Madison is a beer town, and the owners of Brasserie V on the near-west side have capitalized on that thirst a second time with Longtable, a casual “beer cafe” in neighboring Middleton. Longtable features enough communal seating to please a Norse god, scores of bottled beers, and a well-curated tap list. Snacky dishes serve that communal spirit, as do generously portioned shareable meat and cheese boards.

Camp Trippalindee, seated atop the University of Wisconsin-adjacent Graduate Hotel, is built on a question it’s hard to believe anyone was asking: “Can we base a restaurant on a combination of northwoods cabin life and a semi-obscure Rodney Dangerfield reference?” With spot-on decor, a fast-food-ish menu, and outdoor fire bowls over which you can cook s’mores, the unexpected answer is “yes.”

The difficulty in establishing a street-food scene in pedestrian-friendly downtown Madison has long been a puzzle. Taiwan Little Eats is the newest to make the attempt, and so far the crowds are showing up at this State Street storefront. Come for the various bite-sized fried things, bubble teas, and richly flavorful meats over rice; stay for the chicken cutlet as big as a baseball mitt.

The second new taqueria near the Capitol Square is a Milwaukee import, but Bel Air Cantina knew the time was right to make its Madison debut. Bel Air’s vibe is Cal-Mex, with Korean beef, fried avocado, and of course a fish taco or two. Bel Air can also claim victory in the downtown taco happy hour arms race, thanks to a selection of $2 tacos on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Madison’s healthy east side brewing scene finally crosses back over the Yahara River with Working Draft Beer Company’s brand-new brewery and taproom. Working Draft breathes new life into the production space that once housed the Just Coffee Cooperative, and will not only serve its lineup full of hazy, hop-forward beers, but also a food menu from James Beard semifinalist Dan Fox’s Fox Heritage Farms.

What the future holds is anyone’s guess, but the likelihood of a new restaurant opening in 2018 to the same hype and praise of Mint Mark is pretty slim. It’s an all-star executive lineup, with lineage back to Madison’s Robin Room and Johnson Public House, as well as Chicago’s NoMI and the Bristol. Chef Sean Pharr crafts mostly small plates, with traditional presentation but creative techniques. He also whips up a mean Friday fish fry, so don’t think this isn’t still Wisconsin.

There is nothing flashy, nothing haute about Ogden’s North Street Diner. It is cute, it is tidy, but it is ultimately neither more nor less than a neighborhood diner. But it’s such a perfect neighborhood diner, complete with charming decor, short hours, and a chalkboard full of wacky specials. Fans of the beloved Lazy Jane’s Cafe & Bakery will appreciate the history the owners of Ogden’s have with that kitchen, but Ogden’s is doing its own thing for its own crowd.

Funk Factory’s spontaneously-fermented wild ales have been around for a couple of years now, but 2017 was when — and yes this is his real name — Levi Funk’s geuzeria went from “itinerant blender with big plans” to “this is an actual taproom.” A sort of baby lambic style called Meerts is the de facto house brew, joined by fruity, tart, and complex sours emanating from Funk Factory’s barrel stock throughout the year.