Last summer, we brought you the news that Valentine Coffee Roasters would be opening a new cafe at 3124 N. Downer Ave., in the recently restored building along the eastern edge of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee campus.
Just nine months later, the cafe has officially opened its doors, offering a menu of coffee and espresso drinks, pastries and a cadre of breakfast and lunch offerings. In fact, the East Side Cafe softly opened on Thursday, May 1 and it's already attracting a combination of students and local residents.
The cafe presents with clean modern lines in a palette of soothing greys and blue, which pop against the historic cream city brick walls.
Art showcases photography depicting coffee growers with which Valentine maintains relationships, while wall shelving displays live plants and stacks of books, a nod to the cafe’s location near the university. Co-owner Joe Gilsdorf says that additional art will be added to the cafe’s northern walls in the weeks ahead.
Seating is available at low tables set against banquettes on the southern wall, a high top community table at the center of the cafe and bar-style seating against the cafe’s near floor-to-ceiling windows that overlook the Arts Center and theater buildings at UW-Milwaukee.
On the menu at the cafe, guests will find a full coffee and espresso menu, including seasonal offerings like the Blackberry Basil Shaken Espresso, Strawberry Latte and Elderberry Hibiscus Arnold Palmer with spirulina.
Valentine also features a curated selection of canned beer and wines along with select spirits, making it an ideal spot for a casual afternoon Irish coffee, wine date or “happy hour” cocktail.
Food offerings include breakfast options like burritos, customizable egg sandwiches, bagels, bagels and lox, English muffins and various pastries. There are also lunch items including a Turkey Fig Wrap, Turkey Club, Valentine BLT and Toasted Three Cheese, as well as seasonal specials including a Buffalo Chicken Wrap.
“We couldn’t be more excited to have an established independent coffee shop just across the street from the city’s largest university,” says Gilsdorf. “And we can’t wait to share our coffee with the folks who live in the nearby residential neighborhood.”
Gilsdorf notes that they will seek a permit for the cafe’s sidewalk patio and a request for a loading zone in front of the cafe for customers who’d like to preorder coffee for efficient pick-up. In the meantime, customers are welcome to use the patio seating along the sidewalk in front of Old Guard Games.
Valentine on Downer is open Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Interested in joining the Valentine Coffee Roasting team? Check out the available positions online and stop by the cafe to inquire. Or reach out by email at info@valentinecoffeeco.com.
As a passionate champion of the local dining scene, Lori has reimagined the restaurant critic's role into that of a trusted dining concierge, guiding food lovers to delightful culinary discoveries and memorable experiences.
Lori is an avid cook whose accrual of condiments and spices is rivaled only by her cookbook collection. Her passion for the culinary industry was birthed while balancing A&W root beer mugs as a teenage carhop, fed by insatiable curiosity and fueled by the people whose stories entwine with every dish. Lori is the author of two books: the "Wisconsin Field to Fork" cookbook and "Milwaukee Food". Her work has garnered journalism awards from entities including the Milwaukee Press Club. In 2024, Lori was honored with a "Top 20 Women in Hospitality to Watch" award by the Wisconsin Restaurant Association.
When she’s not eating, photographing food, writing or planning for TV and radio spots, you’ll find Lori seeking out adventures with her husband Paul, traveling, cooking, reading, learning, snuggling with her cats and looking for ways to make a difference.
