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Fresh Madison Market

3.2 (74 reviews)
ModerateGrocery
Open • 7:00 am - 10:00 pm

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Jeremy E.

Came with my daughter because she wanted fresh salad bar. The quality of the lettuce was sketch but when I asked if they would refresh the lettuce a manager brought her out a brand new catch right away. Lots of great topping options. Only complaint was the price. $25 for two salads is a bit nuts. I know it's centrally located for the campus and wasn't expecting it to be cheap or anything that just seems like allot of salad.

Locally sourced fresh halal meat.  You'll never settle for corporate meat, fish again.

This remarkable store features food from around the planet. It's where the old Whole Foods used to be. Owned and managed locally by a friendly Turkish family. They have 3 locations. I could go on and on- take my word. Try it, you'll love it.

most of beer is in beer cave but there is an endcap too
Ashley H.

Summary: The Market raised the bar for grocery stores in the downtown/campus area. Previously, the other grocery store options were sad, listless options, where you thought "well...at least canned goods are all the same wherever you go, right?" However, Fresh offers the variety which one now expects from grocery stores; fresh meat case, deli, sushi, rewards program, etc. The walk-in beer cooler and craft beer selection isn't on the scope of the monolith Woodman's selection, but they do a good job of selecting both local and nationwide beers. Recently, they have started offering a growler program--bring your own growler to fill or join a growler discount program. Should you go out of your way to go here if you don't regularly pass by or live in the area? No. But if this is your neighborhood, Fresh is definitely your best option.

Local food section up in hurr
Izzy D.

This supermarket is automatic, supersonic, hypnotic, funky FRRRESSSH! Okay, maybe I just wanted to write those lyrics, BUT, for the most part, it's true. Fresh Market has a nice selection of produce and a good-sized bulk food section where I pick up my fresh Nature's Bakery granola and nuts for a reasonable price. They have fresh bread from local bakeries like Silly Yak and Stella's. The supermarket doesn't win for selection, but given its location downtown near campus it's a good one to have nearby. My most recent discovery? Their fresh squeezed orange, lemon, and strawberry-orange juice, which are all great! I'll be keeping it in mind as we go into cold season...

Ken C.

This grocery store is the closest on the west side of the UW-Madison campus, and it works for students in the area, and for people working in the area. I particularly appreciate the little breakfast bar and the fact that a small container makes for a decent breakfast at around $3 to $4. If you have a few extra minutes to wait for a paninni it's definitely worth the wait. Also there's a good selection of grab-and-go sushi's (just grab from the bottom where they're colder). I have to say that I don't quite understand how people in other reviews call it overpriced, but it's not some monolithic Walmart grocery joint spitting out tons of boxed processed foods. It has a nice variety and if you know you can get a popular item somewhere else, then go there, but otherwise if you want something fun and different get it here. If you are driving through and need to park, there's an underground lot in the Lucky building off of Lake Street. I think they validate parking if you buy a certain amount, but the parking rates are minimal.

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16 years ago

Fresh sushi prepared daily, and they will deliver! What great service and yummy sushi!

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“I wish this place had been around in the 80s when I was a student at UW-Madison.”

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Hy-Vee

Hy-Vee

3.3(133 reviews)
5.1 mi•Mayfair Park
•$$

While Hy-Vee does have some things that I need, I find it pretty over priced compared to competing…read morestores. However, I do want to appreciate the fact that they are employee owned and seem to treat their employees decently which could be a factor in the higher prices. So I will only take one star off. Other than that, I like Hyvee for its selection of items. I have difficulty finding certain things like buttermilk and disposable food containers at Aldis/Walmart that I like so I am often over in Hyvee to get those things as I bake a lot! I also like to make candy and candied things like grapes so I LOVE their selections in their candy aisle. Their candy aisle is pretty unique compared to other stores as well as their flower area and beauty area which has bath bomb selections! Regarding the atmosphere, it always pretty nice when I go. I have never had any issues with a product being missing/out of stock or an employee. 5/5 for the atmosphere. I also like that there's free samples for you to try, like the beef brisket I got to try today, and cute little food area where you can eat any of the prepared food you buy that they sell such as Chinese food and sushi.

This location is not the best in town. Shelves are frequently empty, especially on sale items,…read moreresulting in several rain check slips stacked in my car. The cashier's rarely get my two coupons entered properly which is another challenge to get customer service to fix the mistake. Overall for the few items I choose to buy here it frequently results in a stop at customer service to deal with their faults.

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Hy-Vee - Spooky cookie cakes

Spooky cookie cakes

Hy-Vee - Flowers

Flowers

Hy-Vee

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Alimentari - Spicy Sopressata Sandwich

Alimentari

4.7(99 reviews)
1.9 mi•Dudgeon-Monroe

While popping between nearby Colectivo and the adjacent park, we popped into Alimentari out of…read morecuriosity, and somehow left with a pre-made frozen dinner for the evening and a Spicy Soppressata sammy to enjoy alongside the lake mere feet away! While they seem to be known for their sandwiches, and for good reason, they have a lot of great artisanal items rooted in Italian cooking. This includes oils, wines, sauces, spices, treats and more. The "more" also includes fresh-made pasta, hand cut meats and cheeses, gelato and a few other absolutely delish items! Back to that sandwich...we were not hungry, but could not pass up a good sandwich, especially one freshly made on locally sourced and baked bread! The bread was the absolutely star of each bite, I mean...sheesh! The sandwich in full was great, and definitely worth the stop in on its own. The store itself is small, but mighty, and well laid out, stocked with all the goods, flows well, clean and in great condition. Service was stellar as well. We were greeted upon entry, checked on while browsing and chatted up while being rang out. Overall, solid spot for a ready-made meal, a special ingredient, a tasty sandwich, fresh pasta, charcuterie or just to wander around in!

We called in the order Spicy Soppresatta w Nduja mayo sandwich. Totally unique…read more It is absolutely the Best sandwich we've ever had ! Yes , and I've had many sandwiches in New York, New Jersey, etc. but never in my wildest dreams would have thought that the best sandwich would be in Madison Wisconsin, No disrespect . Excellent job guys keep up the great work!!!!

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Alimentari
Alimentari - What's a boat day without turkey sando

What's a boat day without turkey sando

Alimentari

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ALDI - aisle one

ALDI

4.2(10 reviews)
5.2 mi•Mayfair Park
•$

Love this store. Prices are amazing compared to other grocery stores. The only knock against Aldi…read moreis they don't carry every item imaginable like the larger stores. But the items they do have are usually much cheaper and of the same or better quality. I began going to Aldi just for their wine selection (which is also really good!) and then began grocery shopping there on a regular basis. It's my go-to store now. I've tried some of their beers and they've been OK. Like other Aldi stores, this one has been recently renovated so it's much nicer and better organized. For newcomers, it's important to remember to bring a quarter for the shopping cart and tote bags since they don't bag for you at checkout (you can also buy recycled or plastic bags there). And if Aldi doesn't have everything on your list, there's a HyVee conveniently located next door.

Great place to shop in the time like this. you can get European chocolate without having to break…read moreyour bank. the place used to be pretty empty but now that economy went kaput the past year, I have seen a lot more people shop here. I like the idea that you use your own money to get the cart out and bag your won stuff . It encourages people to recycle the bags and avoid over usage of the plastic bags. The selections there isn't impressive but after a while, you will get used to going there and you won't need other big grocery stores anymore. We go to Aldi three out of four times. I love the fact that every week is different in aldi. They have special sales run each week and you will never know what you find there. If you still aren't an Aldi fan, give it a few weeks, after seeing the difference in your receipt, you will start to like it just like I did. :-) Happy saving!

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ALDI - Fruit

Fruit

ALDI
ALDI

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Trader Joe's

Trader Joe's

4.0(115 reviews)
1.1 mi•Dudgeon-Monroe
•$$

Trader Joe's is a national grocery chain that still manages to feel like a neighborhood store. Most…read moreproducts are their own private label, and you'll find a strong selection of organic produce, vegan options, and even fresh flowers and succulents right at the entrance. The back of the store has a nice beer and wine section--think Whole Foods-style offerings but at lower prices. For example, a six-pack of beer for just $4.99 isn't the best tasting, but at that price, it's hard to complain. Here's my biggest tip: avoid this store on weekends. I made the mistake of visiting on a Sunday around noon, and it was chaos. The underground parking garage holds maybe 20 cars, and the line to get in stretched onto the street. I ended up parking on the street in the neighborhood two blocks away, which wasn't terrible, but once inside, it was a different story. Every register line had 20-30 people, stretching all the way to the back of the store. Overall, Trader Joe's offers great prices and unique finds, but unless you enjoy battling crowds, I'd recommend going on a weekday.

We made the mistake of going to Trader Joe's on a Sunday, and it was absolutely packed. The parking…read moregarage was full, so we had to park on the street--which should've been our first clue to turn around, but we didn't. Inside, it was shoulder-to-shoulder with shoppers. That said, we managed to grab a few items we wanted, and the checkout line moved surprisingly fast. We picked up the Pad See Ew, Paneer Masala with Rice, and a couple of ice creams. Everything we tried was tasty, and I was pleasantly surprised by how good the frozen Pad See Ew was. The portion size is on the smaller side, but at $4-5, it's a solid value. Note to self: avoid Trader Joe's on weekends; weekday trips are much better.

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Trader Joe's
Trader Joe's
Trader Joe's

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Fresh Madison Market - grocery - Updated October 2026

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