Highest-rated cafes in the Milwaukee area by diners
From the first coffee houses in the Ottoman Empire to Boston's famed London Coffee House, cafes have always been an egalitarian place to gather, sip, and share ideas, many of which have changed the world.
During the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, cafes regularly entertained the likes of Voltaire, Rousseau, Thomas Jefferson, and Isaac Newton. Later, Simone de Beauvoir and Jean-Paul Sartre would spend hours in cafes, pondering their works and holding court alongside other intellectuals.
Needless to say, coffee and cafes beget some revolutionary ideas; sipping a cup may even be a political act. When settlers dumped tea into the Boston Harbor to send a message to the British in 1773, tea became a British loyalist's drink, and coffee became a popular substitute.
Boston's London Coffee House, which had opened nearly 85 years earlier, was soon renamed the American Coffee House. Meanwhile, in Philadelphia, Merchants' Coffee House hosted the likes of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Paul Revere.
Many other coffee shops steeped in history abound in the United States, including New York City's Caffe Reggio. Founded in 1927, it was the first to serve cappuccino in the country. New Orleans' Cafe du Monde, founded in 1862, is a fixture in the French Quarter for its coffee and beignets.
Whether it's for a cup of Joe, a heady conversation, or simply a place to start the day, cafes have become landmarks of our daily lives. But where's the best one to find refuge and that perfect caffeinated cup near you?
compiled a list of the highest-rated cafes in the Milwaukee area based on diners' reviews on as of February 2025. Cafes with at least 20 reviews tagged as "coffee" on Yelp within a 10-kilometer radius of Milwaukee were included. As a result, some cafes featured may primarily serve other items besides coffee and tea. Also, in an effort to highlight independent businesses and local chains, those with more than 25 locations nationally, based on the Yelp data, were not included.
Keep reading to see if your favorite cafe made the list!
#30. Colectivo Prospect Ave
- Rating: 4.1/5 (156 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2211 North Prospect Ave. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Categories: Coffee & Tea
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#29. Charleston Coffee
- Rating: 4.1/5 (54 reviews)
- Address: 3465 East Layton Ave. Cudahy, Wisconsin
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Sandwiches
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#28. Colectivo Shorewood
- Rating: 4.2/5 (60 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4500 North Oakland Ave. Shorewood, Wisconsin
- Categories: Coffee & Tea
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#27. Aggie's Bakery and Cake Shop
- Rating: 4.2/5 (221 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 7328 West Greenfield Ave. West Allis, Wisconsin
- Categories: Bakeries, Coffee & Tea, Cupcakes
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#26. Rocket Baby Bakery
- Rating: 4.3/5 (369 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 6822 West North Ave. Wauwatosa, Wisconsin
- Categories: Bakeries, Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch
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#25. Canary Coffee Bar
- Rating: 4.3/5 (183 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 720 North Old World 3rd St. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Categories: Coffee & Tea
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#24. Sprocket Cafe
- Rating: 4.3/5 (52 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3385 South Kinnickinnic Ave. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Bakeries, Sandwiches
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#23. Interval
- Rating: 4.3/5 (132 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1600 North Jackson St. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Categories: Cafes, Coffee & Tea
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#22. Colectivo Lakefront
- Rating: 4.4/5 (551 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1701 North Lincoln Memorial Drive Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Categories: Coffee & Tea
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#21. Art Bar
- Rating: 4.4/5 (106 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 722 East Burleigh St. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Categories: Bars, Coffee & Tea, Pizza
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#20. Stone Creek Coffee
- Rating: 4.4/5 (52 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 6969 North Port Washington Road Ste 200 Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Categories: Coffee & Tea
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#19. Canela Cafe
- Rating: 4.4/5 (133 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2621 North Downer Ave. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Coffee & Tea
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#18. Likewise Coffee - Milwaukee
- Rating: 4.4/5 (56 reviews)
- Address: 232 East Erie St. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Categories: Coffee & Tea
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#17. Stone Creek Coffee
- Rating: 4.5/5 (51 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 8340 West Bluemound Road Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Categories: Coffee & Tea
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#16. Anodyne Coffee Roasting Co
- Rating: 4.5/5 (229 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2920 South Kinnickinnic Ave. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Cafes, Pizza
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#15. La Finca Coffeehouse
- Rating: 4.5/5 (117 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3558 East Sivyer Ave. Saint Francis, Wisconsin
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch
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#14. Roast Coffee Company
- Rating: 4.5/5 (120 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2132 East Locust St. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Cafes
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#13. Cranky Al's
- Rating: 4.5/5 (375 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 6901 West North Ave. Wauwatosa, Wisconsin
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch, Donuts
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#12. Bl眉m Coffee Garden
- Rating: 4.5/5 (104 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4930 West Loomis Road Greenfield, Wisconsin
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Music Venues
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#11. Allie Boy's Bagelry & Luncheonette
- Rating: 4.5/5 (173 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 135 East National Ave. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Categories: Bagels, Breakfast & Brunch, Coffee & Tea
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#10. Vendetta Coffee Bar - Walkers Point
- Rating: 4.5/5 (69 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 524 South 2nd St. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Categories: Bakeries, Coffee & Tea, Cocktail Bars
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#9. Orenda Cafe
- Rating: 4.6/5 (146 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3514 West National Ave. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Coffee & Tea, Cocktail Bars
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#8. Stone Creek Factory Cafe
- Rating: 4.6/5 (194 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 422 North 5th St. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Categories: Coffee & Tea
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#7. Stone Creek Coffee
- Rating: 4.6/5 (81 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2650 North Downer Ave. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Coffee & Tea, Bagels
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#6. Park Place Cafe
- Rating: 4.7/5 (151 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 10843 West Park Place Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Sandwiches, Coffee & Tea
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#5. Vendetta Coffee Bar - Wauwatosa
- Rating: 4.8/5 (72 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 7613 West State St. Wauwatosa, Wisconsin
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Cafes, Beer Bar
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#4. Discourse Coffee - Downtown
- Rating: 4.8/5 (54 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1020 North Broadway Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Categories: Coffee & Tea
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#3. Station No. 06
- Rating: 4.8/5 (75 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 6800 West Becher St. West Allis, Wisconsin
- Categories: Cocktail Bars, Beer Bar, Coffee & Tea
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#2. Qamaria Coffee
- Rating: 4.8/5 (76 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4818 South 76th St. Ste 7 Greenfield, Wisconsin
- Categories: Coffee & Tea
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#1. Vennture Brew
- Rating: 4.8/5 (110 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 5519 West NorthAve Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Categories: Breweries, Coffee & Tea, Cafes
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This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Rasha Aly and Carren Jao, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 313 metros.