Hawthorne Coffee Roasters — Restaurant in Milwaukee

First time here. To be honest, when I pulled up to the building, I wasn't sure if it was open or not. But they had a sandwich board out front, and I saw someone else go in.

Once inside there's a cheerful counter with some plants, pictures and knick-knacks. It looks a lot like a bar, and they do serve cocktails there. The bar/barista area has several tables for small groups. There is a larger area towards the rear, and that can hold many more people. You can also sit at the bar, with outlets for electronics. To me, it seemed a bit on the dark side. But I am used to coffee shops with large front windows.

Got a friendly greeting by one of the staff, Amy who was helpful with my order. I wanted my usual London Fog Tea Latte (little lavender, little vanilla, extra foam), but she gave me the bad news that they didn't have those flavors, but suggested honey instead. Hey, I'm up for a new experience. I had also asked to have it in a mug. And although they didn't have one there, they tracked one down (in the bosses office), crisis averted. The scones looked good, so I ordered a White Chocolate Cranberry.

After a little while they brought my tea out in a small tray. With a spoon and small glass for the used tea bag. I appreciate that luxury. Both the tea latte and the scone were excellent. The honey (instead of lavender & vanilla) had a subtle sweetness. The scone was actually a scone, and not a muffin in disquise. I learned that they make the bakery on-site. The place has a chill vibe, it was very quiet, and a good spot for casual conversations.

It's an unusual looking coffee shop. Once you adjust to the layout and the lighting, it has a nice feel. Great service by both Zac and Amy. And both items that I got were excellent. Would...

The best part of waking up, is Hawthorne Coffee Roasters’ Espresso & Tonic, in your cup. ™

The Espresso Tonic is a humble beverage with a simple build and a sophisticated depth of flavor that made it’s debut in Oslo around 2007 and shortly thereafter took the Espress-o-train across the ol’ pond sometime in the mid 2010’s.

I discovered this drink, if memory serves, at some bougie coffee shop in Austin ~ 4-5 years ago and started trying them everywhere I saw them on the menu. (Even requesting them sometimes when I didn’t see them on the menu, like I learned from my mother).

I’ve even tried making my own, but they never quite compare to @hawthornecoffee ‘s combination of tonic + bitters + espresso + orange peel + love that makes theirs the best in all the land. What you see in photo 1 there is my favorite coffee drink in Milwaukee, and with a price point of $5.50, it won’t break the bank.

I guess I should also mention that they also have a fresh daily assortment of baked goods that always include a few scones and muffins. Photo 2 shows their “Bourbon Old Fashioned” muffin that Madda loves.

If you have the time, try one of their breakfast sandwiches, make sure you get them to toast it up and add a side of the pimento-ish cheese dip/ spread that is in their cooler, trust me on this one. Their other sandwiches are good too, but usually I’m in the mood for some breakfast.

*They get slammed on the weekends and can take a while to pump things out, so get there early if you’re in a hurry or come on a weekday and cruise right on through.

The interior leaves a bit to be desired, but as you know we love stuff on the walls. I’m ok if they just keep focusing on their products and leave the frilly...

While I only would give this place three stars for service, food, and value, it gets four stars for just being here! We don't have many coffee shops in this neighborhood and this one is really stepping up to the plate. I love the ambiance of the place, the decor and style of it is right up my alley - rustic, quirky, fun, and cozy. The service was pleasant, there is no vegan bakery that I saw, and my chai was nothing to scream about, hence the three stars for those things. But we still found a nice corner table and was able to have great conversation without loud music or kids running amok. Then we discovered a pop-up restaurant in the back, which I'll write about in a separate review. So, I hope this place does well here, I truly do want it to stay in the neighborhood. I'd give it more stars if they offered better chai and vegan goods, but all in all, it's a gem! UPDATE: They have totally redesigned the interior for Covid-19 safety and it's terrific. They have been very on-top-of-it when it comes to keeping their business open safely and serving their customers with bloody mary kits, etc. We order from them just about every week. Definitely give them a try if you're in the area. Reviewed...