Canary Coffee Bar | Milwaukee, WI

First Impressions

On an initial glance, Canary Coffee Bar seems like your average coffee shop, but it is far from it. They offer a highly customized experience and they try to focus on the refined artistic side of a traditional cafe experience. While they do have the traditional coffee offerings, they shine the most with their variety of single-origin beans.

First Impressions
Atmosphere & Experience
Austin’s Choice
Additional Information

Atmosphere & Experience

The inside of Canary is clean with modern lighting. There are several options for seating including a large community bench along the back wall, with the primary focus being single or double-customer tables. The ceiling is an open-concept design that shows off the pipes, cables and ventilation of the space. There is also plenty of greenery which gives off a clean and modern aesthetic. The highlight of the space though is the bar itself, as noted in the name.

Canary Coffee Bar brings the focus back to the base of drink. They are known for their wide selection of coffee beans and teas. While they do have a default roast they use, if you desire, they encourage you to pick something more specific to your taste. They host a selection of beans and blends from a variety of Roasters. Black & White, Color, Necessity, Sweet Bloom, and DUNE to name a few.

Like a traditional bar, they allow you to keep open a Tab as you work your way through their various beverages. They also have an assortment of almost mocktail-type drinks that take you on an adventure, with visual appeal from the focus on plating.

In one of my first visits here, I spent over an hour talking with Josh Beamsley (one of the baristas) about everything from the different ways to prepare a coffee bean, to the process behind creating roasts, to different at-home hardware suggestions. I appreciate that Canary has someone working for them that can value and articulate the depth of this hobby.

Austin’s Choice

If you get the opportunity to stop in, I’d highly recommend trying one of their single-origin coffee pours, or if you’re feeling in the mood for something special…their Lemon Meringue Pie in a cup is amazing! They add crumbled graham crackers and an actual toasted marshmallow on top!