MADISON
Of all the downtown restaurants, the Settle Down Tavern might just be the one that has navigated the travails of the pandemic most successfully.
Since opening its doors last May, owners Ryan Huber, Sam Parker and Brian Bartelsâ compact eateryâtucked into a corner of an atrium next to the Majestic Theaterâhas done all it could to cater to the moment.
It was among those that honed and capitalized on the âstreateryâ concept that allowed downtown restaurants to use repurposed parking spaces for outdoor tables to seat customers. And even though December snow and plummeting temps should have put a chilly set of brakes on the streatery experience, the outdoor seating has endured. Thanks to outdoor heaters and potted evergreens, eating outdoors isnât just workable, itâs appealing.