☕ The best coffee shops in Madison

🏘️ Could Dairy Drive Homeless Encampment Stay Open?

• A proposed agreement between the Madison City Council and the Dane County Board could keep the Dairy Drive encampment open through next spring.
• The city’s Department of Public Works recommended that Madison’s only sanctioned encampment for people experiencing homelessness be demolished in September. The Dairy Drive site opened in 2021 with plans to operate for two years, but after four years city officials say they’ve run out of money.
• Tuesday’s council meeting, Ald. Davy Mayer introduced a resolution that would use potential county dollars to keep the camp going through April 2026. Council is set to discuss the resolution at its Sept. 16 meeting. [Cap Times]

🌳 The Final Brush Collections of the Year Start This Weekend

• In a sure sign that summer is coming to an end, Madison’s Streets Division has scheduled its final curbside brush pickups starting this weekend.
• For some, the last date to set out brush will be Sept. 7. For others, it will be a different Sunday in September. Use the city’s brush collection site to determine which date is your last for curbside brush collection.
• After that, there won’t be another guaranteed brush pickup until spring 2026. [City of Madison]

🎒 Meet the ‘Surrogate Mom’ Who Will Help Out Your Freshman

• For the homesick UW-Madison freshman and their worried parents back home, Mary Morgan provides the missing link. Through her concierge service, Miss Mary Delivery, parents hire Morgan to make care packages for their students on campus, provide resume coaching, drive them to appointments – even plan a graduation party.
• Morgan also documents her help with photos and videos to send back home to parents. Such concierge services are becoming increasingly popular in college towns. [ 🔒 WSJ]

Need a great cup of coffee in a welcoming environment? On the City Cast Madison podcast today, host Bianca Martin chats with Tim McDonald, the owner of the new JavaAbilities Coffee & Cafe, which aims to make its Monona Drive coffee shop a place that promotes inclusivity by hiring employees with disabilities.

Here are a few other great locally-owned coffee shops around town to check out. Check out their locations on Overlook Maps! And if we missed your favorite java joint, drop us a line and let us know!

Ancora Coffee

Founded back in 1994, this local favorite is still going strong with four locations (including the newest on Monona Drive) serving fair trade coffee as well as a strong, ever-changing menu of breakfast and lunch items.

Barriques

When my brother came to visit Madison recently, he was surprised and impressed that a high-quality coffee shop could also be a beer and wine store. Barriques has seven locations serving full breakfast and lunch items – the Capital City Breakfast Sandwich with its tomato-sriracha spread is my morning go-to.

The Victory

Everybody loves a comeback Victory, and the east side favorite rebounded after a serious fire elsewhere in its building forced a 10-month closure. Come in for some steel-cut oats for breakfast or a panini for lunch, and peruse owner Patrick Downey’s art on the walls – it’s for sale!

Forward Craft & Coffee

Pouring coffee at the start of the day and draft beer at the end of the day, this Atwood Avenue spot seems engineered in a lab to appeal to Madison customers. They pride themselves on having pretty adventurous coffee drink specials – stop in right now for a cherry coconut latte.

Mother Fool’s Coffeehouse

This Willy Street institution has taken some hits (literally) since it opened in 1994, but embodies the neighborhood’s friendly DIY aesthetic, including live music and spoken word performances and locally-made art on its walls.

Indie Coffee

The only coffee shop in town where I’ve seen a friend play the banjo, this Regent Street favorite has an independent streak (“Make Coffee Not War” is its slogan) to go along with its great coffee. If you’re hungry, make sure to get yourself one of their signature waffles.