Copper Gable Cafe

Update 10/28/11: Copper Gable Cafe is closed.

In a word: Friendly and local.

The specs: #0224
Address, hours & details via Isthmus; review by Linda Falkenstein;

JM ate the massive breakfast burrito and a bottle of juice.
Nichole ate the sunrise sandwich with regular coffee and a bottle of juice.
The bill was $15, or $7.50/person, plus tip.
JM gave Copper Gable Cafe a B; Nichole gave Copper Gable Cafe an A- (see our grading rubric).

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The first impression we got as we came into the Copper Gable Cafe, stomping MLK Day snow off our shoes, was the warmth. The temperature was cozy, of course, but just as welcoming was the decor - mellow ochres and browns that reflected the character of the place (locally owned, and somewhat motherly) quite well.

We placed our order at the counter, got our drinks, and sat down next to a faux fireplace to watch traffic crawl around the corner of Uni and Bassett. It just felt great to be inside.

The coffee menu boasts cold-brewed espresso in the specialty offerings, but Nichole's coffee (house regular) was plain old Superior foodservice brand, not quite great.

Breakfast shortly came out to us (a plus!) and we tucked in. JM's grilled burrito came stuffed with eggs, tomatoes, cheese, and bacon. The potatoes were chunks of big, bland Idahoes, numerous, filling and palatable but not a perfect choice. The cheese melted around the other ingredients and got kind of lost in the shuffle.

Nichole was very pleased with her sunrise sandwich of eggs, ham, and three cheeses, which was hot, salty and really hit the spot as a post-shoveling meal. It's definitely a plus that the hot breakfast specials are served all day.

Like its predecessor, Baker's Too, Copper Gable keeps casual, owner- and student-centric hours. A note on the menu (hours "subject to change") did little to comfort us after our first, failed attempt to visit. Still, once there, we had a good meal, and would drop in again, provided we can find them open.

Comments

[Mo]

I love this place. It's cozy without being too small, the people are always super friendly, and the food is good. I live nearby and am especially excited to see that they have recently added both wireless and delivery from their whole menu. The best part though is the prices and the quality of the coffee/hot drinks. In winter, I found that a large size of their apple cider was about sixty-five cents LESS than a Tall at Starbucks. How can you go wrong with that?

[Tiny]

I really like this place too.

Anyway, I thought it'd be helpful to add that they have been serving Alterra coffee for quite some time now. So no more Superior coffee. For those who don't know, Alterra coffee is awesome.

Reasonable prices, good healthy food for people who like meat and people who don't, and great location.

[catwoman]

I like it as well, but I miss all the baked goods they had when they were Bakers Too!!

[Madtownangler]

This place is GREAT ! ! !

I live next door and hit the place up for the daily specials. Some days they have $1 any size coffee, and other days they have $1 off on certain items. I can get a three egg breakfast omelet with the stuff I want for $3.22 best deal in town. All the bakery items are made in-house and isn't delivered by truck like all the other coffee shops in town. They have like thirty sandwiches on the menu, unlike most coffee shops that have five pre-wrapped in plastic crappy soggy sammiches. Now they even have a pop machine, Mexican sodas, Red Bull drinks, juices. The best part about this place in my eyes, is that it's not a typical State Street dump, with winos and streeet people spending the whole day there and stinking the place up and killing the bathrooms. No stuck up lefties that can't grow up and have to hang out like they still go to UW-Madison, even though they are over 50 and are on SSI or trust funds.

[Jeff]

I visited this place last week based on this review and loved it too. It was great! Word to the wise: even if you are hungry just get half a sandwich. They put them on these incredible sub rolls that are delicious but quite filling. The ingredients were all quite good too. My only complaint about the place is its size - they only had 3 tables so it seems like it's mainly a take-out type place.

[Kyle]

Madtownangler, you're even more of a caricature than the BS portrait you're trying to paint of the other coffee shops in town.