Located in the heart of vibrant downtown Ococnomowoc, Whelan’s Coffee is a chill, laid back coffee shop easily within walking distance of the board walk on Fowler Lake. Immediately walking into Whelan’s, you can’t help but notice that small town, local community feel. The authentic wood floors and light colored wood walls brighten the space, as does the smile of barista and owner of Whelan’s, Laurel Whelan.
Once we ordered, we noticed there were two levels to this place – the main level has 5 small tables and one large group table, and the upper level with twice as many tables, plus a cozy fireplace and couches. Walking through the upper level brings you to an art studio, and walking through the art studio you’ll find yourself in a vintage lighting company – one that’s been owned by the Whelan’s for over 30 years. Vintage light fixtures overflow throughout the whole building – cafe, art studio, and even the bathroom.
Laurel informed us that there have been new updates to this cafe just recently, and they will continue to serve ice cream from Chocolate Shoppe Ice Cream out of Madison, Wisconsin.
Whelan’s serves Ancora coffee, sourced from Madison, Wisconsin. Laurel says she was sold on Ancora during a blind taste test, where Ancora stood out from the rest. Today’s brew options were Black Thunder, Ancora D’Oro, and Ancora D’Oro Decaf. Black Thunder is a heavy-bodied, bold and smoky blend – a combination of organic French Roast and dark-roasted Pacific Island coffees. Ancora D’Oro is a medium-bodied, organic house blend with clean, sweet flavors.
Since Whelan’s offers both ice cream and coffee, we were a little surprised to not see an affogato on the menu. Our attention was quickly diverted to other menu classics, though!
Latte Miel – Lightly sweetened Ancora espresso, milk, and a bright burst of cinnamon, this was a very warm, well balanced beverage. It gave the feeling of keeping toasty warm during a frosty Wisconsin blizzard. This was only made better by the little gingerbread cookie it came with.
French Vanilla Latte – This was a very hot latte! The sweetness of the French Vanilla was not overpowering but still present. It mixed well with the espresso. I would definitely recommend this to someone who wants a little different taste in a latte!
Dirty Chai – We ordered this with an extra shot of espresso and light on the steamed milk. This turned out to be a wonderfully spicy latte. Pleasantly sweet, the spices were very present at the forefront of this drink, and it stood up well to the extra shot of espresso.
Salted Caramel Latte – The subtle caramel sweetness to this latte was enhanced by the sweet and rich fruit undertones of the Ancora espresso. This was very smooth and drinkable.
We were delighted to learn that Whelan’s makes all of their bakery items in-house, and gives their resident bakers the freedom to change up recipes and try new things.
Valentine Cookie – This sweet sugar cookie was beautifully decorated and gone within seconds – a big hit with the under-6 age division of our group!
Acai Berry Bowl – This was quite a breakfast. Essentially, this was a smoothie in a bowl and topped with granola, banana, and sprinkled with coconut. It was very cold, but very tasty! This may be more of a summer breakfast, but if you don’t mind being a little chilly, this is good in the winter too!
Banana Muffin w/butter – Absolutely loaded with banana, this was a perfectly moist muffin. We loved that it’s served with butter. Although we didn’t take her up on her offer, Laurel offered to warm this up for us. It was great cold, but it probably would have tasted amazing warmed up as well.
Pumpkin Praline Dessert – Served with a side of whipped cream, this dessert is spicy and comforting. Toasty pecans lay atop a light, cakey base. Ginger was the star of this dessert!
Apple Strudel – A well balanced treat with tart apples paired with sweet frosting, this strudel is stuffed with a generous portion of apples. This is a housemade treat that we would highly recommend.
Energy Bites – Start your day with these delightful bites of goodness. These peanut butter based bites are super moist and are loaded with coconut, flax seed, oatmeal, cranberries, and chocolate chips.
Whelan’s offers a selection of merchandise including coffees, candles, teas, syrups, and energy supplements. Ancora coffee can be purchased by the bag.
Whelan’s Coffee is a great spot to meet up with a friend or grab a warm drink in the winter, but it also plays a big part in the lively summer life of downtown Oconomowoc!
Whelan’s Coffee and Ice Cream
163 E Wisconsin Av
Oconomowoc, WI 53066
HOURS:
Saturday – 7AM–8PM
Sunday – 8AM–6PM
Monday-Friday – 6:30AM–8PM
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