Park Street is one of the gateways into downtown Madison, and I’m happy to see all the new developments, including Rockhound Brewing Co. It’s located on the ground floor of an apartment complex on the site that was once home to Lane’s Bakery, which moved into new digs near the Beltline.
Rockhound has a neighborhood-feel to it. Inside, you’ll find a big, U-shaped bar and lots of what appeared to be reclaimed wood.
Beer me. On one visit, Rockhound had four of its beers and several guest beers on tap.
- Although I’m not a pale ale fan, I was pleasantly surprised by the Greenbush Pale Ale. The flavor was not too hoppy, and the touch of citrus was welcomed.
- The Hoity Toity Hefeweizen is a complement to summer and has a nice wheatiness.
- The Sandstone Blonde Ale seems like it would go well with basically everything on the menu.
- I look forward to trying the Ice Shanty Bock this winter.
Standard brewpub fare. In any other city but Madison, Rockhound has a pretty solid menu. That means there are some tasty items, but nothing you can’t also find at places like Waypoint, Wisconsin Brewing Tap Haus and Cafe Hollander.
- The duck nachos ($11.50) are topped generously with duck confit (although many pieces were too chewy) and large tortilla chips (although half were stale, which means they couldn’t have been fresh fried as stated).
- The Mac + Cheese Burger ($12) combined a thick, grass-fed patty with a five-cheese, fried macaroni cake that would make an outstanding appetizer. The sun-dried tomatoes added a touch of sweetness.
- The menu also includes salads, pot pies, sandwiches and a few entrees.
Rockhound Brewing Co. is open every day for lunch and dinner. Street parking may be available on Park Street or Drake Street.
When UW SWAP moved from near the Madison College Truax Campus to Verona, I remember driving out to the new location thinking I was in the middle of nowhere. Since then, Wisconsin Brewing Co. opened nearby, and now 
Hope you like carbs:
MT Treads opened last October in Verona only to close a month later. The restaurant that took the space that held Michael’s Frozen Custard for 20 years reopened in February as 
Bar appetizers, too: Since Treads is a bar and not a diner, you’ll find the expected wings, nachos and mozzarella sticks.
