Middleton

Middleton, WI, known for its blend of suburban charm and nearby Madison vibrancy, offers a Midwestern palate featuring cheese curds, bratwurst, and craft beers.

Salty's Lobster Shack

Salty's Lobster Shack

145 S Main St, Middleton I-01949-2446, United States

Lunch • Seafood • American • Sandwiches


"I stumbled on this hidden gem while I was trying to find a place to eat on a road trip to Bar Harbor, Maine with my boyfriend?s family. Not only are the people who work here incredibly kind, but they have THE best lobster rolls I have ever had and I have had many. We drove into the lot at 3 PM but were unaware that they reduced their hours that very morning. Unfortunately we had 5 more hours left to drive in order to make a dinner reservation for my boyfriend?s birthday. Luckily we caught Jim as he was arriving with the team to set up for service at 4. I explained to him that we had been traveling from Rhode Island and it was my first time traveling with my boyfriend?s parents. I turned down all their lobster roll place suggestions because I saw that Salty?s had the best reviews but failed to check the updated hours of operation. Jim was kind of enough to make six cold lobster rolls before opening for us so that we could continue on our way. The lobster tastes like it just came out of the shell, succulent and juicy, lightly dressed and overflowing on a perfectly toasted buttered bun with scallions. I wouldn?t be surprised if there was an entire lobster on the roll. It was so good that every lobster roll we had in Maine after fell short of this one. I actually helped produce the Tasting Table Lobster Rumble in 2018 where we brought 25 vendors from all over the country to compete for the best lobster roll. None of those restaurants could compare to the lobster roll I had here. I am writing this review on our drive home after another stop at Salty?s. If you ever find yourself in Middleton or are driving up the East Coast do yourself a favor and stop here!!"

Novanta

Novanta

8452 Old Sauk Rd, Middleton, WI 53562, United States

Pizza • Italian • Vegetarian • Gluten Free


"My family wanted pizza for dinner as were we driving through Middleton on our way home after a vacation. My wife found this little spot, and we’re so glad we stopped. The restaurant sits among a string of other little shops and restaurants. When we pulled into the parking lot, we saw a four tables outside with some people at a couple of them. The inside isn’t large, with eleven tables throughout the narrow building. You order at the counter and then they give you a number. They bring the food out to you. My wife had read they had different kinds of mozzarella. Sure enough, they had four varieties: a house-made mozzarella and a water buffalo mozzarella, both of which you could also get smoked. The man at the cash register was super friendly and walked us through the cheeses and his recommendations. The pizzas come in only one size, and they’re designed to be eaten by one person. So we each picked our pizza and then customized it a bit. And for the most part, additional toppings are just $1, a great deal for a place like this. Some specialty items were $3, though. A sign in the restaurant explains that the pizzas are cooked for 90 seconds (Novanta means 90) at 900 degrees in their wood-fired oven, so it doesn’t take long to make them. The crust on the pizza was perfect. It wasn’t too crisp but just had that right amount of chewiness. The tomato sauce was wonderful with just the right amount. I had tried the Regina pizza and asked that the water buffalo mozzarella be added to one side and then added their house mozzarella to the other half. Both were good, but I’d get the water buffalo cheese again for certain. I don’t normally order a dessert, but we had been sitting a while just visiting, and I decided we should try their lemon sorbet. They serve it in the lemon peel itself. It was smooth without being overly tart. The four of us devoured it quickly. I’d highly recommend this little restaurant. The food was great and the service was outstanding!"