🇺🇸 Madison | An Amazing Italian Gem in "MaDun"! 🍝✨

My first time in Madison, and I’m already blown away by the food scene here. So jealous of UW-Madison students 😂 Everyone calls this place "MaDun" (Wheat Village), but honestly, as someone from the real cornfields, I feel attacked 🌽😭 We drove from Chicago after Black Friday shopping and arrived in Madison at night. A local friend booked us a table at Osteria Papavero – an Italian restaurant right on the street facing the Capitol building 🏛️. The architecture here is stunning! The restaurant’s exterior is modest, and the interior is cozy with a bar and a few tables, but the lighting and vibe are perfect for gatherings or dates 💫. We ordered three drinks: two cocktails – Aperol Spritz and Golden Hour (both delicious!) – and a glass of Sangiovese 🍷, which was also great. Must-try appetizer: 🥩 Salumi – We got the $15 small portion, and it was generous! Included smoked pork jowl, salami, and beef tongue. The beef tongue was especially tender and flavorful, the pork jowl tasted just like Chinese braised pork face (loved it!), and the salami was aromatic without any weird aftertaste. Main courses we tried: 🍝 CHIGHIALE – Braised wild boar with pappardelle pasta. Rich, savory, and perfectly sauced. Not too cheesy – just delicious! 🐮 CODA DI BUE – From the specials menu: oxtail stew with potato gnocchi. The oxtail was fall-off-the-bone tender with a deep beef flavor (similar to Chinese red-braised oxtail). The gnocchi was okay, but the sauce was rich and luxurious. The server said this was their best-selling special! 🥩 LAMBATELLO – Hanger steak and sausage with tomato sauce. The steak was decent, the sausage was tasty but a bit salty, and the tomato sauce tied everything together nicely. Overall, we ordered one appetizer and three mains – not a single miss! This place has one of the lowest "disappointment rates" I’ve experienced in months. Their Italian food isn’t the heavy, overly cheesy type – instead, it focuses on balancing meats and sauces for a harmonious flavor. Only downside: we were too full for dessert 😭 I’ve attached the menu and wine list for reference – no ads, just honest reviews! #Wisconsin #UWMadison #MadisonEats #ItalianFood #FoodReview #OsteriaPapavero