I've been there for coffee in the morning and a breakfast thingy made with chorizo and eggs - awesome. I had an equally awesome with a wrap of some sort for lunch and long to go back again. Being an F.I.B. I don't get up to Milwaukee too often, but this place is a must go when there. During the busy morning rush there is not much waiting because they have an efficient system and good people. My only complaint is that they have only one bathroom - a one holler - so consume your coffee accordingly. read more

Great coffee, good atmosphere, solid menu offerings... I really like the Alterra Foundry. I am a huge fan of rustic modern coffee houses, which definitely describes this location. I had a coffee "for here" and enjoyed my cup of joe in a mug rather than a paper cup. There is just something about drinking coffee from a mug... I did not try any of the food items but everything looked good. Next time... read more

You guys... It is so cold in here! Freezing! Yes, I'm still at the Colectivo on 1st Street. It's my first time working at this location, actually. When I first got here, I snagged their last open table -- they are so busy! -- and ordered a quiche and a cup of soup. I then noticed that there wasn't an outlet to be seen near my table -- what a bummer! I was surprised, since I never have trouble finding an outlet at other Colectivo locations and all the tables here are situated along the wall. When my food arrived, the quiche was cold, and the soup -- mushroom bisque, which I always love ordering at Colectivo Prospect -- was lukewarm and lumpy. It reminded me of Campbell's cream of mushroom soup, which is not appetizing! I was disappointed. However, I still ate the quiche and the soup, so apparently they weren't that bad. (I was REALLY hungry, so that's probably part of it.) They're doing some sort of hack-a-thon for programmers upstairs today, in which the husb and a couple of his friends are partaking, so luckily I was able to join them -- not only is it much warmer up here, but there's an outlet! Their upstairs space is really nice -- the sky blue walls, dark brick, and exposed ceiling typical of Colectivo locations does not disappoint up here. The amount of windows provides a great view of the Fifth Ward (or Third Ward? Honestly, I'm not sure what to call it). At any rate, another Colectivo location to love. Hopefully the food will be better (and actually hot, if it's supposed to be) when I order again later, since I'll be here for awhile... read more

We live near Chicago, where they know how to roast a bean or two. I grew up near the original Peet's in Oakland and knew Major Dickason's granddaughter. OK, those are my coffee bona fides. This is the best. Nothing like in California. Nothing like it in Chicago. Milwaukee is so lucky. Great custard AND coffee... WHAT did they do and HOW did they do it? My mouth is crying and these are tears of joy, not saliva. Oh yeah, and the lake front. Gotta love that lake front. Crabby, crappy drivers though. Thought I was in Miami. read more

I used to work a block away from this place and I loved it. I ate there probably three times a week, except when I was trying to kick caffeine. I love their lattes, even though they haven't caught on to the rice milk thing, as far as I know. My favorite things though are probably their grilled veggie melt wrap or whatever it was, that cranberry pumpkin seed muffin, and their falafel wrap. I also thought they had better than average soups and I love that they're so vegetarian friendly. I sometimes wished they had a more interesting side for their sandwiches than potato chips but it is, after all, a coffee shop. Lest I forget breakfast, I was a particular fan of their vegetarian breakfast burritos and their baked oatmeal with yogurt. Oh yeah, and they had good salads. I think there were three months where I ate one of those spinach-strawberry salads with champagne vinaigrette every day except when they were out of them. I've been living in Chicago for a year and a half now and I'm finding that Alterra is one of the main things I miss. I've certainly had pangs of longing for Beans & Barley and Bombay Sweets but on a day to day basis the thing I've most often wistfully remarked has been: You know what Chicago's missing? An Alterra or any reasonable facsimile. Oh well. I guess I should visit more often but I can't think of many people who are left in Milwaukee these days... read more

I love Colectivo coffee. I have been buying it from Gooseberry's in Burlington, going to the source is better. Way better. Next time, I will ride my adventure motorcycle there, as all great adventures start with awesome coffee. read more

This coffee shop is near the heart of Milwaukee. With plenty of seating, that can be a great place for grabbing coffee with a friend or sitting down for a could of hours to study. Coffee was wonderful and the atmosphere was welcoming and warm. Service was fast and great, would come back again. read more

I haven't been to any of the other Alterra locations, but went to the Foundry when visiting Milwaukee and really enjoyed the experience. I had a hot cider which was just what I needed to warm up, and some peanut butter pie - which was really tasty. The staff were friendly and the atmosphere was great. The person I was with had a coffee and said it was good coffee. I would definitely visit this place again next time. read more

Love Colectivo and the Foundry location is my jam. Close to work...check. Best dang chai in town...check. Great musical soundtrack almost every morning...check. Seriously, I heard Beirut in there last week. That made my frickin day. read more

Colectivo is a fantastic coffee shop. The interiors of the locations are such great examples of re-purposed industrial spaces. I got a cappuccino at this location after getting one at the lakefront location the day before. Just like at the lakefront location, the cappuccino was as close to perfect as you can get. However, I was a bit disappointed with the chorizo burrito. It was the smallest chorizo burrito I've ever had, and it tasted much more like an egg burrito than a chorizo burrito. I will stick to coffee from now on at Colectivo -- but I will always go here for a great coffee experience! read more

One word for the folks at home: gingersnap. You will not find a finer version of the traditional favorite of old people everywhere. It often times brings back fond memories for people. My husband said that Alterra's version trumps his own grandmother's (Shh. Don't tell anyone.). No. Really. Do tell. Tell your mom. Tell your friends AND your neighbors. The cookies are divine. I have gone out of my way to get a sweet treat at Alterra , and the cookies never make me regret my detour. The only complaint I have at the moment is the change from the previous tea purveyor to the present one. I am a decaf tea drinker, and I was sad to see my favorites disappear from the menu. I could count on the unbelievable blueberry rooibos. This flavor smelled like a slice of fresh blueberry pie. It tasted very much like it too. My other favorite was the tangerine ginger. The teas would, in general, burst with such pronounced flavor and aromas, you could enjoy every last sip and sniff. But, now, with the change, the rooibos has very little to offer in terms of flavor and definitely does not hold a candle to its blueberry counterpart. The "Gala" does somewhat resemble the fruitiness of it, but it is still lacking the beautiful aroma I looked forward to every time I ordered one. I do not know if one person's voice can move mountains, but I hope the Alterra boys will consider my words. I am sure there are others that would like to see the former teas return. I would also like to know why the change occurred. I am a firm believer in "if it is not broke, do not fix it." read more

Best coffee in the city, beautiful building and tasty bakery and sandwiches are here. read more

Colectivo Coffee Foundry - So relaxing - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Alterra = Nirvana to me. Especially while on bike rides. This one is awesomely located for that purpose somewhere between the Hank Aaron trail and the Oak Leaf Trail. I like how this location is set up, with a lot of seating along the windows. I've never seen it overly crowded and have never waited in a long line, which has been a problem at the Lakefront and Wauwatosa locations. I dock it one star because parking a car or parking a bike is usually difficult. Being along a very popular bike trail, I wish they had a proper bike rack. I've felt bad landing there with a biking party of 6-8 and we wind up having to lock them up weirdly all over the darn place. read more

LOVE Alterra and go to this one on my way to work or when the Lake is too busy. Once they brought me the wrong breakfast burrito and they gave me a punch card with a free coffee...I told them they should make mistakes more often! read more

I'm just gonna riff on this one for a second. When I sit outside at the Foundry, I cannot stop thinking about what that corner looked like when I was a little kid. Would anyone have been able to imagine enjoying a summer afternoon there 15 years ago? It's fantastic. Oh yeah, the coffee. Everyone knows that Alterra is the best in town and the Foundry, like the other locations for that matter, is always staffed by very knowledgeable, friendly baristas. I especially enjoy the smoke free patio. read more

Berry booster...YUM! Love this Alterra along with all the other Alterra's in Milwaukee. Each is unique in the layout of building. I am a fan! read more

GReat place I happened to stumble upon after dinner. I recognized the coffee since my local cafe, Unicorn Cafe in Evanston, features their coffee. Great staff and excellent coffee! read more

I want this place to expand to chicago and put Panera out of business. The selection on breakfast sandwiches are amazing. Great ambiance.

Alterra really makes the best coffee in Milwaukee. The Foundry is the Alterra closest to my apartment. I like the decor, and find it can be a fun place to read, talk to a friend or just space out. I've been there several times and never found the baristas to be even the slightest bit rude. Then again, I got my start drinking coffee at Berkeley cafes in the early 90s. If you're used to the Starbucks, corporate-style "baristas" (or for that matter, that style of "coffee") then it might not be your thing. My only complaint is that the crowd can get kind of obnoxious when all the festival-goers descend upon this part of town in the summer. read more

I've got a couple of issues with this Alterra location: (1) the place closes too early and (2) how is it possible to staff one location with the totally rude. I can handle the angst-ridden nihilist barista (I actually expect it.), but rude is, well.... no fun at all. Upgrade the staff and extend the hours. I love the coffee and the industrial environment AND the proximity to where I live, but when I need my Alterra fix, I can be found at the Riverwest location where the staff makes me feel welcome. read more

The coffee and treats were good in this super coffee house. There is outside seating and plenty of seating inside this hip looking store. A wide variety of coffee styles and excellent views make this place another great Milwaukee coffee house as the servers were extra friendly and helpful. tis is a great collection of collective coffee house local chain in this area. read more

What a charming place!! Perfect for a meeting place, after Run hang out, or chill on a sunny day on the outside terrace. We will definitely be back. The breakfast veggie pesto burrito was delicious. read more

Alright, here is the deal. I just moved here, and this is one of the best local coffee houses I know of. Coffee is not burnt tasting like Starbucks, good pastries and other treats, and I know they have free wifi until like noon on certain days. You can park on the street, or behind the building. Nice patio out front to hang out at during nice days. I've never had an unpleasant experience here. read more

My favorite coffee shop! I truly miss living so close to this gem.

What can I say? It's another Alterra. We can always find parking, which is an added bonus to this location. I don't actually drink coffee, so I am a fan of their iced teas. The hibiscus is the best. read more

They seriously have the some of the best coffee in the biz. They are slowly creeping past Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf. I am addicted to the Honey Latte, it's so delish! And their sandwiches are impressive too. Their decor is really cool, unique. So sad they are only in Milwaukee.... Please come to the East coast! read more

Great coffee, I really like the darker brews. Almond croissants are really good. So are the yogurt parfaits. If you're in the area it's worth a stop. read more

Great new coffee house in Bay View. Sit and watch the world go by or watch the bakery in full swing. Great Coffee and munchies.

Very nice. Great atmosphere. Baristas keep it real. Nice gem of a shop. Coffee is nice. Better than Intelligentsia, but certainly not as good as Metropolis. read more

Both our iced coffee and triple espresso americano lacked flavor and the tall gentleman taking orders made me feel very uncomfortable as he called me "man" and "dude" no less than 10 times. I almost said something to him, but people tell me not to get irate in public....so I'm being irate here! Shitty service, shitty coffee, beautiful building..archetects and interior designers claim this coffee is "to die for." read more

OK...that stink I complained about has mostly gone away...I smell it every once in a while...no idea what that is. GREAT cofee and GREAT food options! SUPER bakery too...but you gotta get here pretty early to get the KILLER BLUEBERRY MUFFINS! They sell out shortly after 8:00! The employees are apparently bussed over here from eastside...cuz these kids don't look like they belong to this neighborhood! ***Limited seating here.*** (They should really make this a MEGA ALTERRA...buy up the adjoining space that was The Social and make it monster-size!) read more

They can pour a good shot of espresso and they have some nice varieties of beans for sale. I am a little spoiled by Blue Bottle and Ritual in San Francisco, but these guys can hold their own. I wish they had some direct trade options or that at least they did exclusively fair trade. It's a drag to have to sort through the coffee's to determine which ones you can ethically buy. They do have single origin espresso options which is great. Definitely my choice of coffee for Milwaukee. read more

Best coffee shop in town! My go-to breakfast is the iced coffee and baked oatmeal. It's a fantastic start to the day. Don't bypass the baked oatmeal...it sounds kinda weird, but it's really, really great! read more

Loved it. Coffee was strong and yummy. Peanut butter and banana muffin was to die for..

Solid coffee, great ambiance. Nice place to hang out and get some work done. Located right next to the historic Third Ward, so it's right in the middle of things in Milwaukee. Great coffee house, definitely check it out. read more

WiFi is only free to noon! After that it is $4.00 for the first two hours and $4.00 a hour after that and you need to set up an account. Decided to go to an actual free WiFi cafe. read more

If you are in the area this is as good an Alterra as any: an excellent place for lunch, coffee, and to spend downtime. It is not an enormous location though, but if you can get a table tucked into the back of the store you can avoid the hustle and bustle near the front door. read more

Alterra Sucks! The coffee is almost as bitter and nasty as the employees. I strongly recommend going somewhere else, anywhere else.

Colectivo is amazing! Premium coffee for a rather normal price for the high end coffee world. I love the atmosphere of most locations, and usually there is good music playing. I have noticed that a lot of the new staff are not as great as they used to be. The standards for employees seem to have gone down a bit. That is not to say there aren't many great workers! Julio is the best at 1st street :) I love most of the food (although they could use a few more vegetarian options) but its great for a cafe! I spend most of my time here in between working and can't say better things about the coffee itself. Also, use your points card to get a free drink once in awhile! Points rack up. Overall, LOVE! read more

Well, let me start at out by saying that that I am a coffee junkie. I drink coffee all day, everyday. I love trying local independent coffee shops to see what their specialities are. This place did not disappoint. The décor what super industrial and rustic. Lots of metal and wood filled the area. There were the usual coffee house junkies on their laptops sipping lattes as well as couple and families with children. The staff was extremely helpful and willing to answer any questions I had about their drinks. The one thing that stood out to me over anything else was their wide assortment of milks. Almond milk! I thought I was the only one that put this in my coffee. They had themselves a new customer. I also could not believe their prices. So reasonable for being in a trendy neighborhood of Milwaukee. Then again, I am used to Chicago prices. On this day I opted for an iced 4 shot Americano with almond milk and 1 pump of white mocha. Everyone raved about their mocha syrups, so I needed to give it a try. HEAVEN! I must say, I have found my new coffee spot in Milwaukee! On the plus side, it shares the same building with the fantastic burger place I also found on the same trip. 2 awesome new spots all in one trip. read more