The Ugly Apple Cafe
The Ugly Apple Cafe — photo 2
The Ugly Apple Cafe — photo 3
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The Ugly Apple Cafe — photo 5

The Ugly Apple Cafe

215 S Hamilton St, Madison, WI

★★★★★4.6(42 Google reviews)

Crema's Take

This Madison institution excels at what it does best: reliable pastries, breakfast fare, and genuinely warm service that makes you feel like a regular on your first visit. While their espresso drinks can be inconsistent (fair warning to the latte purists), the Ugly Apple shines as a trusted neighborhood spot for casual meetings, family gatherings, and especially catering—their team goes above and beyond to handle dietary needs and special events with care. The ham and cheese croissants and welcoming staff keep people coming back, even if the coffee occasionally stumbles.

What to expect

Quick grabLight foodPastriesTraditional drinksMeetingsFamily friendlyFull breakfast

Google Reviews

Olivia Schreuder
★★★★★5 months ago

had a pretty good scone but worst latte of my life. Espresso was burnt and the fruit syrup they put in curdled the milk (you're supposed to cut it with vanilla, very basic rule). No hate to workers but clearly not trained well by management. Also strange experience getting patted down and going thru a metal detector for a coffee.

Dominica R
★★★★★5 months ago

Laurel and the Ugly Apple team were a pleasure to work with! They helped make the whole planning process and wedding day smooth and stress free. We had a couple guests with dietary restrictions and they were very accommodating and ensured that everyone had something to eat. The food was delicious and we received many compliments from guests! We would recommend Ugly Apple to anyone planning a wedding or event! We plan to be back for paczki at either the cafe or farmers market!

Andrew Griffin
★★★★★6 months ago

Ugly Apple Cafe catered our wedding, and it couldn't have been more perfect. We chose from a wide variety of food to serve, were able to easily include delicious vegan options, and they accommodated our off-menu request. The service was stellar, the team was easy to communicate with, and the pricing was more than fair. If I were to get married again I'd choose Ugly Apple Cafe as the caterer without a second thought!

Austin T Stanley
★★★★★10 months ago

Ugly Apple Cafe is an absolute gem! I never pass up their ham and cheese croissants when I'm near the City Hall location. The staff is so warm and inviting which compliments the even more incredible pastries. Every bite tastes homemade in the best way. It's truly a perfect balance of creativity and comfort. Their commitment to quality (and reducing food waste!) really shows.

Riley Cook
★★★★★10 months ago

I’ve had great experiences with the Ugly Apple Cafe, first for coffee and lunch while I was on jury duty, and then with catering for appetizers and cake for my kid’s birthday party. The food was well prepared, fresh, very reasonably priced and perfect for the occasion. They carefully listened to my instructions on the birthday cake - it was delicious and beautifully executed. Thank you!

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