Hawthorne Coffee Roasters

This is my favorite coffee shop and place for breakfast on the weekends. You can't go wrong with anything on the menu. Their grab and go sandwiches are just as good as their fresh menu. They also serve alcohol...be sure to try their bloody Mary, it's the best and comes with a full chaser. The staff is always great, friendly, and fun. The coffee is the best around - never bitter and never burnt. They have outdoor seating during the warm months and a great atmosphere. This will forever be my favorite place to hang out!

My friend stops in here and deposits her bottles used for her Cold Brew and gets two refills. She loves the coffee! I had never been inside so I went with her and was surprised how spacious it was! It's a old bowling alley! There is plenty of seating, they also have a bar and some days have bands. The service was great, very friendly telling us about the history of the building. It's a nice coffee alternative to the big chains!

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 decor to me.

When I travel, I always try to find a local spot for good coffee. Well, this place was a delightful find. Pour over coffee was a pleasant surprise. It was wonderful. The staff was great and the pastries rocked. Next time I am in the area this place will be my first stop.

Steve and Kendra run an amazing coffee shop on the city’s south side. I’ve been a frequent customer for many years and have always enjoyed their offerings and conversation. Highly recommend “The Hawthorne” which is a shot of espresso, a pour over, and a cold brew (get the barrel aged version).