Cafe at Arbor Gate

Update 1/17/13: Cafe at Arbor Gate is the Beacon (for now).

In a word: Invisible.

The specs: #00801
2601 West Beltline Frontage Rd., 53713
Details at
Official web site, Facebook

Latest Cafe at Arbor Gate news and reviews at del.icio.us

JM ate the onion bagel with cream cheese and a soda.
Nichole ate the cinnamon pecan scone with a triple shot whole milk latte.
The bill was $9.50, or $5ish/person, plus tip.
JM gave Cafe at Arbor Gate a C-; Nichole gave Cafe at Arbor Gate a B- (see our grading rubric).

Cafe at Arbor Gate is run by Bonfyre Grille, on the ground floor of the high-ish rise that hosts the Wisconsin Heart Institute. The cafe is a few doors down from breakfast bigwig Egg & I, so it's probably wise of them to keep things simple: they offer bakery items and the standard coffee/tea/smoothie suite from 6 to 6 weekdays.

The coffee's proudly Victor Allen but in practice the latte was milky and forgettable. We also forgot to ask about the bakery's provenance. The cinnamon pecan scone was nice - not huge, not too dry or crumbly, but topped with a thick combover of orange-flavored glaze that added most of the sweetness.  The onion bagel was pretty good as these things go, but was certanly not fresh from the oven anytime in the last 5 hours or so.

While Cafe at Arbor Gate might not be a destination coffee shop, Nichole found it fine; JM felt it might be a little on the pathetic side, escpeially when it seems neither sufficient nor necessary. But their loyalty cards are probably the best deal in this 12-punch town at buy 5 get one free.