Just absolutely incredible pastries and brunch food. I am impressed with the quality of ingredients and consistency of quality here. This is one of my absolute go to restaurants around town, and almost always the place i would bring out of town guests. We are new to town but have already been here 4 times! read more

My last review was from before MSD moved over to Willy Street, and I had only bought their bread from the co-op. I am very happy about the move! The space is open and full of natural light, and the staff are super friendly (unfortunately, I can't say the same about all of my potential study-spots on Willy St).They have solid coffee, and they don't mind me camping out with my beverage all day to get work done. As I said before, the bread here is clearly the best in Madison. It's clear that they know what they are doing with ingredients and technique, as the breads have great texture and flavor. The only reason I gave MSD 4 stars instead of 5 is because of some of the non-bread-loaf items I've tried. I went there for breakfast, and my omelet was lacking . . . it just didn't have a ton of flavor, and knowing that Sophia's is just across the isthmus, I won't be trying that again. I also wasn't terribly impressed with the croissant's texture (I am biased after spending this past summer in France, though!). Overall, I love this place, and highly recommend the bread, sandwiches, and coffee. read more

Very disappointing. The expensive salmon sandwiches we ordered for lunch were tiny, but piled high and open-faced, causing them to messily fall apart with every bite. The sandwich toppings did taste really good, but the bread underneath was dry, hard and dense, making it unpleasant to eat. The service was fine and the place seemed clean and had a nice decor, in a corporate-trying-to-look-indie-but-non-threatening kinda way, so despite these issues I was going to give the place 2 stars... then I tried the small side salad. It sounds intriguing from the description in the menu, but it's basically just a pile of lettuce doused in vinegar. Absolutely disgusting. We didn't order beverages or bakery, so I can't comment on the quality there, but the drink prices looked similar to other cafes. At least when it comes to lunch, though, this place charges way too much for way too little, and what they do give you is mediocre at best. Definitely not recommended. Pros: Watch your food being made, tasty salmon, cheap drinks Cons: Expensive, dry dense bread, miniscule portions, disgusting salad dressing read more

Stopped in here for breakfast today with some friends and was very impressed. It was fast and quality food and very cozy atmosphere. The fresh baked items were amazing and the biscuits and gravy were pretty good. Friends had the eggs Benedict and they thought it was amazing. All fresh food and great assortment of fruit Asa side. Another friend had the grilled cheese with tomato soup. I tried the soup (which I normally despise) and it was awesome! There was a really strong mustard or something in the grilled cheese which kind of was too much for us so may want to get it on the side or maybe we just are weird... The Danish, granola bar, Browniie and scone were all amazing to go treats as well. read more

One of the freshest and most memorable eggs benedict I have had. And I order it almost every place we travel it's one of my favorites. Husband like his omelet, but wasn't amazed and was still hungry afterwards. We topped them off splitting a couple croissants which were both delicious. Was excited to try a Savory one which I don't get often at home. Planning to go back to grab more pastries before heading home. read more

Madison Sourdough - Almond and herb and cheese croissant - Bakeries Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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Another wow. We were there for a late lunch today. Nice quiet dining area in the back. Manager Erin was so helpful -- she took our order. Best French toast *ever.* We had the sweet version and shared it as dessert following our shared eggs Benedict, also perhaps best ever. The eggs were served over their chive biscuit, which was warm and crunchy. Nothing oversalted-- hurray! Great Bearnaise. Well-balanced. Much better, infinitely better! than an English muffin. Takes it to a whole new level. The French toast was the perfect texture with crunchy crust and just-right (not sloppy soggy) center. Perfectly sweetened with an apple-almond sauce. We asked for oil and vinegar on the side to go with the salad that came with the eggs. Very nice quality and generous helping of greens. The portion sizes were great for sharing. So good I could have eaten more but didn't need to! We had a hot chocolate and a cappuccino to wash it all down. Would have given 5 stars but it all needed to be served hotter. It came out fast enough, so...and it was so excellent it almost didn't matter that it wasn't hot! This is 4.5 stars. Yelp, let us do half stars?! We are visiting, on vacation, and will be back! read more

Such a cute and quaint bakery m/ lunch spot. They only offer breakfast and lunch which is completely fine with me. They have different daily specials and a variety of items on their menu and bakery. read more

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I've never actually been in the store but I tend to buy a loaf of bread from Madison Sourdough Co from their off-to-the-side stand at the farmer's market every single week that I am able. I don't exaggerate in saying that they make some of the best artisan bread that I have ever had. The girl at the stand claims that the bread is made using nothing but flour, salt and water. What a load of crap. You don't make bread that good with just 3 ingredients...do you? read more

Oh yes, this is a place after my own heart: outstanding breads, great coffee, and an interesting list of breakfast/brunch specials well executed and reasonably priced. The vibe is relaxed, the staff friendly and helpful. I took a small suitcase of bread back to Philly - the country baguette and fig country loaf being standouts. I always think that places like this are civic treasures where the community can come together and have an enjoyable and oh so tasty time. read more

The food is consistently good. Old favorites are reliable, and there are usually new flavors that are both interesting and well executed. Sadly, I have to knock off one star for the coffee. It tastes like it was filtered through a used gym sock. Always. Every time I've been there. That's a pretty big part of breakfast out, for me, so it's worth at least one star. read more

Major Update: Someone finally figured out how to do sandwich right in Madison. Tried their grilled goat cheese + butternut squash and hummus + grilled veggie for lunch today. Phenomenal! Solid 5 stars including the side salad. And bonus for very friendly cashier - in fact, I've never seen anything but smile and courteous service from MSC whenever I go. read more

So many great choices for breakfast places in Madison. We chose Madison Sourdough; great decision. We shared the biscuits and gravy and the French toast. So good!!! read more

Madison Sourdough - Amazingly delicious. - Bakeries Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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The food at Madison Sourdough Company and Patisserie is amazing overall. There are a few execution errors but as someone in the baking industry, that is pretty normal. The biggest execution error I saw the last time I was there was their mini basque cakes. A basque cake is a traditional Spanish dessert where it is a white rich cake filled with custard that is baked inside of it. It is decadent and brilliant. This basque cake, however, was really burnt and hard and the custard was over cooked due to the entire cake being over cooked. Otherwise the food is wonderful and I love their bread and especially their French macaroons. The service is why they get a 3. I feel like when I go in, I am often times inconveniencing them. Being someone who has worked at most levels of the service industry, this really isn't acceptable. I am a very understanding customer because I've been behind the counter and behind the kitchen door. I understand that shit happens. But when you outright, blatantly act like a person coming in off the street who hasn't shown any malice towards you and has been nothing but warm is the problem? That's not ok. read more

Went to Madison Sourdough for lunch today. I had the best sandwich in a long time! Excellent combination of meatloaf, blue cheese, and pickled onions.... Every bite was delightful! The menu at this restaurant is wonderful, I have a very hard time deciding on what to order because everything on the menu sounds yummy! Go for breakfast or lunch, it's a win, win for either meal! read more

The blueberry danish is amazing. I never pick the blueberry option as a first choice, but it'd been recommended, and I'm awfully glad I tried it. The blueberries were small and popped with flavor, and were layered on top of a nice smear of sweet cheese. The danish dough seemed pretty croissant-y - although this made me realize I'm not sure what the difference between the two is anyway. A little research suggests danish dough has egg while croissant does not, but I don't know. In any case, I thought this dough was fantastic, and it made me want to explore the croissants here. We also tried a pecan danish, since we were told they were rarely available, and while that was fine, the blueberry was better. I bet the raspberry one would be good too! The sandwiches sound wonderful as well. Also, pretty nice bathrooms in the back! read more

First and foremost, let me say that I LOVE the food here. I truly and honestly do. Their food is light, delicious, and match what I enjoy to the T. But their inconsistency is killing them. I usually order the panzanella salad. It's my favorite salad here in Madison. But I've ordered this salad once in store and they forgot the gorgonzola. That's fine since I was dining in. I've ordered this salad for takeout about four other times and they forgot the gorgonzola on two different occasions. When I order it to go, half the time they'll put the dressing on the side. And the other half, the dressing will come tossed in. Salads to go should never have the dressing tossed in unless you like really soggy veggies. If I'm not getting the panzenella salad, I'll order the eggs benedict with ham. Not a big fan of the salmon because it usually comes out partially cooked. Not a vibrant orange like most smoked salmon but a pinkish orange / fully cooked salmon. (They advertise smoked salmon) There have been instances where I'll order this for takeout and they would forget the poached eggs... an eggs benedict without the eggs. Yum. I will say this again, I love the food here. I really do. I'll keep ordering food here but I really just wish they were a little more consistent with what they do here. read more

Veggie Burger was lit. Beet Reuben is next level. Prices are very reasonable. Ambiance is nice. Busy in the mornings. Relaxed after lunch. I highly recommend this spot for small business lunches or solo dining. read more

Excellent breakfast made with high quality ingredients, friendly service, and outdoor seating. Unsurprisingly, it was fairly busy on Sunday, but the line moved quickly. Felt like we found a treasure; we will be back. read more

Very delicious food and nice atmosphere. Not overcrowded even on Sunday brunch time. Also service was very fast, food came out in 10 minutes. read more

Madison Sourdough - Egg Benedict with Ham, Eggs Diablo and sourdough French toast. - Bakeries Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Every morning I wake up in California and wish, wish wish, I could teleport to Madison sourdough for their Eggs Benedict. Cheddar biscuit and sautéed spinach and leeks Staff is friendly and helpful! They help me put together a special congrats cake for my friend and it was to die for. I ended up with a vanilla layer cake with layers of raspberry and lemon curd. The frosting was delicious!! read more

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Came here for breakfast with a group of friends while I was in Madison for a weekend. I had a sore throat so I just had the oatmeal. There were 5 of us, and our food came out pretty quickly, which was nice. The oatmeal was nice and hot, good and smooth, and sweetened nicely. It was very good. I also had cranberry tea to help with my throat, which was delicious. read more

This is Escape coffee's old area - and I do have to say, they've done a wonderful job of using the space. It has a very clean and modern feel. Their logo is awesome as well, but let's get back to the food. The first thing I noticed is that it is expensive for bread. Is it just me, or is paying $4- for a white sourdough loaf (1lb) and $3.50 for a baguette a bit much? I got to try their rustic sourdough which was kind of like a mixture between whole food's Seeduction Bread and Sourdough. The sourdough baguette was okay- needs more flavor. They also have a pastry case, coffee, and a lunch menu, which looks pretty solid. Open 6:30a-5p; if open later- I would go there for coffee. read more

What I love about this place is the food is excellent, fresh and flavorful and the portion sizes are not blown out of proportion. I think this restaurant could just as easily be on the west side and probably do a higher volume of business, but I'm quite glad to have it right here on the east side. Their salads are excellent and I discovered a wonderful brunch sandwich during a recent weekend morning visit. Coffee is from Kickapoo, which is some of the best around. The bread, well, it's fresh bread from a bakery. Of course it's great. The new patisserie adjoining the restaurant has some beautiful desserts I'm excited to try soon. read more

Great for breakfast or lunch! A good mix of standard and innovative dishes, all done well. No parking lot, just street parking, but worth the inconvenience :) I've been here several times and have nearly always enjoyed what I've tried. Things I've tried: Cafe: Quiche- It's a little different every day, but had a great creamy custard texture and is really flavorful. Comes with a simple and refreshing side salad. Roasted Beet Rubin- If you are a former omnivore and miss a standard Rubin, this is a great replacement. Very flavorful, and the beets are a fun meat replacement. Would definitely recommend this one for anyone looking for something different to try. Veggie Burger- Not my favorite. It's was not as flavorful as I was hoping and the veggie burger fell apart after the first bit. If you are a Veg, see above. Radish and Beet Salad- Very fresh and had a great citrus dressing. It's seasonal, so you will have to wait until next summer to give this one a try. Very light and refreshing, but the portion size is huge, so plan on taking the leftovers with you as a snack for later. Patisserie: Chai Tea Religieuse- As good as it gets! Perfectly balanced, the chai spiced pastry cream pairs nicely with the icing and pastry. It really is a religious experience. Can I get a witness?! I feel like I am authority on this because I spent 3 months in Paris and gained 12lbs in that amount of time. Primarily because all I did was eat pastries (and cheese) the whole time. Opera Cake- First of all, it's beautiful. If that's not enough to draw you in, It is also a fabulous combo of coffee, chocolate and cake. Also, it's topped with gold leaf and a tiny macaron. Lots of "seat yourself" seating inside and patio seating in good weather. They have a variety of unique beverages (and coffee) or a self-serve water station. This place also has a bus your own table situation, so be sure to not be a jerk and bring your plates to the back. :) read more

Amazing pastries! I always look forward eagerly to their stand at the Farmer's Market. I'm not a huge danish fan usually, but they have the best damn cheese danish I have ever had, and now I buy one pretty much every week in the summer. When they aren't sold out by the time I get there. I cannot comment on any of their other food, since I have only had the pastries. It's probably a 5 star kind of place overall, but I don't want to rate what I haven't tried. read more

This place is so cute and in a nice street for a stroll. I went here at noon and had the half sandwich half soup which came with salad anyways so I got all three yay! The salad was dressed well but not overdone and I loved the tomato bisque soup. It really hit the spot on a cold day. The sandwich was the mushroom cheese on ciabatta (the vegetarian one) and it had a great lemony mayonnaise. They make fresh bread there too for a decent price. I really enjoyed the bread, next time I'll buy a roll before they run out. I'll be back to try their eggs Benedict which looked good too. read more

Madison Sourdough - Bakeries Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

The quality of the food here is very good-- but the prices are not justified, in my opinion. I had their version of an eggs benedict... it comes over a piece of their very fresh (but very difficult to cut!) sourdough bread. The hollandaise was delicious, and the eggs were perfectly poached. It was good, but not $10 good. Service is pretty friendly and fast-- bear in mind my experience was on a weekday at 7:30. There were newspapers lying around to peruse for free, as well as a couple magazines. They are located next to their (sister?) Patisserie, Mco, so you can swing by there and grab some pastries or sweets if you like. read more

Never knew what this place was but assumed a bakery until I actually came in. Big selection of brunch plates plus pastries, so something for all kinds of appetite sizes. I came in and had a meal-sized salad. It was so huge I had to box half of it home!!! (I think it was a Cobb) Unlike a lot of places that serve this fare, there is ample seating. Think of it is as a better pret a manger/au bon pain. My friend Annie just had a baby when we met up for lunch here, and the baby plus baby scooter (or whatever you call it) fit very comfortably. read more

EDIT: After leaving this review, a co-owner reached out to me to thank me for the review and said they are actively working to improve their service. This makes me happy. After having been here multiple times, I find that while the food is almost always delicious, the service is lacking. I don't blame the servers, too much. It's the management, I'm guessing. All too often my simple coffee and Danish order takes several minutes. I just waited around 10 minutes for a mocha while people in line behind me got their drinks almost immediately. What's the deal? The staff tells me they are short-staffed today. I believe them. So management, do a better job of staffing the appropriate amount of people. read more

I've never been moved to tears by food, but the moment I took my first bite of their baguette I shouted for joy! This place is a cute little bakery, a little crowded on a Saturday afternoon, but the money is in the bread. I'm a beginner sour dough baker and this bread inspired me to go home and learn more about how I can get better at baking. Thank you Madison Sourdough for not only having great bread but for inspiring me to want to be better at this art. read more

I like Madison Sourdough because you can tell they put a lot of effort into preparing fresh, locally sourced meals and breads. It's a very typical Willie St. ambience, if you're familiar with the area. My only complaint is the menu isn't terribly diverse and it can sometimes take a while to get food (~20 mins) during the lunch hour. read more

Baguettes: excellent Chocolate croissant: excellent, especially when very fresh. Granola Bar: this is what keeps me coming back whenever I pass through the area. They provided the bars during a bike the barns ride a couple of years ago. I had never been to MSC before, but those bars have made me a loyal customer. Very tasty and seem slightly healthful, too. read more

Madison Sourdough's eggs Benedict is one of my favorite breakfasts in the city. Period. Available in a veggie option, I always go with the ham - a thin slice, slightly smokey ham paired with a top-notch hollandaise sauce. Honestly, the best part of the dish may be the delicious grilled sourdough that it's built around. The last several times I've visited, the poached eggs have been overcooked, but I'm hopeful it's just a passing phase in the kitchen. It's a warm, bright spot on Willy Street. Great for a quick solo breakfast or grabbing a pastry and coffee with friends. Their pastry selection is awesome and their breads are the best in town. Give this joint a try - I think you'll like what you find. read more

I don't know about bread but meals here are not good. I just spent whole 10 minutes waiting for a very basic breakfast sandwhich which came out to a whopping more than $10 and was dripping with grease. Had few sit-down meals there and they also ranged from mediocre to simply unedible. Sourdough also loves giving you "salad" on the side which is wilted salad greens literally swimming in some nasty creamy dressing. If this salad is next to the sandwich, bread on that sandwich will quickly soak in that dressing and get mushy as well. This last breakfast experience prompted me to write this review because I gave the place many chances to redeem itself. read more

The worst French Toast ever; unless you like it black and tough. It als doesn't come with syrup; you have to ask... The staff here likes to communication in barely audible murmurs and will not look you in the eye. Want to know why? Because they are hiding their shame of producing horrible breakfast foods! This place must only do ok because of the hipster population that cares only for appearances and eco friendly take out boxes. This place will impress no one else. read more

I tried out the ham and cheese omelette for brunch and was pleasantly surprised. I was all psyched up for the french toast, but they were out so I settled for a normal-sounding omelette. The eggs were nice and light and it was super cheesy. Served with a small salad and several baguette slices, this was a great way to fuel up. I also tried my first macaroon (the raspberry variety) in the pastry shop. It was so delicious and bigger than other macaroons I have seen. A bit pricey for me to make it a regular thing ($2.75 a piece, I believe), but they will make a great once-in-a-while treat as I explore Willy Street! read more

UPDATED REVIEW MARCH 2019. I'm wondering why I went back here for breakfast since it started my day off on the wrong foot. I had the cheese omelette add bacon. It was ok - not memorable and the coffee, below average. The 2 people I interacted with were not, NOT friendly and act like they're doing you a favor even talking with you. If you don't object to a $19 omelette with below average coffee and staff that is doing you the favor of being present - go here! read more

This morning I and a friend stopped by there for our breakfast. It's a perfect day to sit outside. The place is just lovely and there were many selection for bread and pastry. They looked good but I haven't try any one of them yet, maybe next time. For breakfast I had french toast no.10. It was served beautifully, well presented but personally I don't like the pieces of bread. They were not soft enough. However it was not too sweet and sour pieced of peeled green apple were on the top of whip cream. I liked it a lot. I would give 5 if the bread was right. Moreover my black coffee was good, medium roasted I guess. read more

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We haven't eaten here in awhile. A couple years ago this was my FAVORITE place for breakfast. Unfortunately I can't rave about it this time. I had the ham & cheese omelette. The side salad that came with it was heavy. It used to be a nice and light bed of greens only with a lite lemony dressing. Today it was more like coleslaw, very disappointing. The omelette was so-so; it wasn't bad but it wasn't worth the money being charged. The pastries were still good though! But Batch Bakehouse is better!!! Thankfully in Madison there are plethora of good places with more reasonable prices to eat. We won't be wasting time or money here again. read more

Always fantastic! Today, was my third visit to Madison Sourdough. I am so impressed with their food everytime I come here to dine. I had the roasted beet Reuben today. Don't be fooled, it's comparable to a meat sandwich. Trying to eat healthier for the new year, so I felt a little less guilt filling up on these veggies :). My boyfriend had a bloody Mary. He liked it, he can tell it's fresh/homemade and not like other bloody Mary's. However, he would never come here for just that. He also had the grilled chicken sandwich, which is out of this world. I had a few bites myself. It was sweet and savory with apples and bacon on it! My belief is that Madison Sourdough is one of the best breakfast/lunch places in Madison, hands down. There is no direct parking outside, but the street parking in this neighborhood is much easier than navigating further downtown. read more

Madison Sourdough - Bakeries Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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