Madison’s carnivores have a new option for everything from Chicago-style dogs to healthy vegan meats after a new specialty shop opening on Regent Street last week.
According to manager Josh Boll, OSS Madison is the new branch of Baumgartner’s Cheese Store and Tavern in Monroe. He said Baumgartner’s is the oldest cheese shop in Wisconsin and a sort of Wisconsin food “mecca” for out-of-state visitors.
Boll said OSS serves both traditional and specialty sausages from custom-made recipes developed by the owner and produced locally in Monroe and New Glarus.
According to the shop’s website, the restaurant offers Chicago-style hot dogs, Italian and Polish sausages and signature dishes such as the “Drunky Duck,” which is a maple bourbon duck sausage. Boll said the shop serves 12 local beers and ciders for customers who want a beverage to accompany their meal.
OSS Madison opened just last week, but Boll said the foot traffic from the Badgers’ hockey and basketball games have certainly helped to promote this store, which he said is “not on everyone’s radar at the moment.”
The shop’s name is a mysterious and open-ended acronym, according to Boll. With a laugh, the manager listed his favorite possibilities for the title: Our Sausage Shoppe, Only Serving Sausage, Ohio State Sucks and Order Served Satisfied.
Boll, a UW graduate, said the owners chose Madison as the home of this shop because they felt the city needed a restaurant like this.
The shop, located in the Greenbush Neighborhood between Park Regent Apartments and the Italian Workmen’s Club, is trying to make its mark on an area with a lot of cultural history, Boll said.
Ald. Shiva Bidar-Sielaff, District 5, said she thinks the history of the Regent Street area will be positive for OSS Madison. She said the Greenbush Neighborhood has a long history of being a hub for immigrants in Madison, making it a culturally diverse area where people from everywhere are welcomed.
“I think it’s a great fit with that history, “ Bidar-Sielaff said. “I think any time you have smaller businesses that are locally or regionally owned, that are kind of specialty places, I think it adds to the uniqueness of the area itself.”
Boll said students will enjoy the low price points. The menu provides full meals for under 10 dollars of locally produced foods. Although the price of meals at OSS depends on the order, Boll said the restaurant aims to provide great service and food at a fair price.
OSS Madison is located at 910 Regent St. and is open daily from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
