Milwaukee Coffee Shops

Established "a long time ago" in downtown Milwaukee, Alderaan Coffee is a quiet coffeehouse boasting fresh-baked goodies, a coffee lover's choice of drip, cold brew, or pour-over, and syrups made in house. There's work space with solid wifi and ample outlets for students and business types. With a simple, modern aesthetic with warm wooden accents, the average customer might not think twice about the name. But for the nerds, there are details like the Imperial blend coffee beans, blue Bantha milk that can get added to any drink, and Star Wars sound effects that sound off the hour. The owner maintains a photo album of customers in cosplay and also keeps a stash of dice behind the bar for pencil-and-paper adventures.

1560 N. Water St. Milwaukee, WI 53202, Phone: 414-395-9955

Anodyne Coffee Roasting Co. has been roasting coffee since 1999, claiming it's "the cure for what ails you." Located in the Milwaukee Public Market (as well as four other locations, including their brewery at Walker's Point), it's the perfect spot to pick up a cuppa before wandering the stalls and shops or sit and people watch the visitors at the market. With odd specials like "Bee Sting" iced latte, a turtle mocha and honey bee coffee, the eclectic, locally-brewed coffee is a favorite of locals. When the brewery moved from Bay View to Walker's Point, they converted the brew space into a Southern Italian-style pizzeria, so you can also hit S. Kinnickinnic for a "hunger remedy" as well as their legendary coffee.

400 N. Water St. Milwaukee, WI 53202, Phone: 262-888-3642

Colectivo Coffee Lakefront has been brewing coffee in Milwaukee for over 25 years and has spread all over the city, and into neighboring Madison and Chicago as well. Their Lakefront location is located right across from the marina and offers ample seating in their dog-friendly, outdoor beer patio or inside the two-story building that was once a water pump station, and the pumps are still there! A broad selection of rotating specials with interesting blends like hot pepper or blueberry coffee is served with Troubadour Bakery goodies, muffins and pastries, and during the summer they host live music and the Florentine Opera. This particular spot is always busy, but never fear! The baristas offer exceptional service and the line zips by.

1701 N Lincoln Memorial Dr, Milwaukee, WI 53202, Phone: 414-223-4551

If you're looking for a quiet and quirky spot in Walker's Point, Full of Beans Cafe is a locally-owned and operated coffee shop owned by a couple of coffee fans who enjoy things a bit on the silly end. Featuring maker nights, book clubs, and an impressive library of board games and books to enjoy, Full of Beans also makes hot and filling panins, soup du jour, and amazing pastries and pies. There's an early bird special for early risers, and a wide selection of not only coffee and tea, but also fruit smoothies and the intriguing hobberdoodle, a cookie sandwich made with cream cheese frosting. They also serve a waffle special only on the weekends that locals rave about.

184 S. 2nd Street Milwaukee WI, 53204, Phone: 414-539-6448

Hawthorne Coffee Roasters is owned by long-time baristas, and husband/wife duo Steve and Kendra Hawthorne, and the love they have for their craft is evident in every detail. Each cup is made fresh to order by pour-over, a treat well worth the wait. There are also 'adult' options from an extensive bourbon and whiskey list, sumptuous treats from savory burgers and fried chicken to fresh-made donuts on the weekend. Indecisive (and adventurous) patrons can try a "Hawthorne Flight" that features their signature pour-over, an espresso and their bourbon barrel-aged cold brew (no, you read that right) to get a true taste for what this place can offer.

4177 S Howell Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53207, Phone: 414-331-1382

If organic and ethical growing is important to you, look no further than Kickapoo Coffee - Milwaukee Cafe. Named for a neighboring watershed, this Wisconsin-based coffeehouse prides itself on frequent trips to origin to maintain an intimate relationship with its growers, resulting in a deep knowledge of the beans, the process of how they're made and processed into amazing coffee, and turn around to put their profits back into the community. On the Ground sponsors building pipelines to bring clean water to remote parts of Mexico, while the Project Congo sponsors wealth education and gender equality in coffee-growing Africa. They also run their roastery off a solar relay and sponsor local farms while serving organic, ethical coffee for their guests.

232 East Erie Street, Milwaukee, WI 53202, Phone: 414-269-8546