Upon opening the door, Norse Starians Miles Heritsch and Lily O’Hearn were immediately met with the roar of an espresso machine and the casual hustle and bustle of Wildwood Cafe. Located just off the corner of Highway 51–in the heart of downtown Stoughton–at 218 South Forrest Street, this cute local cafe is filled with fun plants and a variety of fun seasonal drinks.
The cafe’s hours are limited, with the cafe being open Wednesday-Friday from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturdays from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., and Sundays from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wildwood offers various baked goods, a small breakfast and lunch menu, and a classic cafe drink menu when they’re open. It’s a popular spot in Stoughton to sit back, relax, and enjoy a cup of coffee.
For their coffee and espresso, Wildwood uses Ruby Colorful Coffees beans. Ruby, a local coffee roaster based in central Wisconsin, represents different microclimates and micro-regions through its roasts.
The overall aesthetic of the cafe is best described as “eclectic grandma.” The ceilings are made of white vintage panels, and the bakery case is stocked with a variety of coffee cakes, scones, and muffins that cater to dietary restrictions of all kinds.
“The vibes of the place are amazing,” Heritsch said. “There are tons of plants, lots of natural light, very cute and personalized decoration. You can tell that there’s a lot of care going into this place that isn’t at a lot of corporate coffee shops.”
In addition to the plethora of plants and fun wallpaper, Wildwood Cafe offers many different retail items from other local businesses in the Madison area. This cute cafe is also a great place to pick up a gift for a friend or family member, from bags of Ruby coffee to scented candles.
Overall, the service was fast and friendly. O’Hearn ordered a chai tea latte and pumpkin coffee cake, while Heritsch got a peppermint mocha and croissant. Both bakery items were served on cute blue and white plates instead of the traditional wax bags given out by most corporate coffee shops.
“They were very good, the peppermint in the mocha wasn’t overwhelming like a lot of other places,” Heritsch said. “The croissant was as good as I could have asked for.”
The pumpkin coffee cake was sweet and full of warm spices, similar to the chai.
Once finished eating, customers are to bus their own tables by putting their dishes in a tub before leaving. As the two walked out the door, they concluded that Wildwood Cafe was a charming hidden gem in Stoughton worth returning to and recommending to friends. In the end, they agreed to give Wildwood Cafe 5/5 stars.