Casual Fare at Madison Kitchen

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Pops of poppy orange, new banquette seating and an airiness are hallmarks of the Madison Kitchen, which lives in the spruced-up Madison Park locale where the dim, crowded Park Place Deli spent many years. Here, neighbors stop in for coffee and a scone—one of the most tender in memory, with blueberries, lemon zest and a crunchy sugared exterior ($2.95)—or sit and stay for the unexpectedly good sandwiches, among them the roasted eggplant on Macrina sourdough with a seductive swath of basil aioli and roasted red peppers ($9.25). Even better: the breakfast egg sandwich, with its tender Macrina potato roll, bacon, arugula and egg cooked to your liking ($8.95). Say hello to the salad case. I dare you to point and choose with your eyes closed from among the six or seven daily varieties ($6.95 and $8.95)—roasted chicken with tarragon; broccoli with dried cranberries, red onion and bacon; butternut squash, brown rice, sautéed kale with maple-balsamic vinaigrette—because you can’t go wrong; they’re all better than delicious. There are take-home portions of the knockout mac and cheese ($7.95) or the tender turkey meatloaf ($8.25), too. The only catch: You’ll just have to look beyond the sometimes standoffish service. It’s worth it; the place is a gem. Tue.–Fri. 7 a.m.–7 p.m., Sat.–Sun. 8 a.m.–3 p.m. 4122 E Madison St.; 206.557.4640; madison-kitchen.com