Noah Phillips
Perhaps it’s the blue floor, the mismatched chairs or the asymmetric chandeliers, but there’s something distinct and offbeat about Mother Fool’s Coffeehouse, 1101 Williamson St.
And it perfectly complements its Willy Street locale. The shop’s northeastern-facing outside wall, which has featured an ever-changing graffiti mural since 2001, is a familiar curiosity for east siders.
Since 1995, Mother Fool’s has been owned by Stephanie Rearick and Jon Hain, who see it as a community space, hosting frequent open mics and shows. Bakery items from its small, all-vegan food menu come from East Side Ovens in Milwaukee and Batch Bakehouse; homemade soups are from the Green Owl Cafe.
Mother Fool’s uses organic beans from Colectivo, based in Milwaukee. My iced latte was made with Colectivo’s organic, fair trade, Peacemaker espresso blend, which features beans from Sumatra, Mexico and Peru. The drink had a pleasantly heavy, earthy taste, and was very balanced between light and dark, bright and smooth. There are notes of cherry, lemon and chocolate in these beans.
Note: Mother Fool’s accepts cash or check only, but there is an ATM on premises.