State Street Brats

State Street Brats was founded in 1989, but its legendary Red Brats can trace their history back to the 1950s, when a local Madison butcher began making them for a restaurant called the Brathaus. State Street Brat’s owners worked at the Brathaus in the ‘70s while going to college, and purchased the recipe shortly thereafter.

The recipe remains unchanged all these years later, and these famous brats, which are smoked, split and grilled, are beloved by generations of Madisonians. The Red Brats are made from a mixture of pork and beef (the beef gives them their signature red color), and the White Brats (which are pork-only) have been provided by the legendary Bakalars Sausage Company in La Crosse Wisconsin, since 1989. When partnered with some fried cheese curds, it’s a true taste of the Badger State.