Madison’s Coffee shops range past state street. As a coffee lover, here are my favorites!
As students of UW Madison we accidentally tend to flock to the same cafes, Colectivo, Starbucks, Fairtrade, etc. And though all are amazing, Madison has a huge amount of different cafes that are seriously underrated. So, as a caffeine and cafe addict, here are my favorite underrated Madison coffee shops. These are off campus, so maybe a bit harder to get to for most, but are all more than worth the trek.
1. johnson Public House
Johnson Public House is located over East Johnson Street, right by James Madison Park. The exterior is a bit more retro with the bold sign, and the interior is very clean. What I love about this place is that they have seriously good coffee. My go-to coffee drink is a cappuccino. Personally, I’m not the biggest fan of a sugary coffee unless it’s a special seasonal drink (I do love a fall drink), but normally I get cappuccinos. And to me, Johnson Public House does the best Cappuccino in Madison. I love people watching through the windows, and it’s a fun vibe of young adults, and older members of the community. Plus, with its clean vibe, it’s a great place to get some work done.
2. bradbury’s Coffee
When talking about capital square coffee spots, most people know of the classics like Ancora and Wonderstate. But not everyone knows about Bradburys. Tucked away in a corner of Capital Square, Bradbury’s Coffee is a small corner shop that sells amazing coffee and crepes. The interior is so cool since it’s located in the corner of the building, and so the entire exterior is made on this corner. Their cappuccinos along with their food are so yummy, and they also have free wifi so it’s a great place to get some work done.
3. mother Fools Coffee House
Mother Fools is located on Willy Street and truly encompasses the willy street vibe. It’s colorful, it has funky paintings, big windows and strange chairs. It’s such a cozy atmosphere and everyone is so sweet. It has a cool girl next door vibe, with amazing coffee of course. Be weary though, it is a cash only place so bring cash! But if you don’t have cash, you may encounter a friendly person who will pay for your drink as a random act of kindness (that’s happened to me before).
4. colectivo (on Monroe Street)
So many people in Madison love Colectivo! So, dare I introduce you to my favorite Colectivo, the Colectivo on Monroe street. Personally, I will go out of my way to go to this Colectivo over the others. One of the reasons I love it so much is because of the fire pit in the middle of the cafe, as well as the gaping large windows throughout its entirety. It’s such an interesting place where you have a mix of students and adults coming in and out, with the classic Colectivo coffee. Plus it’s less busy than the others. It’s such an airy place in summer and super cozy in the winter. Monroe street is quite close to the Randall side of campus, so if you are a Colectivo lover and don’t necessarily want to try a new cafe, this is my ideal recommendation for you!
5. forward Craft and Coffee
Forward Craft and Coffee is my last recommendation on this list. It’s a cafe over on Atwood that specializes in cold brews! They are also open very late so they have more drink options as the day goes on. This cafe is huge, and when it’s warm out is also super airy. If you’re a flight person, they do a cold brew flight which is super fun. It’s a very clean aesthetic while having up some fun artwork! They also do events and sell merch which is always fun! Plus, they have free wifi, super comfortable seating and their cold brews come in a full on mini glass gauntlet (imagine a gauntlet that is glass); what more can you want!
With that being said, Madison has so so many adorable cafes that deserve all of the love in the world. And the further off campus you go, the more amazing hidden gems you can find! This list does not even begin to show all of the various cafes Madison has to offer. So even if these don’t speak to you, I am positive one in Madison will fit you and your vibe!