Chic, Friendly New Cafe Delights Madison

Style

A ’50s gas station turned café, with distinct automotive touches (a 1969 Porsche is parked inside). Service is warm and thoughtful. Logo T-shirts are for sale.

The scoop

Husband and wife Nick Vorderman and Renee Mee dreamed of launching this concept for years. They renovated the space—which had a history of repairing German vehicles—in under six months, and opened on Renee’s birthday last November.

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The menu

There’s coffee and tea as well as fresh bread and pastries daily from Balthazar in Englewood. The menu changes often. Recently it has centered on salads, such as a kale Caesar, and on hearty, creative toasts: herbed avocado with lime zest; lemon ricotta with grape compote and rosemary; and soft-scrambled eggs with crème fraîche and pickled shallots (right). The owners say they soon plan to roll out sandwiches and plates that are larger and more shareable. 

Heads up

Parking on the premises is limited and fills quickly. Weekend and even weekday mornings tend to be quite bustling. Be prepared to park on the street or in one of Madison’s public lots.