Amara is our take on contemporary coastal Italian cuisine featuring sharable small plates and bites, hand-crafted pastas, and entrées showcasing the bounty of Madison, Wisconsin. Our wine list features cutting edge Italian and Italian-inspired artisan wines farmed by hand and made with classical methods. Our bar showcases the art of Italian drinking including aperitifs, negronis, cocktails, and espresso.
Based on 241 reviews, the restaurant has received a rating of 4.3 stars. Price $$
✔️ Dine-in ✔️ Takeout ✔️ Delivery
Address:
670 N Midvale Blvd, Madison, WI 53705
Phone: (608) 716-7989
Social Profile: 
Hours
| Thursday | 11 AM–9 PM |
| Friday | 11 AM–10 PM |
| Saturday | 10 AM–10 PM |
| Sunday | 10 AM–9 PM |
| Monday | 11 AM–9 PM |
| Tuesday | 11 AM–9 PM |
| Wednesday | 11 AM–9 PM |
Menu
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Menu Photos
Photo Gallery
Order and Reservations
Reservations: opentable.com
Reviews
Neal Silbert
Lovely restaurant. Perfect for a nice spring evening with the open windows and walls. Great atmosphere for friends or a romantic dinner.
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Barbara Gulten
Great new mall eatery – they did a great job transforming the location to offer a mid-level upscalish venue in this area. Staff is friendly and attentive. Parking is easy since there is mall ramp parking as well as stalls in front. The small plates are decent size to share with 2 people. Reasonable prices.they need shades to block the sun so diners can be comfortable. Almost put on sunglasses. They also have a patio, great for warm weather dining. Best way is to get several dishes and sample the menu – see what you like and explore, go beyond your usual items. Enjoy!
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Heather L.
I went to Amara over the weekend for a belated birthday dinner. I was so excited to try a new Italian joint in Madison. The restaurant itself is BEAUTIFUL. They totally transformed the space from the Pasqual days. The vibe is super cool. As for the food, my family ordered two appetizers – the lamb meatballs and the calamari. I normally do not like calamari due to the texture, but Amara’s calamari was pretty good. The aioli was very tasty. The lamb meatballs were pretty good. It was a tiny bit strange that there were four pieces of bread for six meatballs. We also ordered two pasta dishes: the Mafaldine Cacio e Pepe and Paccheri. Here’s where we had some issues. The pasta noodle in the Cacio e Pepe was strange. Another noodle would have been better in my opinion, and the Cacio would do well by adding some super aged Parmigiano Reggiano. The lemon notes in the sauce were lovely. The Paccheri sauce was more of a broth than a sauce. In the picture, it’s pretty clear that the pasta noodles were not covered in a ragu. The service was excellent.
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Adam Billingsley
Absolutely fantastic atmosphere and food. The farmers garden risotto is quite possibly the most amazing and fresh tasting risotto I have ever had in my life. My partner had the Cacio è Pepe and that was beautiful with a perfect balance of Parmesan and black pepper. Don’t skip the eggplant bruschetta for your appetizer, you will not regret this beautiful blend of savory eggplant and a slight heat. The cocktails are all handcrafted and absolutely the best.
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Christienne Bures
Server Marie made dinner here a wonderful experience! She was super accommodating and friendly, and explained the specials and the menu in detail. The food was delicious and the portions were satisfying. The restaurant is decorated beautifully, with an outdoor patio that lights up at night. I recommend the Watermelon Smash drink. I’ll definitely be back!
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Kristi Munigal
Had a lovely experience at Amara! I visited during restaurant week and everything was delicious! Highly recommend the Avocado salsa Verde Bruschetta, the kumquats are a beautiful addition to the dish! Cocktails are also a must!
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Piper Winstone
Fantastic experience! Came for a late lunch and cocktails and was very impressed. We all had pastas and loved them! Lovely place to meet up with friends. Very spacious and bright and with attentive and friendly staff. Full bar with creative and delicious range of cocktails and spritzers. We all went for some of their seasonal cocktails and were very impressed. Gorgeously decorated and maintained with very nice toilet facilities.
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stacy gannon
Went for brunch and enjoyed some amazing rose, the lamb meatballs and eggs in purgatory (like an Italian Shakshouka). Incredible food. Service was tops. Patio was extremely comfortable. Prices are great for the quality of food you get. I highly recommend this place and will be back!
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Kelsey Hock
I visited Amara for the first time as it came highly recommended from a friend who lives locally. The restaurant itself is beautiful. Tables are a little close together for my liking but still comfortable. We had reservations at 5:30 as I was interested in enjoying their special happy hour that ended at 6:00. We were sat promptly and greeted soon after by our server(s), one of which was training. The happy hour was not mentioned by the servers but I found the info on the menu provided. My friend ordered the limoncello martini and since the bar did not have Chambord (was hoping for a french martini), I ordered the Cosmo. The server offered to ask the bar for something “close to” a french martini if possible and if unable to make it, to do the Cosmo.
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Mai M
Service was just a bit slow for my liking but the waiter was a very kind and caring. He mixed up our drinks though. Food was delectable. We had pan, fried lasagna and the porchetta.
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