A few weeks ago, when my friends and I went to the University of Wisconsin for Big Ten softball, we talked to the coaches, players and fans to get suggestions for local dining choices. Last weekend when we returned for more softball, we tried a few of the choices.

Located half a block from the State Capitol, DLUX offers gourmet burgers in a casual atmosphere. In addition to several beef burger options, they also serve burgers crafted of chicken, salmon, portobello and white bean. We ordered all and shared, with my favorite being the salmon burger. Add the Parmesan and truffle cream fries and a red velvet shake and you now have a feast.

We celebrated a Northwestern win with pizza at Luigi’s. We were delighted with polenta and roasted Brussels sprouts as a starter. Since we were in Wisconsin, we ordered a thin-crust pizza loaded with a few cheeses. It was a cheesy treat.

Chocolate Shoppe Ice Cream features more than 100 flavors of super premium ice cream. Small test spoons of several flavors led me to pumpkin, but I am sure I will try other flavors on future visits. Local ingredients, unique flavors, a friendly staff and the end product of rich, creamy frozen treats will bring me back many times.

We also heard great things about Madison Eats Food Tours. They offer several different tours (both walking and biking) featuring locally owned businesses. It’s a great way to experience the local flavors and neighborhoods. Since we’ll be returning for the Big Ten Women’s Tournament next weekend, we will try the Madison Eats Food Tour then.

Our visits to Madison have been so enjoyable, we are planning a summer return to see more besides collegiate softball.

— John Wroblewski, online writer