1. Valentine Coffee Roasters
EVAN MUSIL, ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR
The smooth, fine roasts made by Valentine were my first Milwaukee coffee love, and they remain my go-to for at-home brewing, a quick cup on the run, and a gift bag of beans for out-of-town friends. My order’s a little plain-Jane – just a mug of drip or a cortado if I’m feeling fancy. 189 N. Milwaukee St.; 5918 W. Vliet St.; 3126 N. Downer Ave.
2. Vennture Brew Co.
CHELSEA MAMEROW, CREATIVE DIRECTOR
I am loyal to Vennture for a few reasons. First, I lived a few blocks away when they opened, and I really do like the coffee. More than that, I like the people – the owners, baristas and the fellow patrons I meet, which happens because my laptop and I can post up at the bar and conversation nearly always ensues. Bonus reason, I can switch to beer at any time! More often than not I order a drip coffee, black, but if I’m feeling fancy, I’ll upgrade to a pour over or indulge with an 8 oz. double shot mocha. 5519 W. North Ave.
3. Fiddleheads Coffee
LIZZY PANTOGA-MONTOTO, EDITORIAL INTERN
While there are several locations, the BMO Tower Fiddleheads location is just a hop, skip and a jump away from my abode, so it’s the one I frequent most often. Pimple patches and pajamas on, I like to stick out amongst the suits! An iced – always iced, rain or shine – French vanilla latte is my favorite indulgence. 790 N. Water St.
Tell us who you’d pick to be a Betty this year!
4. Blum Coffee Garden
EMMA RAFFERTY, ASSOCIATE DIGITAL MARKETING COORDINATOR
As a non-coffee gal I always am on the hunt for a good hot cocoa (note: specifically ones that won’t torment my stomach). Blum has a great atmosphere to sit back and enjoy the scenery – and more importantly, the drink! 4930 W. Loomis Rd., Greenfield
5. Sweet Joy Brazilian Cafe
PIPER PORRETTO-HARRIED, EDITORIAL INTERN
Though I love Colectivo and a classic salted caramel iced latte as much as the next gal, I think Sweet Joy on Brady Street is a highly underrated spot with a refreshingly green atmosphere and unique drinks. Their rich chaider (chai and apple cider) in the fall and their airy lavender honey latte in the summer are utterly scrumptious. 1208 E. Brady St.
6. Rochambo Coffee & Tea House
JANE PATTERSON, EDITORIAL INTERN
For both coffee and atmosphere, I head to Rochambo on Brady. I order a Lavender Love latte – an espresso base with lavender infusion and caramel syrup. You get to watch them craft it with the “love” stated in the name of the drink, and they put the cutest little doodles on the cup or coffee sleeve. Enjoying it among the earthy vibe and customer-graffitied walls is an absolute must. Bonus: the Bee Kind latte is a close runner up, and they make a mean Americano as well! 1317 E. Brady St.
7. Anodyne in Walker’s Point
ARCHER PARQUETTE, MANAGING EDITOR
The thing about me is that I’m extremely cool and also very mysterious and masculine. When I walk down the street, people say, “Wow, who is that cool, mysterious, masculine person?” Instead of an answer, I just tip my fedora, kick my heelys and roll away. In order to live up to this aura I have cultivated, I must drink something suitably cool, mysterious and masculine, of course – hence my go-to order of black drip coffee. It’s pretty hard to mess that up – and my standards are Maxwell House Instant low – so it would be a lie to say I go to the Anodyne in Walker’s Point specifically for the coffee itself. The coffee’s good, but what keeps me coming back is the atmosphere in this former industrial space – rustic wooden tables, strings of lights overhead, high ceilings, lots of space to set up shop and type the latest chapter of my new novel Parker Arquette’s Secret Agent Space Adventures. Anodyne is a cafe that nails the unbeatable feeling of sitting back, sipping an incredibly cool black coffee, and making the most of your morning. 224 W. Bruce St.
8. Stone Creek Coffee – Factory Café
KATY WOODS, JUNIOR DESIGNER
Stone Creek Coffee has never let me down and they have the most delicious bakery items. This specific location has the best environment for reading while sipping on my coffee. My go-to order has always been simple: a large iced caramel latte and a warmed morning bun on the side. 422 N. Fifth St.
9. Colectivo Coffee (and Fiddleheads!)
SOPHIE YUFA, EDITORIAL DESIGNER
My favorite place for a coffee is Colectivo. Right now, I’m loving their iced matcha latte with lavender syrup … which is not coffee or original, I know. 4500 N. Oakland Ave., Shorewood
But I also like to grab food with my drink order, usually, and my favorite place for that is Fiddleheads. My go-to is their bacon, egg, and cheese on an English muffin (or maybe biscuit?) explicitly because they add a zesty ranch sauce. I live in Shorewood, where these places are within walking distance from each other so I can hit both for each thing. 4334 N. Oakland Ave., Shorewood
