Co-op had a vegan pretzel french toast bake special for New Year's Day! Pretty cool that they were open for Brunch in the first place and this special was so yummy. I keep thinking about the soft pretzels with bread pudding consistency and the crunchy streusel topping. I know some might think it's really sweet but I loved it. It's such a good feeling to be able to eat french toast without worrying about what the milk will do to my stomach. I need this to be on the menu more often or someone needs to send me the recipe lol! Also, the cafe gave us a voucher for next time once we realized they forgot the gravy to go with our biscuits. Always happy with the service and vegan options. read more

Riverwest Co-op & Café - Vegan Pretzel French Toast Bake - Grocery Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

All the food was fresh, hot, and delicious! The breakfast muffin had to be my favorite, the bread parts were so soft but still held the sandwich together. The pancake was delicious and, as it says, huge. Their prices are super fair and most have a small and large option. We decided the best way to order from here would be to each get a small portion of something to try and then split a giant pancake! The staff in the cafe and store were all so kind and helpful. It definitely made for a perfect spot to go on Sunday morning. The store stuff next to the cafe is a bit overpriced but everything is organic and some locally farmed/bought so I don't mind buying a few things that are a bit more expensive if it helps out small businesses in the area. Cute spot within walking distance of most of riverwest! read more

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Smoothies! brunch! cafe and a Grocer all in one! Helpful folks and the Smoothie with Cayenne was divine M-F & Sa: 10-2pm -Smoothies F: 4:00-8pm - Dinner option Sun: 10-2pm Brunch read more

Cafe is open again, Sunday brunch, and daily service from 9 to 2. Deli case full of goods when cafe is closed read more

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I love the Riverwest Co-op and Cafe! They have great local, organic and vegan/vegetarian options and it's such an important resource for the community. I volunteered here and got an extra 10% off. Highly recommend checking it out and supporting the co-op! read more

This grocery store & Café has all of the things the hipster in me wants! (Check our the grocery portion for yourself - you'll understand.) The cafe is a very small, order at the counter, serve your own coffee, 4 tables total, bus yourself, dingy kind of space BUT it is totally worth it for the food. I came yesterday for the first time and I came back today because I want to try everything on give menu. The Tempeh Reuben was messy but delicious - marinated organic tempeh, sauerkraut, your choice of vegan or dairy cheese, vegan 1,000 Island dressing, toasted rye bread, and I made it spicy with their kimchi and spicy sauce. The flavors and textures were great and it was very filling. I opted for the Mac & Trees as my side which wasn't my favorite because it was a lot of carbs and I do eat cheese but still tasty. The next time I got the Bi Bim Bop to go (a Korean-inspired dish I like anywhere I order it, because Kimchi!) They use organic brown rice & organic steamed veggies. Their barbecue sauce was nice and tangy. I opted for the tofu (or you can choose an egg.) Nothing too special about their version, but it was definitely healthy, warm, and satisfying. I will be back. Anyone have a favorite I should try? read more

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Cool Artsy Off the beaten path Local Delicious Vibe Lotsa food I came for brunch and it was a real treat, not busy at all so I'd like to see more people come and check it out instead of some jammed hipster or bougie place. This is just as good! I've heard they have some other killer burgers and sides and stuff, will have to return for more meals! Many (all?) of the desserts were house made. Our sever actually said that she made one of them! Be sure to walk around and notice the colorful things around the place. read more

While exploring Milwaukee we stumbled across the River West Co-Op and Café in our quest for tasty gluten free vegan grub. We were not disappointed in this decision! The Co-OP itself was very small but well stocked full of goodies. Plenty of food, home cleaning, and clothing items! The employees were by far and a way the best part of our visit. They were all so friendly and welcoming! The Café is adorably small but has a jam packed menu full of items for everyone! I settled on the gluten free vegan "tuna" melt salad and a peanut butter smoothie. My partner devoured two of their chocolate chip cookies and a vegan Bahn Mi. My "tuna" melt was pretty tasty. I make chickpea "tuna" a lot at home and they hit the nail on the head. I think they may have used Daiya cheese as it had a distinct flavor but I could be wrong. The meal was very tasty but I am unsure why it was served with crisps. They seemed like a bit of an after thought. The smoothie was heaven in a cup. It tasted like peanut butter nice cream which I am a huge fan of. My partner loved his sandwich. He said it wasn't an authentic Bahn Mi but it was still delicious! What blew him away were the cookies. He moaned to high heaven while eating it. To be honest, it was weird to witness! The prices seem pretty standard, the food is decent enough, the atmosphere is comfy, and the staff is AMAZING. Certainly a place I would come back to if I lived in the area. read more

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This place has been part of the community for as long as I can remember! My Mom would tell me vintage stories about shopping here. Today, I'm indulging in neighborhood memories; a sanctuary of fresh, real food! Both the market/store and Café is amazing! I recommend. read more

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Really missed our visits to the Riverwest Co-op Cafe, we were able to stop today for take out ordered a Tempeh Ruben and the Notorious BBQ added Thai Lentil soup from the Grab & Go and a few cookies. Wow we were very impressed by the taste and quality of our meals! What a great place to get tasty quality vegan and vegetarian meals!!! read more

The food was okay. I ordered a half order of biscuits and gravy and the Ranchero. Both vegan. The biscuit was huge and the gravy, which was supposed to be sausage but was actually mushroom with one sausage cube, had decent flavor. Not great but not horrible. The ranchero came and the tofu scramble was actually cold. I took it back up to the counter and she heated it up, and everything was fine. Good flavors and nice heat. So that's the good part. The experience was dreadful. I order standing at the counter. Then sit at a dirty table with an employee who is eating her breakfast while the staff is having a employee meeting. And how loud they are. Then after waiting maybe 15 minutes she tells me I have to go into the coop to pay before she will bring out my breakfast. UGH! Then after their meeting they are all standing around me laughing and yelling for another 5 minutes. Seriously, you can't do this before the restaurant opens. I'm also amazed that places like this, that don't offer any service, ask for tips. If they don't offer table service, they should pay their staff. read more

RW coop is a gem and a treat - the cafe is a wonderful vegan eatery and my son and I stopped in on a Monday. To my surprise my friend Todd was cooking in the kitchen - volunteers run the joint - and all who work there are so friendly and kind - a hippie-heaven, really. We had the soup of the day and a veg chili and I got the vegan "egg" salad - always a treat. You can pick up fresh fruits and veg and snacks - but bring your bags! Enjoy. read more

I love this place and I always order the BBQ tofu sandwich. It is fantastic and they don't skimp on the BBQ sauce or veganaise, which I really appreciate. They have a fantastic berry smoothie, too. The cute skinny guy with glasses who is almost always there cooking is SO cheerful and nice and makes me glad to keep coming back (not to get all "Craigslist Missed Connections" on here, I AM married after all). read more

Upgrade alert: we're going to DEFCON 5. Stars. I've been spoiled with having the COOP in my 'hood for years, and never really have I made a serious habit to go there. But today, while waiting on my vegan breakfast sandwich and perusing the wares of the coop, did it finally dawn on me how effing awesome this place is. Without doubt. So many great things that are organically sourced or sustainably forged... fantastic and varied food options from the café side... and you're supporting a great establishment in a fantastic neighborhood. Healthy, delicious options. Rishi Tea. Kombucha. Awesome honey. Flax. Granola. Salsa. Produce. Tons of veggie burgers. Anodyne coffee. Seriously. There's nothing that's not good about this place. The black hair dying, punk-ish, anti-establishment, eff the man and eff society and I'm getting wasted all the time 22 year-old me would most certainly hate and not understand the current me. She'd be so bummed that I now do yoga and own a crossover and have a job w/ health insurance. But I'll be damned if my 27 year-old self wouldn't look right back in her face and be all... "Yeah? Well, I still give a damn. And in a more productive and tangible way. So there." (See also: when you patronize places like this, everyone wins.) And then, my 22 year-self and my 27 year-old self would probably look at each other with a weird and palpable disdain... although maybe there'd be a mutual understanding? Ahck... who knows. Whatever. Support this local and amazing gem in Riverwest. The COOP rules. Worthy of all five stars a Yelper can dole out. read more

The vegan ultimate breakfast Sandwich is a SLAMMER!! The vegan sloppy Joe is a slammer too I never sat down and ate there but I recommend anyone who looking for vegan food, to go check em out lol be blessed everyone! read more

Came here for the first time on a weekend trip to Milwaukee and was not disappointed. In fact, all of the food was fantastic! It's a little weird how you order-- first of all, lunch is not available until 2pm on the weekends. You go to the counter and order, then take your bill to the front desk of the co-op that's connected, and go back and sit in the cafe. I ordered the lunch special with the mock tuna melt (vegan style) and one of the daily soups, which was African Peanut. My boyfriend had the Philly cheesesteak, vegan style. I LOVED my sandwich, and the soup was very good, too! He really enjoyed the Philly, and the real kicker is... I really liked the bite I tried of his, too, even though I've previously never had seitan that I've liked! (and I am a vegan, so I've tried my share of seitan. This is the only seitain I'd willingly eat again!) The only downside was, the table was pretty gross and it didn't seem like they cleaned them. Oh well... a little grime won't kill ya. I will certainly go back next time I'm in the area! read more

Riverwest Co-op & Café - Mock tuna melt, vegan style. I loved it!! - Grocery Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

I have just read all of the other reviews of Riverwest Co-op and Cafe. Folks, you are so-o-o-o kind, but overall misleading. Some background: I have only shopped the co-op or cafe on weekdays from opening until about 2:00 PM. Maybe my experiences are dependent on those days of the week or hours of the day. That said, here is what I have found: Surly workers Over-priced products (up to 50% higher than Beans and Barley on some items, 5-20% higher than Outpost on many) Dubious sanitation Clutter and dust (once went into a sneezing jag there because of dust in the air) Glacially slow "service" One might ask why, after a dozen or more experiences like this, would I keep coming back? I don't. For the past year I have eschewed the place and warned off many others. If feels like my public duty to do so. read more

For vegetarians, this place is a must visit. Often times, I find that veggie/vegan places try too hard to imitate carnivorous food and create dishes that just can't compare to their meat filled siblings. However, Riverwest Co-op offers a striking example of what a vegetarian restaurant should be like: serving good food that stands on its own merits and doesn't need to be compared to its carnivorous counterpart because it's just that good. I'm taking one star off simple because seating area is very small and getting to the water pitcher can sometimes be awkward since it sits right behind a table (sometimes filled with people). read more

Riverwest Co-op & Café - Grocery Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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For starters I would just like to point out that the ambiance is listed as "hipster" and for the record my Yelp profile indicates that I "frequently crush on hipsters". If that conflict of interest gets my review filtered I totally understand. If you could bite off a giant hunk of Riverwest and taste it....it would taste like Riverwest Co-op's biscuits and gravy. There is something so earthy about the vegetarian gravy and the homemade biscuits that is so comforting. Add a sunny day and a table outside and it's just lovely. Most of the people in our group were meat eaters, so I advise not to shy away from this place just because of the vegan/vegetarian specialty. Good food is good food. It's whole experience, so give yourself some time to enjoy it. The service can be slow if it gets busy, they have a tiny grill and aren't set up to handle large crowds. I totally forgive them for it. I am not currently an east sider or a Riverwester, and I think it's worth the trip-It's not just for locals or hipsters and it's very welcoming. read more

Riverwest Co-op & Café - Biscuits and Graveyard - Grocery Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

It's been brought to my attention Milwaukee is just too quiet on the Yelpness so I'm going to start kickin' it up a knotch. This cafe is on point with your affordable all veg needs. My "last meal on earth" is a Fried Tofu sandwich from just this place. I don't know if she still works there as I've been AWOL for awhile now, but Alex used to make a best ones of all time. Same with the breakfast muffin things: vegan sausage patties with some tofu scramble, some veggies and vegan mayo... sooo good.... actually I'm going to wrap this review up prematurely and try and go make one myself but there's no way it's going to be as good as from here. read more

My first time ordering from Riverwest Co-op and from DoorDash tonight. First off, the driver got there and the food wasn't prepared yet. Apparently they called someone (?? not me) and said one of the items I ordered (scrambled tofu) was only available for breakfast. Why was I able to select it then? Still, that is forgivable. However, when I put some of their salsa on my vegan burrito I saw what I thought was a stem of some sort. I pulled it out and... it was a piece of wire, about 1.5 inches long. I called the restaurant and told them about it, mainly so that they would check the rest of their salsa. What if that had been in my mouth - or worse yet, what if I had swallowed it?! Whoever I spoke to didn't seem horribly bothered by a wire in the salsa. He offered me a free meal - in the future! - um, no thanks. read more

Riverwest Co-op & Café - Grocery Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Went all the way down there at 7:25pm ( I live in Pewaukee!)..grill was shut down...very disappointed. Seems no one wants to work these days. I'm posting this in hope's the owners read this and do something about it....or change your business hours to reflect your practices. read more

I want one of these in Las Vegas so bad. I love a good co-op, and Riverwest has it all!! Yummy cafe, specialty vegan goods, crunchy atmosphere. Had a delish brunch here, then did a little shopping. They had so much great stuff - Teese, Upton's seitan (best seitan I've ever tried), Tofurkey frozen vegan pizzas, locally made chocolate chip cookies (which were great!). I was only there for a couple days, so I couldn't take advantage of the perishable goods. :( The food was super, served up by friendly folks, and was VERY reasonably priced. Wish I could have made it back for lunch one day, because their sandwich selection looked amazing. read more

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Cafe great for sandwiches or a bite. Very good soup and deli to-go. Full and wonderful grocery store, good selection of bulk items (grains, pasta etc etc). Nice patio. read more

O.M.G. I love this place. Even if it takes me almost 45 mins to get there - it's ALWAYS worth it. The atmosphere is great - everyone is so happy to be there and be a part of it. The food, which can be completely vegan, is out of this world. Recently spent a weekend in Milwaukee and ate everyday here. Highly recommend the pancakes - huge and delish. Highly recommend the Philly cheez steak - a vegan masterpiece! read more

Riverwest Co-op & Café - Best vegan cafe!! - Grocery Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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Love this place! Until today, I could never get past ordering the vegan breakfast biscuit. I love it so much that I never want to try anything else. But this morning I "forced" myself to order their vegan pancakes (with blueberries). Amazingly delicious! And massive! I ordered two pancakes, not understanding that just one cake fills a whole plate. So now I have leftovers for my kids. Or me. (Probably me.) And so my struggle begins for my next breakfast visit...what a beautiful dilemma to have. Atmosphere is classic Riverwest funky. Be yourself. Be happy. And Enjoy. read more

Good food, limited but healthy options and the staff is friendly. A bit smaller than I expected but hey quality over quantity!

Oh my gosh what a great little place and the Side where they make the fresh food the vegan Reuben and the vegan philly cheese steak were both phenomenal read more

Riverwest Co-op & Café - a car parked on the side of the road - Grocery Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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I'm really excited for their cafe to open back up. Their sandwiches are always so yummy. Very vegetarian and vegan friendly. Their store has a lot of selection as well. I always get my eggs and honey here to take advantage of the local products. I like browsing through their other products as well. They have a very interesting selection which is refreshing for a meatless diet. Everyone is really friendly. Everyone in Riverwest should be going here!!! read more

This is such a good little place. Absolutely delicious food, and a great emphasis on zero waste living! I ordered the bibimbap - it was super untraditional, but it was so good! read more

Riverwest Co-op & Café - Bibimbap - Grocery Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

One of my favorites in Milwaukee! Everything I've ordered from their cafe has been delicious. I recommend the Tofu Bánh mì or the Philly Cheese Steak read more

Riverwest Co-op is my absolute favorite vegan café in Milwaukee. It was the first vegan restaurant I've ever visited (been coming for about two years) and it remains very close to my soul. The Bi Bim Bop was my first dish here and it's a local favorite for a reason. In fact, it's so popular, it's served for breakfast/brunch and lunch/dinner. My second go-to is the Phamous Philly (vegan version), followed my the Notorious BBQ. With names like "phamous" and "notorious", you'd be silly to skip out on this deliciousness; trust me. Outside of Milwaukee, I find it challenging to find a restaurant that had food remotely as good as the food offered at Riverwest Co-op, which is why I find it a blessing to have something so rare so close to home. Whatever they do in that little kitchen of theirs requires nothing shy of a standing ovation. Friggin' well done. Bravo. read more

The cafe has really tasty options whether you're already a vegetarian or vegan, thinking about going vegetarian or vegan, or simply just like good food. All the food at the cafe is vegan (unless you opt to add dairy to it) but all of my meat-eating friends enjoy this place as much as I do. I've tried nearly every menu item and never been disappointed. They also have really great foods and some chilled dishes for takeout in the deli section. The grocery part of the coop, although small, has lots of stuff that can be hard to find anywhere else, however I don't think it would be practical to do all my grocery shopping there. Lots of great odds and ends there and I'm always surprised with what I find. Prices aren't outrageous, but it is a small mostly organic coop so you can't expect it to compete with major grocery stores. read more

Great food and great people. Love the barbecue sandwich. Love the vibes and the shopping area.

I am actually considering moving closer to Riverwest (in Bayview now) just to be closer to the co-op. I love it that much. Like seriously, its a vegan heaven filled with really nice, friendly volunteers manning the kitchen and the register. If you visit, make sure to pick up some vegan tamales! Locally made and ridiculously yummy! read more

I've fallen out of love with this place. Completely. I got more involved over the years of living in RW, and I became more and more disillusioned. With the exception of a couple of people in leadership, the establishment does not operate from the values they purport to have. They do not care about racial or economic justice. All efforts to agitate for these are met with excuses, rationalizations or cancelled meetings to avoid the topic. Don't get me started on the latest Annual Report. read more

Okay, service/operations may not be their forte, but hey! If you're in no rush, you're in for a goooooooooood eat, that's for sure. Milwaukee's veg scene is more hippie to Chicago's hipster, and I kinda liked it- super chill, community focused, and lots of pretty flowers (quote by the cook at the Chicago Diner when I served there- I commented on his skull pants and he said, "I like skulls, you like flowers." but I digress.) Riverwest is the epitome. We had the french toast (and asked for banana and chocolate on top) with biscuits and hash and it was quite the delicious carb-fest. NEXT VISIT? I'd get me a breakfast muffin the co-owners next to me ordered. I skipped over them on the menu not realizing they were muffin as in the english kind, g'morning mate! (oh wait, that's Australian? Accents aren't my forte.) As in, these are like those egg mc- style that I've never ever ever eaten in my life but secretly wanted to. So, if you also harbor secret desires for breakfast muffins and all things delicious, hearty, and animal free- with a side of a super long wait- then Riverwest is your place to chill and be chilled. Enjoy! read more

The breakfast is really good! Literally the best french toast I've ever had!! I love getting the breakfast muffin with tofu scrambled as well. Would highly recommend read more

Port O Milly? Philly O Port? Like a drop dead gorgeous, hotter than sin one night stand that I think I'm kind of in love with, I can't remember your name! You: tender bun, sloppy mushrooms, copious melted cheese. Me: greasy fingers/face, growling belly, satisfied grunts. Call me . . . I want you again. read more

I'm going to example our whole experience! My boyfriend and I were in town for one night for a concert. On Sunday we went for brunch around 11:20am and walked in with one table open. We order and I said 2 biscuit sandwich's, order of biscuits and gravy with a smoothie. I went to the register and pay, after waiting in line for 10 minutes, because there was one lady behind the counter watching and another at the register. I was gone so long my boyfriend, who was keeping our table, asked what I was doing. We sat there talking and waiting for our food. As we were sitting there the restaurant was full of people waiting for food or to order. At this point, there is three people making food and one person standing around doing a few random things. He should have been taking orders and calls but instead one of the three people making food did all of it. This is why I gave them two stars. At 12:10, 50 minutes later, we got our food, but it was wrong. We only got one sandwich that was an english muffin, biscuits and gravy and the smoothie. The sandwich had eggs the guy didn't even ask if we want tofu or eggs, which isn't a hug deal, but still. The food was good and we didn't get the second order, because I wasn't going to wait for it. The restaurant was so full we could hardly get up. Then we went on to the store! Which we loved and found a lot of stuff you can't find in our town! So, overall the place was so busy it was hard to move around. After 50 minutes of waiting we got the wrong order and missing a whole plate. I would go back for the store, but not the restaurant. The food was tasty, especially the biscuits and gravy. I would like to try there lunch menu, but for me the food doesn't out way the experience we had! THANKS FOR READING :-) read more