Madison's at the Lake Merritt Hotel

The Terrace Room’s art-deco furnishings, elaborate ironwork, and white-draped tables evoke an elegant supper-club vibe that complements the restaurant’s classy confines in the Lake Merritt Hotel, built in 1927. The eatery’s upscale American dishes borrow influences of Cajun, French, and Italian cuisines, which chefs skillfully weave together and artfully plate to cultivate a sophisticated and luxurious dining experience. Amid picturesque murals and panoramic views of Lake Merritt, dishes parade out of the kitchen bearing local and seasonal ingredients, as well as organic touches, such at the Bison chocolate stout that flavors battered fish 'n' chips. Chicken and dumplings sate stomachs with tender meat from Petaluma free-range chickens—a tasty and humane alternative to chicken cooped up in a cubicle all day—and the menu brims with sustainable seafood, platefuls of pasta, and flavorful cuts of beef. Servers splash wine into glasses, or bring up bottles of requested vinos for those hoping to discover the flavorful bounty or Cracker Jack prize inside.