Cafe Zoma
Update 12/23/08: Cafe Zoma has closed.
Update 4/7/09: Espresso Royale bought Cafe Zoma.
In a word: The sun always seems to shine here.
The specs: #0060
Address, hours & details via Isthmus; reviews at Yelp,
JM ate the turkey sandwich.
Nichole ate the clam chowder with coffee.
The bill was $11, or $5.50/person, plus tip.
JM gave Cafe Zoma a B+; Nichole gave Cafe Zoma an A- (see our grading rubric).
Latest Cafe Zoma news and reviews
Decor: clean, bright and cheery. Good art, arranged and lit with care.
Sandwich: juicy, with a tart-vinegary dressing that complemented the filling.
Soup: very well done, served with scrummy bread. Applause.
Coffee: organic, fair trade, and good, in a "Coffee Break Award" mug.
Worst Service Ever.
The cappucinno was terrible and mostly foam. It was the worst coffee house to which I have ever been.
Posted by: | January 04, 2007 at 11:38 AM
OUCH! That hurts! Wow! I know that Zoe was on shift last Thursday and she has been in the coffee biz for over 15 years. I think she makes a fine cap. As the owner of Cafe Zoma I am shocked that my shop is really the worst you have ever been to. We usually get good comments on our coffee. Sorry about your experience.
Posted by: A Freiwald | January 10, 2007 at 10:03 AM
As a patron of cafe zoma and a connoseiur of coffee, I would just like to say the original comment has obviously come from a complete fool If you knew anything about cappuccinos you would know they are suppossed to be mostly foam. Don't like it? Go back to your usual coffee house, which is most likely a gas station. You wouldn't know quality if it bit you. I have been around the world and I will tell you cafe zoma is the best damn coffee shop within at least a hundred miles.
Posted by: Lisa ko | May 24, 2007 at 02:29 PM
Two superlative comments, both alike in dignity, in fair Madison, where we lay our scene...
I'll put my money somewhere on the line between the two.
Posted by: Kyle | May 24, 2007 at 10:14 PM
Zoma used to be our fave and we've been going there since it opened. Since Z and M left, however, our experiences have been below par--from inattentive cashiers to a snippy owner...the latter being why we won't be back.
Posted by: former customer | September 25, 2007 at 09:42 AM
Never had the cap, will try it next time. The coffee is good and mocha's are very yummy. Food is better than you might expect. Pricey? Maybe, worth it IMHO. I appreciate having a coffeeshop here in this neighborhood and will continue to patronize Zoma. They have great snacks, interesting artwork, a quirky sense of decor, and the bike path access/patio area are great in the warm weather.
Bad service encounter there once, but only once. What, you can't hear my order? Forgive me if I have to shout at you then: it's a boomy room and sometimes the house music plus coolers/ambient conversation/infernal milk steamer combination get to be a bit much. I see they have live music there sometimes, pass.
Posted by: Tom | October 14, 2007 at 05:49 PM
one thing i really like about cafe zoma is the artwork on display. every time i go in there's some great stuff on the walls. a while back there was a woman who had a bunch of paintings of dogs that i really liked. sounds precious, but wasn't, actually. i'd love to find her name, if anyone remembers. . .
Posted by: Lauren | December 11, 2007 at 09:05 PM
As a person that has been there many times, i will refuse to ever step foot back in that place again. The service was bad, the owner was rude and had no idea what any of the prices were, leading me to the idea that she is a very removed owner and does not even know her own business. Everything was over priced, the sandwhiches were horrible with a lack of acctual food on them beside lettuce, and at one point they had run out of the house coffe and I had to wait. Waiting for a cup of black coffee for 15 minutes at a coffee house is not what I call a good managment, or organization!
Posted by: | May 27, 2008 at 01:23 PM
Well I love being able to ride right down the bike path, go right in the back door and get an awesome smoothie. ~<3
Posted by: a lower east-sider | July 09, 2008 at 03:14 PM
Zoma used to have the best sandwiches on the east side, ca. 2003. Then they changed the bread, twice, each time for the worse, and reduced the size. Now the turkey is barely worth eating and the roast beef is not at all. A culinary tragedy, as my fellow longtime east-siders will attest.
The coffee is fine, and the pastries are nice.
Posted by: Skeevie | August 24, 2008 at 08:26 PM
I'm a frequent patron and have always found the coffee and food to be very good. The service is generally good too—FWIW, I like the staff and the owner. Great neighborhood place, especially the outdoor seating.
Oh, and they also make their organic waste available to local farmers and gardeners, which I think goes above and beyond...
Posted by: Mauricio Babilonia | September 08, 2008 at 09:53 AM
I appreciate having a coffeeshop here in this neighborhood and will continue to patronize Zoma.
Posted by: lucy | March 01, 2010 at 08:40 AM
Sad news - sounds like Cafe Zoma will be closed temporarily due to a fire.
Posted by: nichole | March 17, 2010 at 10:38 PM
That is sad news about the fire...I haven't been on the east side for too long, but I love espresso royale, so I've been meaning to go there but haven't. Hopefully they'll reopen soon.
Posted by: Caissa | March 21, 2010 at 07:14 PM
I believe they re-opened on Sunday, March 21.
Posted by: Kathy | March 24, 2010 at 02:16 PM