Prairie Cafe & Bakery
6720 Frank Lloyd Wright Ave, Middleton, WI, 53562
Prairie Cafe & Bakery Menu
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Address :
6720 Frank Lloyd Wright Ave
Middleton, WI, 53562 - Phone (608) 827-2437
- Website https://www.prairiecafeandbakery.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :7:00 am - 3:00pm
- Mon : 7:00 am - 3:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : No
Good For : Breakfast, Lunch
Parking : Street, Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : No
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : No
Dogs Allowed : No
Waiter Service : No
Caters : No
Good for Working : No
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Nic S.
Nice place for meetings. Many tables spread out through the space. Food is very good. Cup of soup included bread AND pieces of fruit which was a sweet surprise. The salted pecan pie latte is also a nice fall diversion from pumpkin latte. Nice to have another local establishment. Bummed they only take cash as I rarely carry cash and for me that's why a star was lost.
(4)Deric B.
Just had my third breakfast since this cafe moved across the street into larger quarters. I loved the food at the old place. I'm ready to report my major disappointment with what the new kitchen is producing. Food was long in preparation, egg dishes were overcooked, greasy, omelet was a overdone dried out frittata.
(2)Tamara C.
I had the Tuscan chicken & 3 cheese. Very yummy and served with a side choice. I chose the sliced fruit. I can say it was worth the $10...not for just the food but the ambiance. I'd come back here to try another hot sandwich. Just keep in mind, at this moment the café is still cash only. Walk across the street grab yourself some cash and get here for a nice sandwich.
(4)Craig W.
I ate here twice this week. The first time with 5 others for a lunch meeting; the second time with my wife & daughter for a light brunch. Both days were warm and muggy so I started with an iced coffee. Well done. Can't go wrong with Alterra. For my work lunch I ordered the CBLT, a nicely toasted BLT with a thick cut of bacon and some cheddar melted in. The lettuce and tomato are fresh, as is the "fresh fruit" on the side. Today, my wife had an egg sandwich with ham. It was huge, like an omelette on the same toasted bread as my BLT a few days before. The yogurt parfait my daughter ordered had fresh fruit and crunchy granola. The power was out while we were there today, but the staff worked hard to serve everything on the menu. Kudos to them all and to this great little place in Middleton.
(4)Herine C.
Marvelous little breakfast spot. My husband and I spent the weekend in Middleton and came here twice because it was so good! Really enjoyed the ambience, ordering at the register and having our food come out to the table. The fair-trade coffee was outstanding, as were the oatmeal with berries and breakfast sandwich. I was particularly blown away by the chocolate croissant, which I couldn't imagine could trump my favorite at Bennison's in Evanston IL but it was deliciously buttery, flakey and had the best chocolate filling I've ever had in pain chocolat! My husband swore that his mocha was the best he's had in his life. Kind of makes us want to move out here!
(5)Beth W.
Great place with extremely fresh ingredients. I've been here twice now-both times for breakfast and it's just a wonderful little place. The space is open and cheery. You order at the counter, get a number and go find a seat. There are a number of tables outside as well as counter seating if a regular table/booth isn't to your liking. Coffee is by Collectivo and is self-serve behind the register. Don't forget to grab your silverware right behind you after you pay. The menu has quite a large selection. I had the carnitas burrito and it was delish. The chipotle sauce that it comes with is excellent and I could have used a touch more on my burrito. It comes with a side of salsa verde which was awesome. Not sure if it was housemade or not but it sure tasted like it! My sister had the burrito with black beans, red/green peepers (I can't remember what it was called and is not on the online menu for some reason even though it was not a special-though after a second glance I notice the carnitas burrito is not listed either...CAUTION: website menu is not updated). She really enjoyed it and hers came with a very good red salsa. Portions aren't overwhelming and don't come with potatoes so is actually a perfect amount of food. I'll be back for sure.
(4)Eric T.
ONLY TAKES CASH OR CHECK!!! So, this is not always a deal breaker, and I have been here before and went out of my way to return. I didn't either remember this rule, or it changed since I last visited, since I usually don't carry either. They won't pay the fee for the credit card machine, but want me to dish out money for checks or ATM fees...makes me mad on principle. And there is a Starbucks literally across the street or other local joints that will gladly take my debit/credit cards down the a little ways away that I will now know to frequent instead.
(1)Steve L.
New place + several more visits under my belt = time for an update. Dropping the rating a star from before; I'm so torn on how to rate this... I feel like a 2.75 is about right these days, but I'll be a bit generous. + New space looks great. Open, airy, bright. + Dining area is largely separated from order counter thanks to half-walls and coffee area. + Menu remains the same as before + They now accept credit/debit cards!!!!! Finally!!!! Yay! + Friendly staff + More outdoor seating than before + The toast. Yummy. + They now bus your tables when done eating - It's not immediately clear that they do this; I discovered it by accident after walking around the place, holding my plate looking for the bus-bins. And now, for the negatives... - Tried to dine on July 3. Place was locked-up tighter than a drum. No signs about holiday vacation, no mention anywhere. Just dark (at 9:30am). Not cool. - While they have Colectivo coffee, it's brewed far too weak. It's so thin and anemic, that all variants taste nearly identical to one another. - Do the scrambles-of-the-day ever change, or do I manage to visit when the same scramble is featured (every.dang.time.)? - Scramblers have become quite greasy. Past two visits left my plate with a solid sheen of oil. But my biggest gripe (aside from weak coffee and greasier than before food): logistics of the coffee station/order counter area. Why are they so close to one another, thus making it nearly impossible during busier times to get coffee or to get up to the counter (to ask a question or request a to go container)? The distance between the order counter and the coffee area is maybe two-people wide, so it gets crowded quickly in that area. It's also the only area for garbage/recycling, which makes it all the more busy. :-( I'm quickly running out of favorite west-side breakfast haunts.
(3)Stacey L.
My family loves this place! We have been going here since their old location. great place to bring your kids for breakfast. It's good food and they are pretty quick (we are generally there pretty early)! They new building is great and has a ton of space. My husband loves getting the Corned Beef Hash and the Burger and Fries breakfast. I also love the Corned Beef Hash. Their specials are all really good. I generally get the special scrambles. The coffee is great , and they have unlimited refills! YES! The fruit is always fresh, and they have great baked goods. Staff is really friendly there. and YES!!! they take credit cards now!!!
(4)Sarah Z.
New location is gorgeous!! There's something for everyone here. Healthy options, ultimate comfort foods, a wide selection of teas... And oh their tea! You get a huge pot of high quality loose leaf tea for a small price. I always ask for a little soy milk to add to mine. Just delightful. Note: The wifi is strongest in the far end of the cafe near the restrooms.
(4)Thomas H.
Visited for breakfast today, and really enjoyed it. A couple of specials listed on the board when you walk in. Order at the counter and the give you a number and bring it to your table. The special sounded good - but I went for an omlet with sausage, mushroom and cheddar with sourdough toast. It was excellent! Good size, delicious sausage and the Fresh bread. Others in our group had a Belgian waffle and one had oatmeal. All were very pleased! Order came out fast and the staff was very nice. Good sized place and it looked like there was outdoor seating too. Very pleased. Only complaints were it looked like many bakery items were sold out (good sign they were good) and the menu on the website wasn't working. One review said cash only - but I don't know - I saw a card swiped ahead of me so that might be old info. Can't wait to go again! Very good!
(4)Robin E.
Super cute cafe!! Very spacious with great ambiance. Many different food and drink options. They now take credit cards too!!
(4)Ron R.
First time in the new space and it was better than ever! Friendly staff and great food and I paid with a CREDIT CARD!
(5)Loren H.
Nice new building with well trained staff. My neck got sore looking up at the menu behind the bar. They need some hand out menus like other places. I had a southwestern rollup that was very good and spicy. My partner had the CBLT, cheese BLT I think, that was good but had too much butter on the outside of the bread. The only complaint was that there is no sound proofing and one crying rug rat in the dining area really hurt my ears and made it hard to talk. It is an open ceiling design which is nice looking but bounces all sound everywhere and is annoying.(Ban Kids!) Breakfast menu looks great and I will definitely go back.
(4)Alex M.
I have visited for lunch twice, great sandwiches at good value with fresh fruit as a side - beautiful new building full of light.
(4)Ryan G.
I'm big on culture/sense of community and this place rocks! It's cash / check only and I was unprepared - an embarrassing moment until the woman behind me offered to pay and then the woman at the register did as well. That kind of culture you cannot overlook! The coffee and food were well done! When I am in WI they will always have my support! Cheers to all who helped build the culture of this coffee shop / restaurant!
(5)Cameron N.
Menu and food quality were nothing special. A bit overpriced for a place without full service. Although it's a nice, new place, the space is definitely lacking personality or comfort. It'd be nice if breakfast foods were available in the afternoon.
(2)Dawn H.
Have always loved Prairie. We have looked forward to eating here Sundays when in Madison (which has been often the last 3 years). Got here today and found the Cafe had moved across the street. New space is okay, high ceiling makes it extremely loud. I miss the warm atmosphere of the old spot. Biggest issue is I think they forgot the recipes and seasonings at the old place. First time ever, we were horribly disappointed, after waiting 30 minutes for our food. Toast was burnt, sent it back and dug into my corned beef hash. Potatoes were not done and it was bland beyond belief. We sent the plates back and while they added a bit of seasoning it was still not "Prairie hash" and they threw the same eggs on grill to rewarm so now my medium eggs were hard. Maybe the new grill isn't seasoned enough yet. They also now clear the tables for you, instead of having a station for you to dump your own. Twenty minutes after we eere done someone came and cleared our plates away. I sincerely hope they find the old mojo!
(1)Amanda M.
Looks great. Smells great. When they told me it would be a 30-40 minute wait for a breakfast sandwich I cancelled my order. Seems like an unworkable business model. Hire another cook and install another stove. Came all the way here from Spring Green--sad face.
(1)Rowan C.
From scratch pastries, breads, breakfast, lunch, dinner options Cozy coffee shop atmosphere, fireplace, plenty of tables. Cash only. Pay at front and they will bring the food out to you. Free refills on coffee. Never dissapointed.
(4)Ben P.
The food is good but there are better brunch places in Madison. It has a cozy feel but I can't tell if they want to be a cafe/coffee shop or a restaurant. Cash Only! I'm not running back but will probably return at some point.
(3)Glen H.
Went to new facility on Fathers-day. It used to be one of my most favorite places for coffee, bake goods, and breakfast. Food was still excellent, we had a scramble and it was excellent. Food still is great, but, the new beauty full facilities has major problem. I have not been in such a load environment for eating for a long time. In looking at the internal construction there is no sound absorbing or muffling materials anywhere. The restaurant is an Eco chamber. Than to top it off they where constantly grinding what I initially thought was coffee but it turned out to be some kind of smoothy. Than a worker showed up without her proper tee shirt on and the manger had to yell over the smoothy machine for her to get her work shirt on and get to work. He of course had to yell since the smoothy machine was going so all the customers got to witness the entire exchange. The tables are much more spread out and the tables are big. But because of that I could not talk across the wide table in such a noisy enviorment. The design to have the kitchen out in the open makes the noise of food prep a big problem. The feel of the old place is gone. They can now handle more customers but the dinning experience is greatly reduced. I came across town from the east side to dine here, but going forward I will only be going here if it happens to be on my way to somewhere. I hope Prairie can address the loss of comfort they used to have, it will take a real effort and defiantly some extensive attention to sound dampening.
(2)Matt W.
Pleasant atmosphere, great coffee, hit or miss bakery When I venture to Middleton to catch up with friends over a cup of coffee, I often end up at the Prairie Cafe & Bakery. It's a short bike ride from the 53597 and the Alterra Coffee (or is it Colectivo now, I'm so confused) they serve beats the pants off of what you can get from the neighboring Starbucks. I wish the outdoors seating area took advantage of the nearby Pheasant Branch Conservancy. Sipping coffee and watching the locals pick-up their dry-cleaning just isn't the vibe I'm looking for I guess. I can't vouch for the breakfast or lunch selections, since I'm just a coffee and baked goods sort of guy. As for baked goods, I've had some excellent scones and muffins at Prairie. Like scream it from the rooftop great. But not every time. Just when I'm ready to proclaim Prairie my go to coffee and a scone hangout, I get a scone that's as dry as Atacama Desert. And since I'm dropping some decent coin here, I want better consistency. Things I like: * Love the staff here. Even when the place is getting slammed by waves of morning commuters looking for their sugar and caffeine fix, I always get a smile and courteous service. * Always love me some free wi--fi. Never had a problem connecting or with download speeds. * The noise level indoors always seems to be a soft murmur, with some relaxing music wafting in the background. Never had a problem carrying on a conversation with my table mates. * When the FDA approves Alterra Coffee for intravenous use, I'll be first in line. There are always are four or five roasts to choose from and I've never had a skunky cup. Things I don't *The "cash only" thing was so hip in the 18th century, but it's 2013 now. Start taking plastic, people. * The baked goods are not inexpensive. It's usually worth it, but it's annoying as hell when I lose the muffin lottery. It's a solid three star option with lots of upside if the bakery improves its consistency.
(3)Apoorv K.
I went there for Sunday brunch. I had ordered a breakfast burritto and a cup of lentil soup. Both of them were served with a few slices of fresh fruit (pineapple and orange to be specific). The burritto was just perfect. It was quite filling without making me fall asleep as typically happens after eating at brunch places. The soup was good as well although not as good as the burritto. I would visit this place again for sure.
(5)Susan F.
Such a cute place!! I was there for breakfast, and had eggs, bacon, homefries, toast and a pancake. I like variety, what can I say?? Eggs were good. Bacon and toast ok. Homefries were kinda greasy, but tasted awesome. Totally looked like they would be gross, but were delicious. Pancake is where it's at. Seriously. Just perfect. Also, I believe they make their own pastries. Several coffee options, too. The outside seating is so cute, too. I was there on a weekday morning, so there wasn't a whole lot going on, but it was still fun to sit outside on a perfect day, and watch the traffic and people go by.
(4)Lexie G.
I'm soo confused. Am I in a post office, sit down restaurant, or casual coffee shop? If you were going for the blend of all three, then heck, I guess you nailed it. Seriously. There are postal boxes in this joint. The best things I can say about this was that the coffee was hot. The breakfast burrito I had was "meh". Nothing great, nothing terrible. It was warm but took fooooooooorrrr-eeeeeeev-errrrrrrrrrr. It was just okay. They don't accept plastic. I can understand your local dive bar or small coffee shop not wanting to accept plastic, but for what (I think) they are trying to do here, I would expect them to accept cards. But they don't. If you think about it, it almost seems like they are going back to the good ol' days of the general store. Middleton's one-stop shop. You can check your postal box, get your coffee, get your paper, and buy random goods. Besides a hitching post for your horse, what more could you need? Take it. Leave it. Whatever.
(3)G. Merrill J.
The atmosphere is great, but the food is overpriced and the employees are not friendly. Both my wife and I have come to this conclusion after multiple visits *trying* to like the place.
(2)Emily S.
After reading the last few reviews, I had pretty low expectations for my lunch at Prairie Cafe & Bakery. I assumed I would have to wait a long time for my food and it would be just okay. I was pleasantly surprised. Our food came relatively quickly, and my husband and I both enjoyed our sandwiches. I had a CBLT which was excellent. The bread was perfect, and I loved fresh ingredients and the special mayo. My husband really liked the special of the day, which was a tuna melt. My bean and corn side salad was very fresh tasting, but could have used a tad more flavor. We also had a key lime coconut cookie that was AMAZING. I might have to go back next week just to get another one!! The servers weren't overly friendly, but they definitely weren't UN-friendly. My only true "complaint" is that it is a bit pricy for what you get - it was almost $30 for our lunch of two sandwiches, two drinks, a cookie and a kid's meal- at least the kid's meal included the drink! I will definitely be back to the Prairie Cafe! Don't let the other negative reviews scare you away! The sandwiches are definitely worth it! :)
(4)Sam S.
Nice atmosphere and great food, especially the breakfast! The stuffed French toast special is fantastic. I may be a bit biased because I've gone there growing up
(4)Mike I.
Weak food for yuppies. Overpriced. Underwhelming. And you're surrounded by West Siders who should really know better... but of course don't.
(1)Amanda C.
Great atmosphere. Higher end suburban location. Prairie style decoration. Went there on a Friday morning and it is definitely the retiree hot spot! You stand in line to order but made to order plates are delivered to you by table numbers. I ordered the corned beef hash.very corned beefy--ok with that. It's shaved meat not ground up. Very oniony--not ok with that. And it should have been crispier. Weak on the potatoes in my hash and hubby's side to his eggs. Overall, lots of food though! I got the multigrain baguette as my bread choice and it was a lot! Scrambled eggs also seemed like more than the promised two eggs. Nice staff. Less than $20 for two of us and they took my credit card.
(4)Katrina T.
Great location, nice atmosphere, good food. But very slow service, and overpriced. I ordered a breakfast sandwich with no meat -- it took 20 minutes and cost $6.75.
(2)Jacek C.
As always excellent, locally sourced food.
(4)Meredith G.
I think this is a good place to come for breakfast or lunch. The food is definitely homemade and tasty. Straightforward and good quality. I've often had the salads featured on their board and have really enjoyed them. Additionally, I've had soups and smoothies - also tasty and homey (in a good way). I would certainly recommend this place. It can get busy. Cash/check only and open until 2.
(4)Clay P.
I like this place for the good food, great bakery and service is friendly quick and on point. don't mind the stand in line order and they bring it out. Love the scones and croisants on the run- or breakfast scrambles and omletes when there's time to dine in. limited seating and an atmosphere conducive to hanging out if you get a seat - can make it a bit avoidable on weekends for dining in; but weekdays are usually great and nothing i've had here wasn't worth the wait.
(4)sal d.
Great Place. Just good quality breakfast and lunch foods.
(5)Nobody M.
Prarie Cafe & Bakery exists in one of those cafe/restaurant purgatories in which nothing is offensive and nothing is remarkable.
(3)Scout R.
Great coffee, scones and eggs. Also has wifi. Try the scramble of the day. Be sure to get there early (or late) on the weekends to get a good seat! Also, as others have mentioned they don't take credit cards. There is an ATM at the credit union across the parking lot.
(5)Edward G.
Nice atmosphere. Like an upscale Starbucks. We ordered coffee, chai, a breakfast sandwich and quiche of the day. Was told drinks would be out in a few minutes but food would take 40 minutes. Don't know if its always like that or if they were just short staffed. But seriously 40 min for a slice of quiche and a breakfast sandwich? We told them just make the drinks, forget the food. Even so the drinks took 11 minutes. This place has potential but a wait like that is crazy. Would not recommend until they work their production issues out. One star. Disappointed.
(1)M G.
Seemed like a nice place. However, after waiting in line for 20 minutes and taking quite a while to give our order (because it was VERY loud) we were told that it would take about 30 minutes to get our food. Not exactly what I wanted to hear after waiting 20 minutes but fine. When I try to pay I am informed that they do not accept debit/credit cards. Cash or check only!! No where on the door or while in line does it say cash or check only! There apparently is a very small sign on the register that says that but there is so much other crap posted in that area 99% of the people there probably never saw the sign. This is just ridiculous in this day and age to not accept cards. Even worse is the BS sign on the register. I will never eat here again just because of this!
(1)Kelly R.
If you need a tasty breakfast for cheap, saunter in here(well, the sauntering might cause some dirty looks--it's pretty low key). This place has tasty treats behind the glass case, and a variety of breakfast dishes on their menu. I love the vast bread choices, and the fact that they serve Alterra Coffee(our fave). A bit of interesting art to view, and a nice sunny place to sit outside, if you choose. Yay for Sundays.
(4)Karen C.
Coffee was good, corned beef hash was OK but not great. Service was very friendly and prompt. Nice area outside to enjoy the sunshine while having breakfast.
(3)Hannah M.
My food was surprisingly good but the tuna salad had some odd ingredients. Read my full review!
(4)Graham H.
I must say I rather like this place, even though I wish they took credit cards. Great pastries and tea, as well as good veggie breakfast options. Not the fastest service but worth the wait.
(5)Ruthie Y.
I've been back here several times since my first review, and have been continually impressed with Prairie. The food is always spot on and the atmosphere is so comfortable. The cafe sandwiches take one step towards gourmet--the tuna and egg salads are made in-house with a little twist from the same old. All are served with a choice of side; I favor the black bean and corn salad. Breakfast is no exception to Prairie's perfection--my scrambled eggs with spinach and pesto were fresh and filling. And it's hard to go wrong with any of the real fruit smoothies or coffee drinks. Prairie is exactly the way a cafe should be.
(5)Chris O.
I happened upon this charming restaurant and loved the simple and warm feel of the place. I had visions of an egg breakfast but it was too late in the day, so the wait person suggested the quiche which did not disappoint. I was on the road so stopping at the Prairie Cafe was just the right thing to do.
(5)Tamara M.
Just got back from having breakfast with the girls! It rocked! Excellent breakfast! Two of us had the scramble special & one had a scone - to die for! Great atmosphere! Easy place to meet family & friends and/or work! I'll be going back very soon! :)
(5)Kathleen S.
I've only been here two or three times and I agree that this little cafe is a well kept secret. The food is good and healthy, the fireplace cozy, and the original art on the walls is a nice touch. Great place to meet a friend for lunch. Haven't tried breakfast or bakery but the chai latte was warm and tasty. They also have some vegetarian choices. About a year ago we went and the lobster bisque was really salty, but I wouldn't hesitate to order soup from them again. I picked up the fabulous Arts Commission calendar there last year and this year. Just found out they have free Wi-Fi. Check their hours before you go and bring cash or check, no cc.
(4)Underhill T.
Delicious food. Good prices. They serve Alterra coffee - awesome! My only complaint is that they don't accept credit cards.
(4)Rebecca P.
The coffee was delicious. The food was good. It wasn't the best breakfast I've ever had but it was solid. Cash only.
(4)Emily S.
I used to love this place - I came here once every week or two for breakfast and to sit and write for an hour or two (I'm a grad student working on my thesis). The food is expensive (~$12 for two eggs, toast, bacon, coffee) and the coffee isn't great, but the atmosphere is nice and I didn't come all that often so it seemed like sort of a luxury. The staff also isn't particularly outgoing, though not downright rude... until today. Today is Sunday, and I arrived around 8am. I usually try to get there kind of early and leave before it gets busy so I'm not taking up a table. I bought a big breakfast (as described above) and sat down to work. Just over an hour later, I was approached by a middle-aged man whom I assume is the owner or manager but whom I've never seen before. He asked if I was aware of their "new policy" about Wi-Fi on Sunday mornings, and how they don't want people just hanging out using the internet when it gets crowded. (No sugar coating, that's almost verbatim what he said.) For the record, I wasn't actually using their wi-fi, I was writing. Whatever. His point was obvious. I stared at him for a few seconds because I couldn't believe that a proprietor was actually asking me, a paying customer, to leave when I had been there only an hour and in fact still had toast on my plate. He suggested it was fine for now but that when it started to get crowded I should get out. I said that if that's how they felt I would leave now, and he responded, "That's exactly how we feel." I was shocked, and still am. I have never, NEVER been treated so disrespectfully in a place of business. And I'm a regular, paying customer!! I always leave a tip! I still can't believe I was treated this way. I will no longer recommend this place, now that they've shown their true colors. If the food was exceptional I might try to swallow my pride, but it's really nothing special. There are several other breakfast/coffee shops in the area (including a Starbucks across the road) and I will be patronizing them instead from now on.
(1)Jenny B.
I desperately needed some lunch and came on this gem. I had the Almond Chicken Salad sandwich on a fresh 7-grain bagette with corn & bean salad. The sandwich was amazing. I didn't really care for the salad, but that didn't taint my experience.
(4)Susan C.
A completely unexpected find. While on a trip to Madison we wandered into this cafe after checking out the local grocery across the street (it's an odd obsession of ours to check out grocery stores when in a new town). When you're starving and pop into the first place you see, you hope for a sandwich with no mold on the bread and a halfway clean glass for your soda. This was light years beyond that. I had the special salad of the day. It was delicious, a mixture of greens with just a sprinkling of crunchy celery, and full of huge chunks of the tastiest creamy blue cheese I've had in a very long time. My lunch companion had soup which she declared to also be delicious. Decor was a tad dark, and since we were there for a late lunch we were the only ones not sitting alone playing with laptops. However, the tchotkes and lending library helped create a friendly neighborhood hangout feel.
(5)BD K.
I had stopped in to the Prairie Cafe & Bakery several times since it opened to buy scones for the office, and I hadn't really given it much thought beyond this purpose. I really liked the scones, but I didn't like the fact that they didn't open until 7 which usually made me a bit late. I didn't even consider that they might have more than bakery goods, and every time I had stopped the place seemed empty. This was of course due to the fact that it was 7:01 AM and I was the first person through the door. So this weekend, based on Chris & Kelly's recommendations, I stopped in for a nice leisurely breakfast before heading into the office. I found out that all this time I was seriously overlooking a great place right in my neighborhood. I was a bit taken aback by the number of people inside. The place was pleasantly crowded, with the warm buzz of morning conversations and a relaxed atmosphere. I walked up and ordered the breakfast special - I was used to just picking out scones so it took me a minute to get my bearings and find the menu board. The price was OK, not under $6 but not more than I would have expected anywhere else. I was given a number and found a nice table along the bookshelves. I'd never really taken the time to look around the place before, and I was really impressed by the decor. I got a cup of coffee from the self-service area, which is a great idea - I love diners where your cup is constantly refilled but I tend to keep drinking so long as there's coffee in the cup, leading to the over-caffienated jitters. The coffee was excellent, truly delicious and fair trade to boot. I savored it while I read a magazine and waited on my breakfast. After a bit of a wait the breakfast special came out. The wait wasn't especially long considering the amount of people there, but I was into my second cup of coffee by the time my food came. It was served on a fairly large plate, so my first impression was that there was not much to it, but this was a mistake. The special, which was basically a Denver scrambler, was completely satisfying, filling but not heavy. The wheat toast was much better than the average bread you get with breakfast, quite possibly highlight of the food. I was pleasantly surprised by the whole breakfast experience here. I wasn't planning on finding such a great place for breakfast in the Prairie Cafe. Maybe one of these days I'll get a chance to try lunch here too.
(4)Chris S.
I never thought that I'd find a great eatery hidden in the strip mall of the new condo development near my place in Middleton, but the Prairie Cafe is a rare find. The breakfast includes some great egg choices and bakery. And it's frightenly cheap. Seriously, food costs are going up everywhere, how can this good food be under $6? The decor is modern American cafe with fresh oil paintings and pristine booths. But I love that the semi-open kitchen gives a view to where the action is.
(4)