Alderaan Coffee

1560 N. Water St., Milwaukee

Alderaan, the world’s highest peak, has never been conquered by mortals (only snowmen). I’m just kidding—but we could easily be living in a world that boasted mountains that can’t be climbed. This coffee shop could be named after any number of versions of this word—I don’t know—and it doesn’t matter. It’s one of my favorite local spots. I’d visit way more often if I drank more coffee. Open 7 ’til 3 daily—okay hours, but not an evening spot. Its location on the odd corner of Water, Pleasant, and Jefferson make it a take-out fav—no doubt popular with dwellers of all these new crap apartments that sprung up around it—but you could hang out here if so inclined. Only a few tables, but all the seats are good, with big windows. Here’s a funny story. I enjoyed a coffee and wrote in my journal, this day—about four or five spots taken by laptoppers. Two available seats on high chairs—and I didn’t want to sit directly behind a woman sitting by herself, and stare down her neck—so I sat at the table in front of her. The tall chair made my pants hike up and expose my socks—these odd socks with snowmen facing backwards. I didn’t think about this until later, but while I was sitting there, both sock snowmen were staring right up at this woman behind me! I’m sure she probably thought I was aware of it, and just sitting there in front of her in order to be an annoying dick

4.24.24

330 Eats

330 E. State St., Milwaukee

This may be my new secret hideout. It’s “hidden” in the lobby of the 330 Kilbourn office building (I think that’s what it’s called)—one of those office buildings that look like a parody of an office building. No offense—it’s just that the world passes by office buildings faster than anything. If you think about it, is there anything more pathetic than an office building? I love places like this—off the lobby, a totally functional space. I mean, they did their best to make it nice, and it does feel comfortable to me, with a variety of places to sit—which is why I’m considering it for a secret hideout. I imagine it’s a place that people in the building get breakfast sandwiches and coffee, and they have a salad bar for lunch (they’re lucky here!). I had a little espresso, mid-morning—almost the only one there. It’s big, so that even feels more weird. I like it. One more oddity—the name is 330 Eats (terrible name), but also, a sign says: “Brim Café”—and if that isn’t enough, another sign says: “Fooda.” Three names! That’s CIA level shit! Could they not decide between any of these not-great names? Maybe I should give it my own, secret name. “Good Mornin’ America Café.” And why not another one? “Ray’s Coffee.” And a third, for good measure. “Good Measure Café.” There, that was easy. You’ll see me, occasionally, with a coffee and my notebook—but don’t try to talk to me. I’ll deny everything.

4.3.24

Grace Place Coffee

250 E. Juneau Ave., Milwaukee

I’ve visited this coffee shop many times over the years, and one reason for that is that it’s been here for a while—I don’t know when they opened—but for as long as I remember. Also, it’s close to where I live. Also, it’s comfortable, a nice place to sit, and it’s never a zoo. Meaning, busy—at least in my experience. Limited hours—M-F, 8 to Noon, and similar on Sunday, I think, because sometimes you need a little extra to get you through the sermon. So… not in the afternoon, nor on Saturday, nor before work if you work at 8am. Yet, they have an extensive coffee selection and stuff to eat. That just got me thinking—what if I found a coffee shop that served absolutely one thing: coffee. Like Mr. Coffee style, and that’s it. No steamed milk, no tea, no food, no nothin’. I might love that place. Anyway, this cafe is named such (Grace) because it’s in Grace Center, which is a building affiliated with the church, I’m assuming—right next door as it is to Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church. I don’t know what all they do in Grace Center—though I did attend a flea market here once. Anyway, I really like the Grace Place Coffee—always a good place to sit, a fine place to write, it’s quiet, they don’t beat you over the head with the Jesus, and the coffee is good.

3.20.24

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…

2.28.24

Colectivo Coffee – US Bank Café

777 E. Wisconsin Ave., Milwaukee

If the word “atrium” makes you break out in panic anxiety, I understand, and if “concourse” makes you want to run in the other direction, and if Colectivo’s “US Bank” location sounds like a bummer—I get it. This one is in my backyard and I avoided it for years—until I finally worked at a building connected via skywalks—so during very hot or cold or wet weather it became inevitable. I even ate lunch here, occasionally, whenever the menu had some decent gluten-free options. There’s an enormous cafeteria across the hall called Downtown Kitchen—a bit of a drag to eat at, but good food options including a salad bar. Colectivo did a nice job of designing their little café, here, so that it takes advantage of the open spaces and high ceilings of the connecting atrium, but they also provide somewhat intimate cubbyhole seating for escape. I always felt comfortable here—and you can kind of mix and match food, coffee, seating, etc., because as far as I know there are no fascist atrium barcode cops. There’s also general seating right out in the hall—an odd space between businesses that never seem to stay around—pretty much open to the public, all day—for chilling, warming up, meetings, trysts, caper planning, what have you.

2.7.24

Blooming Lotus Bakery

2215 E. North Ave., Milwaukee

Primarily a bakery—but they serve coffee and have few tables. Is it bad to make a place into a café for your own agenda? (Mine being, a place to sit, drink coffee, and write in a notebook.) Well, they welcome it, but I always get a bakery item here because everything is gluten-free, and in general conscious of healthier ingredients. I’m glad you can sit inside again (post-pandemic) because it’s an attractive little place, and good location (North Ave. just east of Prospect). A fun thing about sitting in there—you see the people coming in to buy stuff to go. At one time, people discovering each other’s gluten-free diets would come together like long-lost friends—but anymore, it’s a relatively common diet. Still, I can’t help feeling a kinship with celiacs of the world—and anyone, strictly gluten-free or not, might enjoy these delicious baked goods. And yes, sometimes they have doughnuts.

1.17.24

Roast Coffee Company

2132 E. Locust St., Milwaukee

My life is a roast! That’s an expression that means something like, “My life is a travesty”—but has nothing to do with this coffee shop, which is a great little place—exactly what you want from a college town spot. I say college town because it’s a few blocks from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee campus—more or less in the heart of a neighborhood populated by a lot of college students. You can tell because in the front yards are those wooden things with holes that you throw beanbags through while drinking beer. And that’s usually who you’ll see here—single young people, often working on laptops—but then sometimes a small group—it’s an ideal meeting place. In my notebook (the paper kind) I wrote that the espresso was “tasty,” so I’ll go with that. They’re open every day—and until 6pm—so that’s some functional hours. They have a website—I checked to see if it indicated when they were established—2004! I thought it felt like they’ve been around a while—and guess what? That’s twenty years!

1.3.24

Fiddleheads Coffee – BMO Tower

790 N. Water St., Milwaukee

I believe this is the only Fiddleheads Coffee in downtown Milwaukee—in the lobby of the new BMO skyscraper—though, it’s actually in what looks like a connecting building between the new BMO Tower and what I think is the old BMO building—which now looks a lot like a haunted skyscraper. Also, I don’t know what “BMO” stands for—but something, and someone knows. Also, what is a Fiddlehead? I finally looked that up—I had my guesses—totally wrong! It’s a kind of fern! Who would have guessed? I thought it had something to do with Harley-Davidsons (the motorcycles)—like some kind of engine—or else, the term for a guy who endlessly tinkers on something—like a Harley-Davidson engine. There is a lot of seating in this place, though it’s only open until 2pm—which is consistent with the Milwaukee Office Coffee Drought Syndrome (MOCDS)—you wonder how any work gets done between 3 and 5pm. Sure it feels like the lobby of an office building, but the variety of cubbyholes to hide out in, and vistas to eavesdrop from, make it pretty okay. In the heart of the coffee area there’s a big lighted sign that says: “Coffee, Eats, Goodtimes.” Good Times. For some reason, this made me think about Geneviève Bujold, in one of those Alan Rudolph movies (either Choose Me or Trouble in Mind), where she says, “Good times.” As only she can say it. If I’m here (Fiddleheads) and I’m thinking about her… good times.

12.27.23

Canary Coffee Bar

720 N. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr., Milwaukee

Definitely a hangout—and it helps that they’re always open (not literally, like George Webb, a block away—though that would be awesome). Hours are like 7am to 9pm, every day, I believe, so it seems like they’re always open. Regulars are evident. Excellent espresso and welcome sparkling water come in matching bourbon glasses—I call them that because I used to have one of these 3 or 4 ounce, little, clear glasses—and I’d only drink bourbon from it. Not tequila, not scotch, and sure as hell not coffee—but maybe it’s fitting—since the place is called Canary Coffee Bar. I really like the Canary part because I can remember it much better than those fancy-pants modern café names I can’t remember. Animals—that’s the way to go. Not to pick on this place, because it’s great—and been here a-while—but I was sitting there missing the old-school, college-town-feeling, quirky, hippie-style coffee shops. You know, places that look more like they’re decorated by a creative hippie-mom than a top-dollar, pro design team—and then look like every other cookie cutter café. Please, someone do something weird!

12.20.23

The Pfister Hotel – Lobby

424 E. Wisconsin Ave., Milwaukee

I realize that six months ago I wrote a “review” of the Starbucks at The Pfister Hotel—which is in the little café off the lobby—though you can get coffee and sit in the lobby. But even after that café and the Starbucks are closed for the day, you can get coffee in the lobby (and food, as well). It’s not like they have huge billboards advertising it—maybe they have a limited staff—but for as long as I’ve been visiting Milwaukee, I’ve found The Pfister lobby a good place to meet with people. The nice thing about hotels is they treat everyone as a guest—that’s because everyone is a guest! It’s just that some sleep over and some don’t. For some reason, though—I’ve never hung out in The Pfister lobby by myself. Maybe it just seems too sad. No matter how long I wait, Mrs. Robinson isn’t showing up. So, the other day when I ran into friends (who’ll I’ll leave anonymous), we were looking for a late-in-the-day coffee and decided on The Pfister lobby. I was in such a good mood, I got a cappuccino (rare, for me), which was delicious. They actually have a menu there, which is nice. I decided to get Brussels sprouts, which are one of my favorite foods (to eat, but not to cook) and they were excellent. I almost feel like I should keep this place a secret (though, no reason to, I guess, plus, considering how few people will see this post, I effectively am!).

12.13.23

Grace Coffee Co.

102 N. Water St., Milwaukee

A Madison coffee shop—eight locations—this is the new one in Milwaukee. It’s in the Third Ward on the corner of Water Steet and Erie—next to the drawbridge you’re always getting stuck at—an ideal location. Closest café to the Confluence. I stopped in—couldn’t have been more than a few hours after “grand opening” (I’m exaggerating) and there’s already regulars! They may have imported some from Madison. Are the Madison coffee drinkers and the Milwaukee coffee drinkers different in some significant way? People are already camped out here with laptops like they’re never gonna leave, involved in meetings, trysts, what have you. A lot of places to sit, nooks and crannies, and they have food. Open ’til 4pm, seven days a week. Good coffee.

12.6.23

Rochambo Coffee & Tea House

1317 E. Brady St., Milwaukee

Their website indicates it’s been around since 1995, which is a long time for a coffee shop or any business, and I’m glad they survived the pandemic (a couple of others in the vicinity didn’t). Really, though, Rochambo feels like it could have been around for much longer than that—like from any number of earlier decades—and I mean that in a good way. I hadn’t visited in a while (only because I’m cutting way down on coffee and spending, out of necessity—and also, I’m trying to hit all of them). In a way, it felt no different than the last time I stopped in for coffee. But on the other hand, it felt really different, like something has been revitalized. I’m not really sure which hand to believe, but I guess there’s no reason not to let both of those feelings exist. I had a very good espresso and checked out the various sitting options—there’s an upstairs, which is nice. It felt kind of like everyone here knew each other, which I like—it feels like a real hangout. There must be every day regulars. If I was going to be a regular at a coffee house, this might be the place. They’re open relatively late (7pm), so that’s good, and every day.

11.15.23

Benji’s Deli

4156 N. Oakland Ave., Shorewood

It’s a deli, and a diner—but here I’m approaching it as a place for a cup of coffee. You can sit at the counter—and I suppose if it’s not too busy, you could sit here alone at a booth or a table and get something done. I remember when they remodeled—about 20 years back, I’m guessing—and I was disappointed—it had looked better before. But now I can’t remember the old look, and it’s been the same for a while, and it looks great. There’s a big TV on one wall—is that new? Anyway, the sound was off when I was here—TV is bearable with the sound off. No music, either, which is good. I had a regular cup of coffee, and one refill. Seeing how I’ve been drinking only espresso lately, I forgot what a regular cup of black coffee tasted like—the singular pleasure in a normal cup of black coffee—really good. Maybe I’ll go back to coffee. Definitely the next time I’m at Benji’s. Good food here, too, but that’s for another time. As a place to meet someone, or go with someone to talk, you can’t beat it.

11.8.23

Interval – Bay View

2268 S. Kinnickinnic Ave., Milwaukee

My new favorite coffee corner—when the coffee shop that was at this location (was it Stone Creek?) closed, I was kind of sad, since it’s a good spot with a nice outdoor area, too. So I was happy when this Interval opened (they have another place on the East Side). It’s a really good, no-nonsense café, nothing at all annoying about it—unless it’s maybe too classy. Good place to sit inside and get something done. Of course, the best seats are the ones by the window—a corner with a lot of action (though too many cars). I really like their espresso—my favorite anywhere, lately. I also like how it comes with a little half glass of sparking water. That’s—for me—the perfect thing with espresso. Not a pickled pumpkinseed, radiated sugar knob, piece of sea glass, Vegas die, chocolate thimble, generic lemonhead, intestinal pea—while I appreciate the cleverness of those offerings—half a glass of sparking water is perfect. No-nonsense. Really good coffee.

11.1.23

Grind – UWM Golda Meir Library

2311 E. Hartford Ave., Milwaukee

Not really a coffee shop, but arguably better—it’s a library! There’s a little coffee counter, not far from the entrance on the first floor, along with plenty of places to sit. One thing about college libraries—plenty of places to sit. Also, good bathrooms. I got a double espresso—it came in a little paper cup like to dispense your pills in the hospital. I had a feeling I was the first one ever to get plain espresso here—I mean, rather than a spicy milkshake with a “shot” of espresso. Someone in line even made a comment… like, “Hardcore old-timer!” Something. I don’t think they take cash… I’m not sure… anyway, I always use a credit card… but you can’t put tips on your card, so I put a couple of dollars in the tip jar and about doubled its contents. For me, the coffee area is a bit chaotic—though I’m not sure you can’t take your coffee anywhere in the library. I drank it while it was hot, anyway, and if I was intending to hang out there and read or write in a notebook, I’d find a cool spot soon enough. If I was a student there, I’d have my secret spots. Why didn’t they have a coffee shop in the library when I was in school? Sure would have been welcome. I did a lot of sleeping in the library!

10.25.23

Anodyne Bay View Café & Pizza

2920 S. Kinnickinnic Ave., Milwaukee

A neighborhood hangout coffee shop with a variety of places to sit around the operations island in the middle—I’ve visited a lot (occasionally just to pee, I admit; it’s got a great location if you’re traveling from point A to B). Good coffee, and I like Anodyne—there are a few. It’s always busy, which is a good thing, and I’ve always found a seat. On this latest visit, the music was too loud—good music, at least—but still too loud (for me). There is the extra bonus here, if you come by later in the day, of pizza! They’ve got the cutest Italian style woodburning pizza oven—it’s something. I can’t speak for the pizza—since I can’t eat pizza. I don’t miss eating pizza so much as being able to get involved in the endless pizza debate—what style, what city, and which in our city is best. I’m still trying to relive the memory of my favorite pizza ever (from when I could eat it)—this was the late 1970s, Columbus, Ohio—I don’t remember the name of the place, or where exactly it was, or even what I liked so much about it—but I remember how good that pizza was—I’ll never forget it! So, if you can, live a little, eat pizza! And make sure to weigh in on this one!

10.18.23

Kimpton Journeyman Hotel

310 E. Chicago St., Milwaukee

That name is far too long, but I like the “Journeyman” part—I guess it’s part of the Kimpton “boutique” hotel chain—this one relatively new in Milwaukee—they built it since I moved back here. My cynical side assumes boutique hotel means to charge more money for what should be standard (towels that you can dry yourself with, no blood stains, no bedbugs), but my other side likes the style, and that they sometimes renovate old buildings. It’s a swank place, and I generally look like I’m an out of work clown, but I relaxed at the hotel lobby bar and the guy happily made me an espresso. People working at a place like this have no obligation to someone stepping in off the street—they know I’m not a guest—they don’t get reprimanded if they treat me like an asshole, and they get no gold star for being nice. But they were nice, and I talked to the woman working there about the restaurant—looked at a menu, etc. And I observed the hotel lobby scene for an hour and then used the impeccable bathroom.

6.21.23

The Pfister Hotel – Starbucks

424 E. Wisconsin Ave., Milwaukee

If you happen to be in downtown Milwaukee on the East Side, midday, and desire a coffee, there’s no more convenient place, really—The Pfister Hotel is pretty much dead-center (I don’t know where else the center would be, expect my apartment, but that would be kind of egocentric to proclaim). The Starbucks is in the Pfister Café—I’m not sure if it’s a Starbucks “franchise” or not, but it’s one where you can add a tip to your check, for whatever that’s worth (it’s worth something to the employees). You can get coffee to go, or even better, sit in the Pfister lobby, which is one of the more spectacular and elegant spots in town. You might see celebrities, politicians, rock stars, pro athletes, ghost hunters, or just modest lovers of elegance and coffee like yourself. It was just in the news, another incident of a baseball player encountering a ghost. The ghosts seem to like baseball players for some reason. You don’t necessarily get a haunted feeling sitting in the lobby, but you can imagine it’s 100 years ago. And if you have a chance to explore, I’m sure that place has some secret rooms forgotten by all but the wandering spirits.

6.14.23

Colectivo Coffee – Lakefront

1701 N. Lincoln Memorial Dr., Milwaukee

By far my favorite building that is also a café—it’s formerly the Milwaukee River Flushing Station, which was a giant pump built to deal with river pollution—built in 1888. That kind of industrial site built today would be ugly, but back then they felt the need to build a beautiful brick structure with tall, arched windows. Check the excellent article at the OnMilwaukee website for history of the building and Colectivo’s transformation of it into a café. I would visit more than any other café except for its great popularity, which means it’s always a zoo. They do have outdoor seating in warmer weather, so that alleviates the crowds a bit—people love sitting outside, even with all that car noise. For me, the ideal is to get a seat inside, and there are multiple levels open to sitting with food and coffee—great vistas from all—including good people watching. The side with the old pump structure is spectacular—it kind of looks like the “atomic pile” in the Batcave. There are a few interesting cubbyhole hideout seats, if you look for them—I imagine people have their favorites. My fav is the small table on the landing, halfway up to the 2nd seating level—from there you see the entire café side—and there is a secret place to hide notes—it’s where I like to propose meetings and trysts, share passwords and cryptic texts.

5.31.23

Sip & Purr Cat Café

2021 E. Ivanhoe Place, Milwaukee

Somewhat odd hours (Wed. thru Sat. 12 to 8pm, Sun. 12 to 6pm)—not open mornings is my only complaint, but then they are open late, which is nice, and open Sunday—so that all makes up for it. This is one of my favorite cafés in town—Milwaukee’s “very first” cat café—are there more open now? I don’t know about any, but of course I’ll be on the lookout. It’s a great concept—do I even need to say that? Would you rather watch a cat, or a person being zombized by a laptop? Would you rather have a cat in your lap, or a job in your lap, that you can never leave? The L-shaped cat part and the L-shaped café part are separate, so you can just treat it as a regular café and watch cats and people visiting them through glass windows. You need to get a reservation for entry to the cat part, and there is a fee. Wednesday and Friday it’s only $8—so I might do that sometime, being careful not to get attached, since I can’t adopt a cat right now. All the cats are up for adoption. They used to have more gluten-free made-there food—and may have more in the future. My espresso was extra excellent, so I asked about it, and the purr-ista said it was coffee from Ruby Coffee Roasters, in Nelsonville, which isn’t exactly close by, so they must really like it—I did.

5.17.23