east side, and a rooftop restaurant at the Madison Museum of Contemporary...
National Geographic Says Visit Madison. Plus What Is in Store for Midwest Vintage Flea
Our dear city of Madison just made National Geographic’s list of “The Best Places in the World to Travel to in 2027.” The list highlights...
A Peek Inside Madison’s Jaw-Dropping Concert Organ, Plus What's on Deck For MSO
Madison’s Overture Hall is home to a 30-ton pipe organ that’s so massive that it moves on giant tracks. City Cast Madison Host Bianca Mar...
Wisconsin Needs Solutions To Support Black Pregnancies
Black infants in Wisconsin are nearly three times more likely than white babies to die before their first birthdays. Cap Times health and...
‘Your City Could Be Better’: Why Salt Lakers are Adopting Storm Drains — Presented By City Cast Madison
How much ownership or responsibility do you feel as a resident of Madison? In Salt Lake City, people are being asked to “adopt a storm dr...
City Mulls Police Monitor Contract, County Budget Concerns, and New YMCA Breaks Ground
The Madison Common Council is set to vote on whether to terminate the interim independent police monitor on Tuesday, Oct. 20. Whether or...
How a Former Badger Changed Cinema
Did you know the iconic 1976 film “Car Wash” has a Madison connection? The film’s director, Michael Schultz, studied at UW-Madison where...
Madison Halloween Lore, a Decade of Wurk, and Another Brewers Win
For the second year in a row, UW-Madison students who live on campus will be charged $100 to host one guest over Halloween weekend. The u...
An Insider’s Guide to Madison’s Writing and Literary Scene. Plus, Books Every Madisonian Needs
The Wisconsin Book Festival Fall Celebration kicks off this Thursday. The yearly tradition brings more than 80 authors to Madison for boo...
‘Your City Could Be Better’: A St. Paul Cell Phone Ban Teens Might Actually Like — Presented By City Cast Madison
Another Madison school year has begun — how are cell phones being handled? In Minnesota, one high school is demonstrating that a strict n...