- What makes Madison a great place for coffee lovers?
- Madison, Wisconsin, located between lakes Mendota and Monona, offers a thriving café scene. Whether you need a caffeinated pick-me-up on busy days or a cozy spot to relax with friends, the city provides a wide variety of excellent coffee spots. You can find everything from third-wave, independent coffee shops to popular well-known brands.
- What makes Madison's café scene unique?
- The city's café scene is as vibrant as its energy, with bustling coffee shops located throughout the area, including some near the iconic domed Wisconsin State Capitol. Whether you want hot or cold coffee, Madison has the perfect spot for any coffee enthusiast.
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1. Ancora Coffee
Established in 1994, Ancora is a coffee institution that brings Seattle-style café life to Madison. With two charming little coffee shops on University Avenue and King Street, Ancora serves organic fair-trade coffees, and a range of delicious fare from breakfast tacos to banana bread French toast to gourmet sandwiches, homemade soups, and fresh salads for lunch. Both cafés have bright and friendly atmospheres with gleaming white tiles, colorful wallpaper, and ample seating, and serve an array of coffee from standard cappuccinos and espressos to iced coffee and a variety of teas.
107 King St, Madison, WI 53703, Phone: 608-255-0285
2. Barriques - West Wash
Barriques is a half-wine, half-coffee shop with four locations around the city that serves fantastic coffee and fine wines from around the world. The unique shop was established in 1998 and has been a Madison staple ever since, offering freshly roasted coffee, wine by the glass, and a delicious food menu of hearty farm-to-table fare made with fresh locally sourced ingredients. The menu features grilled cheeses and market grain bowls, pulled pork quesadilla, and homemade sweet treats like pumpkin chocolate chip bread. The cafés have complimentary wireless Internet and are good spots for working and studying.
1825 Monroe St., Madison WI 53711, Phone: 608-284-9463
3. Bradbury's Coffee
Bradbury’s Coffee is a casual, neighborhood coffee shop that prides itself on sustainability, using coffee beans from Kickapoo Coffee in Viroqua and locally sourced, seasonal ingredients to prepare mouthwatering food. The café boasts an intimate, triangular-shaped space with communal tables and a friendly community atmosphere. The food menu features farm-to-table fare such as a rotating menu of savory and sweet crepes, ranging from dark chocolate, caramel, and sea salt to cheese and vegetables. The coffee menu offers a variety of standard drinks like americano, cappuccino, macchiato, and espresso, as well as various teas and other hot and cold beverages.
127 North Hamilton Street, Madison, Wisconsin, Phone: 608-204-0474
4. Cafe Domestique
Cafe Domestique is a cycle-and-coffee shop on Williamson Street that fuels coffee shop needs with coffee from Intelligentsia Coffee Roasters and sweet treats from neighbor Batch Bakehouse. The coffee shop is situated close to the Capital City bike path and caters to the cycling crowd by airing cycling races like the Tour de France and hosting group bike rides around the city. The coffee menu offers a variety of standard drinks like americano, cappuccino, macchiato, and espresso, as well as various teas and other hot and cold beverages. The second Cafe Domestique café shares space with 1 OAK bicycle shop in nearby Paoli.
1408 Williamson St, Madison, WI 53703, Phone: 608-563-8456
5. Colectivo Coffee - On the Square
Located on the ground floor of Tenney Plaza, Colectivo on the Square is a hip café chain serving locally roasted coffee and light bites in a casual, friendly setting. Based in a beautiful 1930s historic Art Deco building on the corner of Pinckney and Main Streets, the café is situated in the heart of bustling city center and close to the Dane County Farmers Market. The restaurant is part of a Milwaukee-based chain of coffee roasters and cafés and features comfy décor, ample seating, and an outside patio for outdoor dining in the summer months.
25 S Pinckney St, Madison, WI 53703, Phone: 608-255-0474
6. EVP Coffee University Row
EVP Coffee is a local, independent, and woman-owned coffee shop on Highland Avenue that has six locations that serve fresh, locally roasted coffee and an extensive list of Rishi Teas. The café offers a variety of coffee beverages from cappuccinos and lattes to mochas and hot chocolate, as well as a vast selection of single-origin organic and Fair-Trade coffees, all of which use the highest quality ingredients. EVP Coffee makes many products in-house, including EVP Masala Chai concentrate for chai lattes, and offers complimentary wireless Internet in all of the stores.
741 University Row, Madison, WI 53705, Phone: 608-709-1126
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