The Madison Foodie group leaves its mark on Wisconsin’s food scene

As a touring musician, Madison-based Dan Neuman has always had a food philosophy: Don’t eat on the road what you can eat at home.

“I’ve always been the guy who always wanted to know, ‘Where’s that little place where the locals eat?'” Neuman recently told WPR’s “Wisconsin Today.” “Even if I’m just driving to Appleton, I want to eat something in Appleton that I can’t get in Madison.”

In 2019, Neuman began traveling to Milwaukee regularly after landing a job as music director at a local church. He searched social media for recommendations on where to eat and came across a Facebook group called Milwaukee Foodie.

Neuman, who goes by the nickname “Spiffy,” realized Madison could benefit from a similar group, so after searching around and not finding one that was currently active, he founded Madison Foodie in December 2022.

In the group’s first year of existence, membership was in the few hundred or few thousand, according to Neuman. He was the one who most motivated the group with his contributions to keep the momentum going.

Then, earlier this year, Madison Foodie experienced a huge influx of new members. In a short period of time, the site went from being a relatively quiet site with a few thousand participants to an active meeting place for nearly 50,000 members. Last month, the group averaged 80 posts per day.

“Food is something that everyone is passionate about,” Neuman said. “Everyone has strong opinions about it because everyone eats.”

Madison Foodie’s posts mostly consist of restaurant reviews, both positive and critical, and requests for recommendations. These might be about finding a romantic place for a date night or looking for the best ramen in town. While most discussions revolve around going out, group members also share recipes and post photos of homemade meals.

And posts about where to get the best beer bratwurst, fish or frozen custard in town give the group a distinctly local feel. Although the group is based in Madison, the state capital, Neuman wants it to be a welcoming place for people from all over Wisconsin.

“There is an attitude of ‘everyone is welcome,'” he said, pointing to recent posts asking for restaurant recommendations in La Crosse and Green Bay.

Although the term “foodie” is often associated with fine dining, discussions in Madison Foodie often revolve around affordable food like food trucks, burger joints, or small snack bars.

Neuman calls himself a “budget foodie” and is happy that the group celebrates budget-friendly options.

“People are looking for ways to improve their lives without spending a lot of money,” he said.

Over time, Madison Foodie has become “more than just a Facebook group,” Neuman said. He first noticed it when a local restaurant posted a glowing review of another restaurant from its business account – a rare occurrence on the internet, he said.

Neuman was also impressed by the group’s neighborly spirit when Madison Foodies recently reached out to a grieving family, providing food and financial support following the sudden death of their young daughter.

“It was really a great example of community,” he said.

As Madison Foodie continues to expand, Neuman hopes it remains a friendly and welcoming destination for foodies from across the state to celebrate their favorite local spots and provide honest reviews and comments.

“Who knows, maybe it’s the perfect storm,” he said. “And maybe it will work forever, maybe it won’t.”