Madison Brewing Company is one of the first places my husband and I ever visited in Bennington, Vermont, which is now our hometown. It was during a rainy, cold April afternoon that we first stepped foot into this popular establishment, looking for a satisfying lunch on a busy weekend filled with travel. Seeing the words “cheddar” and “ale” next to each other was all that was needed to convince me to try the cheddar ale soup and my husband knew a brilliant decision when he heard one. This soup is deliriously satisfying, especially on a chilly day, but this restaurant and brewery has even more to offer.

After this first experience at Madison (where the soup was followed by a large plate of messy wings and the delightfully cheesy Parmesan truffle fries, served with a roasted garlic aioli that I wouldn’t mind adding to all meals, forever), my husband and I have returned many times. Whenever we have a visitor, whether it’s a family member or a friend, we make sure to introduce them to the tastiness of this local establishment.

Since it is called Madison Brewing Company, it’s no surprise that a craft beer menu is provided upon each visit. I really enjoy the way the beer menu changes with the seasons, so that one can revel in pumpkin-flavored glory during the autumn or appreciate the crispness of a German lager as winter ends and spring begins. In addition to the seasonal changes, there are also the mainstay standards that are a taste for all times – my husband has demonstrated a fairly steady relationship with the Sucker Pond Blond Ale while I usually like to check out what’s new, especially if there are any kind of berry-related flavors involved.

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In addition to changes in the menu of brews, Madison provides a list of specials for every evening, a few appetizers and a few entrees each night. On their list of specials, I recall being very impressed by a squid ink pasta dish and the lightly breaded, white-wine soaked scallops I enjoyed just a few weeks before the time of writing this blog post. The standard menu is full of variety enough to please any kind of crowd – there are salads, soups, burgers, sandwiches, pub food entrees, meat dishes, and so on – plus the side selection is top notch. The portions are generally very large, which is great in terms of value (considering the absolutely reasonable prices here), but not always great in terms of the tightness of pants across one belly. I remember coming here to celebrate completing the first full week of school one September and my husband and I got it all that Friday: appetizers, beers, truffle fries, and, of course, our main meals. It was all delicious but we could barely walk out of the restaurant with how completely full we were. So the only thing I can say about the desserts here is that I’ve been too full to even think of them during each of my visits. I have a sneaking suspicion that these are delicious and beyond filling, as well, though.

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The food is wonderful (if abundant) and the brews are fun, but what about the ambiance? It’s definitely got an interesting look. Across the walls are portraits of various famous people drawn by a skilled hand, but it’s not clear what these portraits really have to with anything. At our last visit, we sat next to portraits of Jennifer Lawrence and Adele. Why these ladies, I don’t know, but I suppose it does give guests some opportunity for discussion. The theme of the restrooms is much clearer, with each gendered room labeled “mALE” and “femALE”. The connection to the brewery can’t get much clearer than that. In addition to the paintings and the restroom play on words, the dining room also features brewery tanks and equipment in plain view, and a full bar (complete with bartenders) near the entrance. This all definitely works well in terms of celebrating the drinks made here, and keeping the guests’ minds on such things.

The service at this establishment is excellent. Despite the fact that it is often crowded at peak times (Friday and Saturday evenings) and one might need to wait a bit for a seat, the servers are absolutely on it once you’re in. We’ve never needed to wait long for any of our courses and everyone who works here has been friendly and accommodating of any request (my husband and I often need extra napkins because we’re not the neatest eaters, and when our friends with a baby visited with us, a chair and general adoration were provided for him with minimal fuss).

Despite the handful of times I’ve left Madison Brewing Company uncomfortably full, I love it for its variety and sense of indulgence, and I am very glad to see how successful it continues to be in the midst of small town where many businesses are having difficulties. We will definitely be back, and soon.

Freshly Vermont rating of Madison Brewing Company: five out of five stars. ★★★★★