5 Favorite Madison Coffee Houses

Jack London wisely said, "You can't wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club." I couldn't agree more. When I find myself uninspired, I search for inspirational spaces to get my write on. Bonus points if they have scones. And lots of coffee. To that end, I've rounded up five of my favorite coffee houses in or near Madison, Wisconsin to share with you all.

1. Colectivo Coffee

The beautiful location that overlooks the Capital is within walking distance from my home, plus, they just opened new digs on Monroe Street! Both have open-air spaces (perfect for when it isn't freezing). I love their granola for breakfast which comes with fresh orange slices. The general feel of their coffee shops is addicting — they're always buzzing with productivity! The only problem is it's occasionally hard to find a table (I swear even at 2 p.m. on a Wednesday it feels full) so you just have to get used to sharing their long tables with others.

2. The Froth House

This cozy little shop is on Allen Street, right off of Regent. I like the living room feel and their friendly staff. They also make a delicious grown-up grilled cheese sandwich called the Formaggio.*  I will warn you, if you go there around noon on weekdays the place will be overrun by high schoolers on their lunch break. But,  it's not all bad. I got the chance to listen to a discussion about who's going to prom with whom, another about how she didn't text him back, and watch a couple with identical body piercings cuddle on the couch. Thank you, the Froth House, for making me incredibly thankful I'm no longer in high school. ;)

*Note: I'm somewhat of a grown-up grilled-cheese addict.

3. Barriques

If there is one differentiating factor of Barriques, it's the 99 bottles of wine on the walls,  making it a great place for evening meet ups. But, it's also a good place for early mornings since  I'm obsessed with their scones (the maple one, pictured below, is my favorite). And they make a mean chicken BBQ wrap, too. There are six locations but I've been to four —West Wash, McKee, Monroe, and Park —and enjoyed them all!

4. Mother Fool's Coffee House

This Willy Street gem has all of the Willy Street vibes — including a cash-only policy, so don't forget your straight cash, homie. The interior is like your most hipster friend's living room. I love it. Good food + good coffee + good vibes = perfect spot to write/chill.

5. EVP Coffee

Even though I am writing a post about coffee shops, I'm not much of an actual coffee snob. I'm all about that ambience. My sophisticated stance on all coffee is similar to my sophisticated stance on all wines: Tastes good to me!  That being said, EVP's Coffee is delicious. Proof: I usually get a vanilla latte, but at EVP I order just a latte because the coffee itself is so good! They are a local, women-owned (!) business with 5 locations — but I've only been to the one on Midvale Blvd, EVP Sequoya. I love the location because it's RIGHT next to the beautiful Sequoya library. A great way I shake off the infamous "writer's block" (which may or may not exist) is by walking around the library. Even better if I have a delicious cup of joe in hand from EVP.

Their decor is bright and modern, too.

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I'm sure there are many hidden gem coffee shops I'm missing which I would love to try — I'm all ears!  Have a wonderful (albeit potentially heavily caffeinated) day!

p.s. My love of coffee and my love of watching a certain netflix series collide in this cute etsy mug.