The Bean and Creamery is a convenient place to get coffee and a variety of baked goods including chocolate scones, blueberry muffins, cookies and buttery pound cake. Located in the new Gordon Commons, The Bean also serves Madison’s famous (and locally produced) Babcock ice cream and offers many seasonal coffee drinks that are sure to leave you feeling warm and comforted. The café is located right when right upon entering Gordon Commons just before the actual cafeteria, which gives it a separate feel considering it’s outside the general cafeteria. Be warned, there is usually a lot of traffic before and after class, but if you make a coffee run between 12:00 and 2:00, the line is usually pretty short. There is also a row of bar stools right next to the cafe which makes it a great place to study or pass some time until your next class.
My favorite dish from The Bean is the ham, egg and gruyere breakfast sandwich. The juicy ham and flavorful egg patty sit on a toasted ciabatta roll and are smothered in creamy and nutty gruyere cheese. The warm and crisp bite to the hearty sandwich leaves you satisfied for hours on end. The three ingredients may be simple, but they pair perfectly to create an awesome flavor combination. It is a perfect breakfast option when you are in a rush and just want to grab something quickly, and it’s offered all day. So if you are craving a little breakfast for dinner, The Bean can satiate your taste buds.
There are many choices to satisfy your late night sweet tooth. The best Bean and Creamery treat is the shakes. Start with vanilla or chocolate soft serve and mix in Oreos, Butterfingers, caramel, Heath Bars, Reeses, Snickers and other favorite candy bars. I try to switch it up to keep it interesting, but after almost a year of different shakes, the vanilla shake with Oreos still remains the key to my heart.
Even if you are not a freshman, you should give it a try. You have my word, you will not leave disappointed.
Address: Gordon Commons, 770 W Dayton St, Madison, WI 53706
Hours of operation: Mon-Fri: 7:00 am to 1:00 am, Fri-Sun: 9:00 am to 1:00 am