L'Etoile Restaurant
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L'Etoile is a fine dining restaurant in Madison, WI. Our seasonal menus are inspired by the artisans and small sustainable farms of the Midwest.
L’Etoile has served local and seasonal offerings since it first opened its doors in 1976. Former owner Odessa Piper, a pioneer of the sustainable food movement, prided herself in the cultivation of strong farm-to-restaurant relationships. Her support of Madison area farms and artisan producers helped grow what is now the largest producer-only farmers’ market in the nation. Through the years, L’Etoile has become known as a “shining star” in the Midwest for its consistence in quality and service. L’Etoile, under Chef Tory, continues to win high praise both locally and nationally for its excellence in food and service. Recent recognitions include Gourmet Magazine’s “America’s Top 50 Restaurants”, Saveur’s “Top 100” and the title of Madison Magazine’s “2010 Chef of the Year," as well as Chef Tory's James Beard "Best Chef: Midwest" Award in 2012. We still believe that supporting our local farmers and artisan producers has a direct impact on our community: it strengthens local economies; it encourages variety and enriches our food traditions; it promotes health and wellness by offering menus made from natural and wholesome ingredients. We will always have local and seasonal ingredients on our menu, no matter the season.
09/22/2026
We invite you to join us for the seventh event of our 2026 50th Anniversary Dinner Series: "An Evening with Hamel Family W**es," taking place on Wednesday, October 21st.
Committed to dry farming and biodynamic practices, the w**es of Hamel are grown along the western slopes of the Mayacamas Mountains in Sonoma, California, and express the energy and character of ancient volcanic soil.
John Hamel, Director of W**egrowing, will lead guests through a lineup of six Hamel releases, including single vineyard expressions of Cabernet Sauvignon, accompanied by a five course tasting menu from Chef Tory and the L'Etoile team.
L’Etoile and Hamel Family W**es have been collaborating for almost twenty years in both culinary and philanthropic settings. Chef Tory, W**e Director Michael Kwas, and the entire L'Etoile team are excited to partner with Hamel once again for this dinner, which promises a dynamic fusion of late fall market ingredients with Hamel’s signature energetic and textured red w**es.
Reservations are available now via our website.
Join us every Wednesday and Thursday at the L'Etoile Restaurant bar for a very special burger! Uplands Cheese and Son of a Beach Beef aged beef, Alpinage Raclette, caramelized pickled onions, steak au poivre sauce served with beef fat frites with truffle fry sauce. Pair it with a glass of w**e curated by our Sommelier, Michael Kwas, or a beef fat washed J. Henry & Sons Wisconsin Straight Bourbon Old Fashioned! Only at the bar - Only Wednesday & Thursdays ⭐️
08/25/2026
Join us at L’Etoile on Saturday, September 5th for a special one-off “Supper Club” dinner for two featuring Uplands beef, located in Dodgeville, WI.
This event will feature a steakhouse-style menu with oyster on the half shell, wedge salad, Japanese milk bread, 80-day dry aged Uplands steak with accompaniments, and dessert - all with a signature L’Etoile flair.
Kindly purchase tickets only in even-number quantities, as each steak is portioned for two guests. We hope you’ll join us for this celebration of Uplands Farm Beef and the classic Wisconsin Supper Club!
08/12/2026
Bay Scallop Mulhoe | sugar cube melon, gochujang, cucumber, heirloom tomatoes, Barnard Farm apricots, ground cherry, Jeju tangerine vinegar | a refreshing, sweet and spicy first course.
07/29/2026
Gâteau Victoire | espresso mascarpone, cherry framboise sorbet | the new finale to our tasting menu.
07/23/2026
Founding Chef Odessa Piper, alongside Executive Chef Tory Miller, are proud to present L'Etoile's 50th Anniversary Dinner, taking place on Friday, August 7th and Saturday, August 8th.
Chefs Tory and Odessa are excited to join forces and collaborate on a special five course tasting menu experience, utilizing peak Wisconsin summer fare from our favorite market producers while celebrating fifty years of the Midwest's "shining star" restaurant. A beverage pairing, curated by the L'Etoile team, is included in the ticket cost. Reservations available now.
A new opening dish for our Tasting Menu | Cook Inlet Sockeye Salmon “pastrami” |
Green Barn Farm English pea tart, smoked salmon rillettes, golden kaluga caviar, crème fraiche, rye, Russian dressing.
07/09/2026
L’Etoile Garden Anise Hyssop Pavlova with strawberry sorbet and lemon drizzle cake | Market Berry Trifle with whipped cheesecake, honey graham crumble, gin fizz sorbet, and lemon verbena syrup. It’s a joy to utilize the gorgeous berries from the Dane County Farmers Market and herbs from our garden!
06/25/2026
Join us for the fifth event of our 2026 50th Anniversary Dinner Series: a special dinner featuring nationally acclaimed Korean-American chefs! We are honored to welcome the following chefs to L’Etoile on Tuesday, July 21st for a collaborative six course tasting menu experience, accompanied by a beverage pairing from the L’Etoile team:
-Edward Lee, James Beard award winning & Emmy nominated chef & author; chef-owner of 610 Magnolia (Louisville, KY) and culinary director of Succotash (National Harbor, MD) and Penn Quarter (Washington, DC)
-Chris Jung, Executive Chef of Maxwells Trading (Chicago, IL) and 2025 James Beard “Best Chef: Great Lakes” finalist
-Melanie Meyer, chef-owner of Tiny Chef (St. Louis, MO)
-Deuki Hong, chef-owner of SŌHN (San Francisco, CA) & NYT Bestselling author
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Contact the business
Telephone
Address
1 S Pinckney Street, Ste 107
Madison, WI
53703
Opening Hours
| Wednesday | 5pm - 8:15pm |
| Thursday | 5pm - 8:15pm |
| Friday | 5pm - 8:45pm |
| Saturday | 5pm - 8:45pm |