Hi all, I've been on eGullet for years but only just started posting -- probably due to having a baby and thus being home (on the computer) all the time! Anyway, we've been in Madison for 2 1/2 years, and I also grew up here. We're from the Bay Area and definitely into food, and we have some favorites here -- similar to Sara's, actually: Greenbush for pizza Dottie's for burgers El Dorado Grill and Bon Appetit and Lazy Jane's for brunch Sardine and Cocoliquot and Osteria Papavaro (not mentioned in this forum, but truly wonderful -- chef is a member of the Madison Slow Food movement) and Harvest for non-ethnic dinner Lao Lan Xiang and Himal Chuli for ethnic dinner Barrique's for lunch sandwiches, wine, coffee, pastries, ambiance, free wireless...we're so happy the Monroe Barrique's is now giving us a good alternative to Ancora! I also recommend the new French bakery on the West side, Madeline's, for decent croissants and papillons. L'Etoile Cafe is good for those too. We have yet to find any decent Chinese food here and have given up searching. We'd also love Vietnamese food recommendations. Oh, and I work on campus and highly recommend Ingrid's Lunchbox, the red cart on library mall, for a wonderful lunch option. Her food makes you feel like you're eating a home-cooked meal on a farm in Iowa.