Noah Phillips
For such a centrally located coffeehouse, Bradbury’s, just one block off the Capitol Square at 127 N. Hamilton St., retains a sense of being off the beaten track. Its high ceilings, glass walls and thin triangle shape create an unusual and intriguing space. The food menu is largely confined to wonderful crepes, both savory and sweet.
During my visit, there were four employees crowded into the space behind the counter. Asked for recommendations, they offered me a “flat white,” an espresso drink conceived of and popular in Australia and New Zealand. At Bradbury’s, it’s made with four ounces of steamed milk and two shots of espresso. It’s more refined than the drink of the same name offered at Starbucks. Think latte, but with less milk.
Bradbury’s special blend of beans for the drink comes from Kickapoo Coffee Roasters, a Viroqua-based company, and is dominated by Ethiopian beans. Taken alone, the espresso base is the heat from an applewood fire in a cast-iron woodstove. The steamed milk subdues the intensity of the espresso while also radiating its own warmth. I loved it.
