Vendetta Coffee Bar

524 S. 2nd Street, Milwaukee

I have to say, I’m kind of tired of modern, minimal, industrial design in cafés—so it’s really nice to go in one that looks like an old place and has a warm, human feeling—looks a little pieced together and not designed by a robot. Other people must feel this way too. Pretty busy on a Wednesday morning in February—I think this Walker’s Point spot is relatively new—and probably already a favorite—but then, there seem to be plenty of customers for even more coffee shops. I decided to sit in the most secluded corner I could find—a loft-like upstairs seating area (I always love the upstairs seats in cafés) just a couple solitary people with laptops up here. Good cappuccino—and this place is going at the top of my list. I’m sitting facing a little barely conceived decorative bookshelf display, some antique-y things, lamps and Chianti bottles—almost an essay in half-ass-ed-ness. There’s a little coffin-shaped box—whatever could be in it? I’m dying to know, but I’ll force myself to wait until I’m leaving to look. Okay, I must find out—here I am now—looking inside…

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