Thousands enjoy a Taste of Madison

 Kelly Mallon orders a blue raspberry Italian ice from Milano at Taste of Madison (Kait Vosswinkel/Madison Commons)

Whether they came for the first Badger football game of the season, or to get color-bombed at the Color Me Rad 5K race, many Madisonites and visitors ended their day at the Capitol Square for the 31st Taste of Madison festival hosted by Madison Festivals, Inc.

Taste of Madison is an annual food festival put on to celebrate the city’s vast food culture that benefits local charities.  This year more than 80 restaurants participated and more than 100,000 guests attended the event between Saturday, Aug. 31 and Sunday, Sept. 1.

The guests were as diverse as the refreshments served. 

One guest who came all the way from London said, “We came for the food and the beer,” and he planned to return the following day for round two. 

A group from Platteville returned for their 10th Taste of Madison in a row.  Their favorite restaurant is Johnny’s Italian Steakhouse for the Beef Deburgo.

“My legs are going to fall off,” said Monica Coon of Freeport, Ill.  Coon completed the Color Me Rad 5K earlier that day, but she seemed to be in high spirits after trying Bluephies’ Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Egg Rolls. 

Coon and her friends agreed that the food was great and the prices were right.  They plan to come back for the next Taste of Madison in 2014.

The new year will bring new changes for the Capitol Square food cart scene, according to Melted, a gourmet grilled cheese shop.  They announced at Taste of Madison that they “are set to go through the food cart review September 28,” according to a sign on the front of their stand.  Melted also won the “Spirit of Taste” award.

For more information about next year’s Taste of Madison visit its website.