Sherman Terrace - Madison, WI Area Guide

The area around Sherman Avenue, in what is now the neighborhood of Sherman Terrace, was part of the original plans for the city of Madison. The avenue followed the shoreline of Lake Mendota and was the first street to deviate from the grid pattern laid out in 1836 by land agent, James Duane Doty. The area grew in population towards the end of the 19th century and continued to develop economically and in population throughout the next century.

The Madison area has many small art galleries and larger museums, such as the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art. A small but thriving theater scene exists here with venues such as the Broom Street Theater and Barrymore Theater.

Even Louisiana natives agree that New Orleans Take Out serves authentic food from the bayou. This takeout joints cooks up fluffy cornbread, flaky blackened catfish, dirty rice and gumbo that gets mouths watering in Sherman Terrace. If the jambalaya and red beans set your mouth on fire, help is just a short walk away at the Chocolate Shoppe Ice Cream Company. This neighborhood favorite gets hopping in the warm summer months with a large selection of flavors for cups and cones. The Dairy State serves great ice cream, and the Shoppe comes through with a variety of selections, including birthday cake, caramel chaos and brownie cascade.

For Asian-inspired fare in Sherman Terrace, residents know to call China Wok. With inexpensive food served fast, China Wok serves as the go-to place for take out and delivery in the area although you can dine in as well. Appetizers such as the crispy bean curd get you set up for main dishes of lo mein, chow mein and moo goo gai pan.

Some of the closest nightlife establishments to Sherman Terrace are located on Atwood Avenue and Winnebago Street. Players Sports Bar features taps, bottles and mixed drinks alongside ping pong, pool and darts, with a jukebox thrown in for good measure. Make sure to hit the ATM before heading to this cash-only bar.

For a larger concentration of nightspots, residents head a half mile southeast to Schenck's Corners and put a pub crawl together, stopping at the Ideal Bar, Alchemy, One Barrel Brewing and the Harmony Grill, to name but a few of the dozen or so drinking establishments that lie within a few blocks of one another. For live music, national touring bands often make a stop in Madison to play the Barrymore Theater or the High Noon Saloon down East Wash — how the locals refer to the eastern stretch of Washington Avenue.

Residents of Sherman Terrace can take the two-lane Gorham Street for trips downtown, and use Johnson Street for the journey back. State Trunk Highway 30 can be used to access Interstate 94 for trips east to Milwaukee or to merge with Interstate 94 to travel southeast to Chicago.

For public transportation, the Metro Transit System serves the city with dozen of bus routes. With the downtown Capital Square as a hub, buses travel to four transfer points at locations north, south, east and west. For a $2 fare and free transfer, residents in Sherman Terrace can access buses at street stops or at the North Transfer Point hub.

There are plenty of taxis that serve Madison and Sherman Terrace, although it is better to phone for cab service than try to hail one on the street. Free parking is available on the streets of the neighborhood, but residents need to pay close attention to signs that indicate parking restrictions for different days of the week and months of the year. Residents can also use Uber in Madison as well.

Bike trails crisscross the neighborhoods of Madison, and Sherman Terrace cyclists and riders can enjoy these paths for exercise and to get from one neighborhood to another.

Madison is dotted with many free public parks that are great for kids and your leashed pets. Small green spaces in Sherman Terrace, such as Johnson Park, are great for relaxing while keeping a close eye on the kids. The larger Demetral Field allows for softball and soccer games, and Tenney Park has a small swimming beach near where the lake feeds into the Yahara River. The Yahara, which cuts across the isthmus and joins with Lake Mendota to the south, offers boating and kayaking opportunities. Exercise enthusiasts appreciate the bike and walking paths as well.

Madison is host to many annual outdoor festivals from June to September. Art Fair on the Square takes over the streets surrounding the capital building every July. Events such as Yahara Riverfest, Marquette Waterfront Festival and Orton Park Festival, provide residents the opportunity to spend time outdoors with the family, listen to live music and sample the local cuisine.

Madison has a higher cost of living than much of the rest of the state, and with the exception of restaurant prices, Madison is more expensive than the larger Wisconsin city of Milwaukee. A $2 fare gets you downtown from Sherman Terrace on the Metro bus. The average rental price for a one-bedroom apartment is $780.53. Enjoying one of Wisconsin's great local or regional beers costs about $4 for a pint, while a bottle of domestic costs about $3. Gas prices in Sherman Terrace are typically just a few cents under the national average.

East Towne Mall is a short trip up Washington Avenue, where residents can shop at American Eagle Outfitters, Bath & Body Works and Payless ShoeSource. The Good Style shop, just south of Sherman Terrace, features many great bargains on vintage clothing. For the active Madisonian, Catalyst is the place to buy activewear for jogging, biking and yoga, while Newport’s Wooden Furnishing has been producing handcrafted furniture for the homes of Madison for 30 years.

Copps grocery store is the closest place for residents to take care of all their grocery shopping needs, with a wide selection of fresh produce at affordable prices. The Dane County Farmers Market, held in the Capital Square every Saturday throughout the summer, remains quite popular and has people traveling from around the state to buy and sell produce and other goods. Get there early, because it does get crowded. In the winter months, the market changes locations and moves indoors.