Cute place to do homework. It gets a lot of sun in the morning! However there is a lot of construction noise and tables are very hard to come by. As for the food, I have only had their bagels which you can't possible mess up. Their cinnamon cream cheese is delicious. Today I ordered the vegan wrap with cauliflower, carrots, quinoa, and tahini dressing and was very disappointed. The cauliflower was delicious but hard to come by. Most of the wrap was just carrots! Not worth the 9 dollars I paid for it. As for drinks, be careful what you get. I always get a dirty iced chai and I'm always disappointed. It's watered down with hardly any of that yummy chai flavor. Service is good honestly no complaints. There's usually a long line and they're still friendly. They're students so be nice to them if you come here they're tired!! read more

Aldo's Cafe - Vegan Veggie Wrap - Cafes Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

See all

The changes to the Sesame Salmon Bowl are horrible. This had been my favorite menu item for a long time. Red Cabbage was swapped out for Nappa which was tasteless and unappealing. The aioli was swapped out for soy sauce which had an odd taste (otherwise can drink soy by the bottle). Negligible slice of serrano and no cilantro noticeable. Please change back! Hope this saves someone else the disappointment. read more

I'm really disappointed in the change to the sesame salmon bowl. This was previously my go-to meal that I ordered a few times a month, but the ingredients recently changed from a yummy spicy aioli and carrot/red cabbage mixture to Napa cabbage and bell pepper, along with something that tastes like soy sauce. I'm not sure the reason for the change, but it's far inferior to what was served before, and I don't plan to order this meal anymore. I hope Aldo's considers changing the ingredients back. read more

Stumbled on this place as we were walking back from a meeting and decided to try it out. I ordered the curry bowl and green tea. Absolutely loved the curry bowl. It's made up of black rice, curried cauliflower, fingerling potatoes, crispy chickpeas, scallion, cilantro, curry dressing. You can have it as a vegan meal or add chicken to it. The curry was so flavorful and I couldn't stop eating it. The green tea was also so refreshing. I will definitely be back to try other things on the menu. read more

Aldo's Cafe - a man standing at the counter - Cafes Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Chai was watered down and all milk, and double chocolate cookie was hard and flavorless.

Nothing wrong with the place, overall. The service was pleasant and efficient. The breakfast sandwich was, overall, OK but really overpriced given the quality. The same for the coffee--it was fine, but more expensive compared to neighboring locations,. read more

Open for takeout during covid. In the warmer months they had a great outdoor setup that was perfect to come get a drink and study, but the colder weather has caused them to close their doors and only offer takeout. It looks closed from the outside so definitely double check before leaving! As far as food goes, they are only serving the "Grab and Go" items, which the cooks refill with the various options as frequently as they are sold. Their pastries are pretty good, I got an almond croissant and loved it. During covid, they're giving packaged pastries, so I'm not 100% sure about the freshness. I also got a soba bowl ($9.00), which the chef had just brought out when I got it and it was good!! A balanced and fillling meal with zesty asian flavors. I'm not sure it was worth $9.00, unfortunately. Along the same lines, the Crimson Berry ($2.25) is not worth the money, it's basically water that was in the same room with a berry. Their mochas are pretty good though. I got a decaf mocha with almond milk and it tasted like a slightly bitter hot chocolate, so good!! read more

Aldo's Cafe - Soba bowl - Cafes Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

See all

I drop by Aldo's on occasion for their coffee drinks and also some of their lunch offerings. The baristas are always nice, pleasant and knowledgeable about the products they are serving. The prices are fair for the level of ingredients they offer their customers. The location in the Discovery building can be tough with parking--if you're not on-campus. However, if you're able to find a spot, check out Aldo's! read more

My favorite spot on campus! The service is always amazing and my coffee is always perfect. Try the turkey bacon avocado!

Summer hours are a little shorter than usual (they close an hour earlier), but are still long enough for a midday coffee break (you know, like the one you need around 2PM after inhaling a huge lunch at noon?). They also have lunch items available between 11-3PM on weekdays. Although I haven't tried all the options, the options that I have tried have all been pretty good - at least when compared to most cafe foods. For those of us working in the medical sciences center across the street, Aldo's is a blessing. The brightly-lit cafe with a high-ceiling is definitely a welcomed reprieve from the cramped quarters of a typical lab. Remember to check in on yelp for 10% off their frappes! read more

Aldo's Cafe - Cafes Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Aldo's is the perfect spot to stop by after class for some lunch or a quick drink. Their quick service and friendly faces are always nice to deal with, and the quality of the food is pretty good as well. I always get the Turkey Bacon Avocado and it hits the spot every time, and on occasion get a latte when I need a pick-me-up. The only downside (knocking off a star for) is that there just isn't enough seating. Students that order food a bit ago and then sit there for several hours (without food) takeaway spaces that could be used for people to be able to sit down and eat what they just got without having to go to an alternative location. Not sure it's something they can fix, but it's a little annoying not being able to eat at a table for 15 mins and heading off to the next class when people sit there for hours! read more

I've had several business lunches at Aldo's over the las year. I've had a decent meal every time. Today I had a cup of the bean and bacon stew and the chicken carbonara salad. The cup of soup was bowl sized. The salad was huge. Then bean and bacon soup was OK, a bit salty. The Chicken Salad was fantastic. Creamy noodles and fresh greens tossed with bacon and big chunks of chicken. The menu seems to rotate or else I'm just not paying attention. Aldo's is in the Wisconsin Inst. of Discovery - it's a lovely setting and offers a bit of an upscale dining room in the heart of the UW campus. Give it shot. read more

Aldo's Cafe - Carbonara Salad - Cafes Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

See all

Amazing!, went this morning the staff were friendly and easy to talk to, food was well priced and tasted great, will definitely be coming back. read more

Go a little before lunch time to avoid the rush! Absolutely love their Asian salad and tuna sandwich - healthy options while on campus. This building is also beautiful, with soothing water features and usually plenty of seating outside of peak hours. A great place to work, nosh and also makes a great latte. Beautiful patio during summer. read more

Aldo's Cafe - Cafes Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Good spot right on campus for some Coffee and a few lunch/breakfast items. I got a chai tea latte which was good and the rancheros burrito wrap. It is just the wrap and nothing else with it on the plate. It tasted fine and the latte was good. They have free wireless in the building which was great but their are no outlets anywhere to plug in. My computer desperately needed a charge so I only got about an hour of work done before it died. read more

The food at Aldo's is excellent. There are always good vegetarian options available, and it is conveniently located on campus. The lines, however, are very long. The service is the reason I rated it as a two. Once, I ordered a chai latte, was charged for the drink and then proceeded to wait 20 minutes for my order. When it still hadn't come out, I asked the cashier when I would get my chai. She responded that they were out of chai! So I wasted my 20 minutes only to have them try to figure out the register system to refund me. They ended up giving me a free beverage on them. When I went next time to use this beverage, they had mysteriously run out of coffee lids so I couldn't take my coffee with me! I think if they get their act together they could be amazingly successful! read more

If you're looking for a bright spot to chill or a place on campus for a quick, midday catchup, few cafés in the area boast the kind of table space and year-round natural sunlight that Aldo's slash the Wisconsin Institute of Discovery building has to offer. No outlets to spare in the café section though, so I'd think twice about camping out here with a laptop. The coffee is marginally better than the next nearest spot, Peet's across the street at Union South, but it also costs a few shiny pennies more. Lunch is generally fresh, but it's a little pricey. Expect there to be some cheese or cream or mayo concoction in most of the options. The long wait times and so-so menu execution make me want to say skip the food unless you're feeling fancy and slightly desperate for sunlight. read more

UPDATE: Sadly, the service here has really taken a turn for the worse. The last few times I've come for coffee, the people have been downright rude and condescending. A small latte takes 3 times as long to prepare as it should, which was never an issue before. The coffee has also been less consistent in quality, and a few times a co-worker of mine was given the wrong tea! When she went back to tell them, they argued with her and said that she was mistaken. Turns out they put the tea bags in the wrong container and were actually giving her the wrong tea but did not admit to it until a week or so later. No longer my go-to stop for coffee, unfortunately. Also, they changed their coffee club card so that you now have to buy 15 drinks (used to be 10) to get a free one! That's a lot of money to spend to get one ~$4 free drink! read more

Many campus buildings have cafes in them, but few have cafes that you actually want to eat at. Aldo's is that cafe, one that makes you happy you forgot your lunch. Aldo's is fantastic for lunch, drinks, and snacks while you are at the Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery (WID), or if you just want to escape the long lines across the street at Union South. One of the best things about Aldo's is John, the manager. John is always full of energy and excitement. John has a good attention to detail, following all of the orders to make sure everyone gets what they want. His positive energy is also infectious, I often find myself smiling when I'm just walking by because of his fun attitude towards great service. I haven't had many of the sandwiches, but the grilled portobello sandwich is my favorite. Give Aldo's a try, it is worth forgetting your lunch for. read more

I sometimes get coffee here. But then I wanted to do lunch. So got the Buffalo chicken wrap. It was decent fare but that's all I have to say about it. Mediocre. read more

Aldo's Cafe - Buffalo chicken wrap - Cafes Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

See all

Self-serve ice cold cucumber water. Huge sunny windows. Comfy couches. Friendly baristas and other customers. I loved this place even before we got our perfect lattes and just-baked, still warm, not-cloyingly-sweet huge blueberry muffin. Stopped by over Spring Break, so not sure whether it would always be like it was on our one visit, but we had a great first experience there. read more

Completely reasonable lunch option on UW campus. Came during the lunch rush on a Friday. Walking up, it seemed like the service was going to be chaotic, but it actually worked really really smoothly. Basically, you write your order on a little piece of paper and hand it to the guy. The food is pretty much ready by the time you've paid. According to their website, they have some kind of local/seasonal ethic, but that wasn't totally obvious from the menu. I'd love it if they'd try to point out which of their offerings were in keeping with those principles (hint: not the tuna sandwich) and if they'd include some organic ingredients. I also wish the menu was a bit more adventurous. As it is, they have tuna, turkey, roast beef, a club, a vegetarian sandwich, and a special. Not exactly ground-breaking lunch fare. It would be great if they'd stretch for some more adventurous flavors or combinations in the sandwiches. I had the pulled pork sandwich special, which was quite tasty and well-priced. I appreciated that there wasn't too much barbecue sauce on the sandwich, so I could taste all of the elements, and that it wasn't so overloaded that it was a great big mess to eat. Though this place isn't too exciting, the food seems to be good enough that I'll probably go back and try other things. Sandwich and a diet coke: $7.73 incl tax. read more

Healthiest option on campus! Simply great! I isually get their soup/salad and sandwich combo which comes with fruit.ove the ambiance also.

This place really used to be an on campus gem, then they redid their menu and went to the shitter, pardon my language. They went from selling delicious fresh sandwiches to overpriced stale bread with a slice of tomato and cheese on it... naturally I stopped going. I returned for the first time recently, and the must have decided to reverse some of the damage: while it is nowhere near as good as it once was, it is also solidly no longer garbage. It is assertively Ok, if you're on campus and hoping for a quick avocado toast and coffee while on the go. That being said, I can't really recommend going out of your way for it. read more

I'm updating my review because now that the menu has changed, they don't even have good salad or sandwiches anymore (bring back the BLT at least!). Also, I waited a ridiculously long time for a bowl of soup today, and when I got back to my office, I realized it was only about 2/3rds full. That's pretty unacceptable, to be honest. Also, the workers care more about gossiping amongst themselves than actually serving customers. read more

Aldo's Cafe - This is how full my soup was. I think 2/3rds might even be an overestimate. Completely ridiculous. - Cafes Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

I've been on the west side of campus daily for about 2 years now. When I started taking classes and working over here, Aldo's was the perfect place to grab food and study. But I've noticed a real decline in their food as well as their service. The food is okay and I appreciate the variety - But not at what they charge. Half the time you can see the food being prepared and a bagel from a bag and store bought cream cheese should not cost $2.50. The service is what I've been the most disappointed in, however. Most of the people I've encountered there seem to think it's a waste of their time to help you - Once no one even looked me in the eye the entire time I interacted with them. Aldo's just isn't the same place it was when I started going there and I am sad to say I'll probably stop all together, even though I work across the street. Disappointed in the attitude of the staff and will gladly take my lunch breaks elsewhere if it means I'm not treated with a cold shoulder. read more

Incredible location and environment, capable of opening up and creating a beautiful outdoor space. Plenty of seating in the area, as well. Slightly more expensive than other options, while not offering a significantly better product. Employees could be more friendly: Be prepared to not receive the basic acknowledgment or "you're welcome." read more

Since the former manager left, the service an quality at this place has declined dramatically. The cashiers are often rude, unprofessional, and slow. The food also seems to have become "meh." Clearly, Aldo's does not care about the customers and providing good service. I used to come here frequently, but I'll change my habits and head to the Java Den instead. It's a convenient meeting place, but little more until they get their act together. read more

Have been here multiple times, the coffee is always safe but this time I tried the salmon toast and was severely disappointed. The salmon tasted straight out of a can, very dry, and the dish had no flavor. The only thing that I enjoyed was the sourdough bread it was served on. Have not tried much other food but will probably stick to their coffee from now on. read more

Diamond in the rough. If you can get by their gimmicky paper ordering system, this place is worth it. I highly recommend the fresh made-to-order deli style sandwiches -- especially the turkey club and the amazing BLT with fresh (crisp) bacon crumbles and just the right amount of mayo to leave you wanting more. If this place was closer to my office I'd eat here every singe day. Rookie tip: Be sure to allow an extra few minutes to find Aldo's buried in a corner of the Discovery building (ironic, right?). read more

Their sandwiches are pretty decent. I like their Turkey guacamole sandwich lately. You can also do a combo with their daily soup - also pretty decent. It's a great spot for quick lunch pick up. read more

Aldo's Cafe - Perfect to go- Lunch combo: New England clam chowder plus ham and cheese sandwich - Cafes Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

The coffee and food here is great. I love that they are serving Just Coffee, a locally roasted fair trade, organic coffee that is delivered by bicycle. They use organic and locally sourced products for their other menu items as well. Nice atmosphere, with an open air patio on the east side in the warm months. The line for service can be long, but they move quickly and the wait is never very long. The prices seem reasonable for the quality of food - the old "you get what you pay for" matra! read more

I am really torn on this place. I love the location, the scones, the breakfast sandwiches, and the coffee selection. The odd thing is the scones aren't out and ready until like 9AM? It seems like the pastry selection should be ready and displayed at open so for those of us stopping on our way in, we can get breakfast instead of waiting. The service here has definitely taken a turn for the worse since the really nice man with the beard got hired away. The baristas don't smile, seem inconvenienced, and annoyed most of the time. read more

I'm around this part of the UW campus all the time, so I stop here maybe once or twice a week. The coffee is consistent and quite good - their roasts come from a local co-op called Just Coffee. I can't speak for the sandwiches/lunch menu because I've never dined here, but I do like the pastries - the usual coffee house suspects like muffins, scones, cookies. Some of the varieties are atypical - blackberry scones, ginger-pear muffins, and the like. My favorite part: the exterior wall is usually pulled back on a nice day, making everything open-air. A nice place to sit in the morning to do some reading or people watch. read more

Food quality and service is progressively getting worse. They used to use cashews in their salads and now it's peanuts. They are also very unorganized and inefficient with their food orders. read more

Good coffee, friendly baristas, nice setting both in the café and other spots to sit in an interesting building, tasty pastries. Have only had lunch a few times and it's always been good. The breakfast menu is currently a bit odd which is why I'm not giving it 5 stars, though the menus do change from time to time. read more

Pros: -Coffee and bakery, yum - they occasionally have amazing zucchini muffins, and the scones are good, too -Solid regular menu - the portobella sandwich is great, and I like the combo option. -Great building -Proximal to my office Cons: -It just hasn't been the same since the old crowd of employees left (esp. the old manager, John) -Most of the vegetarian specials are both actively bad and also overpriced. Under-cooked rice, beans, and cheese sauce for $5.99? Seriously? Every other Food Fight restaurant I've been to does vegetarian food with aplomb. ----I overheard the manager yelling at his employees the other day, in front of the entire WID. That really put me off. read more

This place is not great. Their coffee prices are high and this barista was not skilled. I paid $4.50 for a Mocha, waited 10 minutes and it just tastes like a large coffee, acidic and gross. Barely any milk, absolutely no chocolate or anything that would hint at Mocha. Aldo's sucks. Biggest waste of $4.50 yet. Skip it. read more

I keep wanting to like Aldo's Cafe more than I do. Every time I go, though, it's a thoroughly mediocre experience. For the price (which is comparably high), I expect high-quality ingredients and mid-sized portions. I've been half a dozen times or so, for breakfast and lunch, with the following results: - I had a bagel with lox that featured the smallest piece of salmon I've ever seen and perhaps three capers on a mass-manufactured, tasteless bagel. -Another time, my sandwich tasted good, but had clearly been prepared some time ago, as the aioli had thoroughly saturated the bread and made it slimy. -The half sandwich/soup combo features half of a small-to-begin-with sandwich and a very scant cup of soup (not even the pickle you get with a regular sandwich order). After ordering a ratatouille sandwich and cup of "creamy pea soup," ($6.75 + tax), I was still hungry. -The grilled cheese tasted plasticine, and cooled within minutes into a rubbery, inedible mess. The saving grace is the scones, but those are prepared off-site by a great local bakery. So I'll probably continue to grab a scone and coffee here every once in a while, but take my lunch business elsewhere. read more

The coffee here is pretty good, but the service and food are spotty. Sometimes there are long lines, which is out of their control-- but this morning they had a half-full cafe and didn't have a line and I had to wait about 15 minutes for my order-- a single breakfast sandwich to go. The Denver breakfast sandwich leaves a bit to be desired-- the menu says it has green peppers, but really it has canned green chilies (and yes, green chilies are peppers, but usually when a menu item says "green peppers" it means bell peppers, rarely are canned green chilies called "green peppers"). The ham on the sandwich had that iridescent sheen to it that old lunchmeat gets. I will not be ordering it again. Coffee and bakery items are usually good. read more