State Street does not need another coffee shop. It baffles most that the plethora that exist generally manage to stay in business and that they’re usually full. The area around this part of Madison clearly seems to house the caf?-going type, however, which keeps the businesses afloat.
Perhaps State Street does need another coffee shop, though. Of the ones on State Street, Steep and Brew provides the only espresso of consistent quality worth buying. Not to mention that in many other cities, shots of espresso can run for as little as a fraction of a dollar, but in this part of Madison, they seldom dip under two.
The average coffee shop lends itself not to the coffee enthusiast but to the bookworm, the studying student, the people looking for a nice conversation. As such, the quality of the espresso has suffered in Madison.
Fortunately, because of the number of good coffee suppliers in the area, the coffee has fared far better. But coffee depends on a good roaster, whereas good espresso is nothing without a fine-tuned machine and skilled barista.
Enter Redamte, a coffee shop that technically has an address on State Street but a location where the average individual might never notice it. It’s in the 449 State Street complex, to the left of Dobra Tea and up the stairs. It is run by the Journey Community, a Christian faith group operating in the area. The caf? also contributes to various causes globally and promotes activism within the local community as well. It actively tries to partner with other organizations and to enlist volunteers to work at the shop.
While there will no doubt be some variance among the volunteers, Redamte is capable of producing a good shot of espresso, as well as espresso-based drinks. Problems plaguing other shots, like high machine pressure making it too hot, grinds at the bottom and little or no cream, were not an issue.
Coffee there is also good, provided by the Just Coffee Cooperative. The baked good offerings were limited but on par with most of the caf?s in the area, worth nibbling on with the drink. Redamte also offers a variety of breakfast items, sandwiches and the like that are also a good complement to a drink there.
Currently, Redamte’s seating area is completely open, a far cry from the nooks and crannies of other coffee shops. Entering the place, one can see all the way to the back, with a few lone columns obstructing the view. At first, it makes the place seem alien, but it eventually feels more social. Conversations aren’t restricted to cliques of chairs huddled around tables, and people can’t hide in little depressions in the wall; but at the same time, someone could do his or her work uninterrupted. To some, it should prove a welcome change. The decoration is sparse, but the coffee house is currently looking for artists willing to contribute work.
The location makes it tucked away but not inconvenient, which many will appreciate. While coffee shops directly on State draw a much more talkative crowd, dipping in for a quick cup, it’s hard to find Redamte without looking for it. As such, it isn’t frequently full as most of the other caf?s are, which makes it a nice potential hideaway for studying students.
Both on its surface and with deeper inspection, Redamte is a fairly unusual take on a caf?. Given its relative infancy, it already has the fundamentals to be a successful coffee shop. Further on, it should be interesting to see how using volunteers and staying active in the community shapes the business, but for now, it’s worth a shot.
