“ I really like the food and drink options here, plus they do a lot for the community. The servers are always pleasant and willing to ask questions about the menu. I really like working here remotely during the day sometimes, although I do wish it had a slightly cozier vibe versus the very business-y / industrial vibe. Maybe more comfy chairs and plants? ”

“ I love this cargo coffee. The vibe and ambiance are perfect for settling in for work, writing, chatting with friends, or gathering together to listen to live music (check out their schedule it's free and worth it). I enjoy their coffee and monthly themed drinks. The golden latte is delicious! Service is always fast and thoughtful. ”

“ Great spot heading into the heart of downtown Madison and this is a place you definitely don't want to skip out on. The coffee shop is spacious and inviting and the crew behind the counter keeps things moving even when things get busy. I've been here a few times now and when visiting Madison it certainly is one of my go-to spots. The coffee is always good and last night I treated myself to a decaf maple latte and a peanut butter cookie that can only be described as magical. Today, I went for a cup of coffee, which I love that they serve in a mug while your sitting within the shop, and the classic bagel which comes with avocado, tomato and cream cheese served on an everything bagel; a real winner. Last night while here there was some live music being played and today my heart is warmed by seeing some grassroots political campaigning kicking off from the coffee shop, as well. A community gem sort of place. Highly recommend checking out Cargo Coffee next time you are looking for a great cup of coffee in the Madison area. ”

“ Cute local coffee shop near my meeting location. Very rustic and charming. Coffee was great. Friendly staff. Seems like a great place to hang out, do some work, or study. ”

“ Cargo coffee was my go in Madison! Amazing coffee and good, wonderful space for work and catch up with friends! The events they host as well were absolutely wonderful :) ”

“ Nice open and airy space with a lot of light. A great place for a nice beverage and hanging out. Would recommend! ”

“ I've been to this Cargo location more times than I can count, and I've always had a great experience. Both the Mango Green Smoothie (pictured) and the Red Berry Smoothie are sensational. If I'm not getting a smoothie, you can catch me with a chai latte. And Cargo's are delicious -- not too sweet, not too much spice. The best part about Cargo is the ambiance. There's so much seating and it's a good mix of productive work spaces and comfy areas to sit down with a book or the newspaper. They have an elevated seating area that looks out over the rest of the coffee shop, which is really cool (but it is important to note that there are only stairs to access this part, no elevator). Also, the fact that they've got a printer there is a huge plus. Service has always been great and the staff is really friendly. If you're anything like me, make sure to grab a punch card because after you make your first trip to Cargo, you'll certainly be returning again...and again...and again. ”

“ Best chai latte in the area! Love the ambiance for working from a laptop. Very friendly staff and lots of live music options and shows too. ”

“ Most of what you need to know has been posted but I will add: tons of 2 person tables and a few larger ones. Parking in the lot adjacent to the cafe. The best bran muffin in Madison imho. Reliable WiFi. Good hum of music, chatting and the espresso machine. Nice place to read or study if you want to get out. ”

“ I love the ambience here. There's a comfy couch and armchair, and all the other seating options are your basic tables and chairs. There's even this cool indoor upstairs area with tables and chairs that overlooks the rest of the shop. We didn't go through the drive-thru but that is a perk I will use in the future and despite cars going through constantly, we still got our drinks and pastries quickly. For parking, there's a nearby covered garage and free street parking. This is a dog-friendly coffeeshop so don't be alarmed when you see people bring in their dogs (on leashes of course). I'm so excited that I found a coffeeshop in Madison that uses powder instead of syrup in their vanilla lattes. Powder is far superior but it's very rare to find a place that uses it (besides the Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf chain, which it turns out does not have locations in Wisconsin). Their iced vanilla latte (my typical go-to) reminded me so much of the one my favorite coffeeshop in my hometown makes; I never thought coffee could make me so nostalgic! My friend got their drip coffee and said it was good too. You have the option to take your food/drinks to go or get reusable tableware. The croissants and danishes are provided by Madison Sourdough, while the muffins and other baked goods are made in-house. We got a blueberry danish and an almond croissant (I ate that croissant so fast I didn't even have time to take a picture). They were so so good. You can really tell that Madison Sourdough makes and laminates their croissant dough themselves instead of buying it (most bakeries buy their croissant dough) which makes such a huge difference. You can really feel the buttery texture in the air pockets between the dough, instead of it being all dried up. So I'm glad that Cargo Coffee gets their danishes and croissants from Madison Sourdough - solid choice! - The blueberry danish had cream cheese frosting in the middle topped with a blueberry compote. The cream cheese frosting really made it. - The almond croissant was my favorite. It wasn't too sweet and had the perfect amount of filling, and of course had your obligatory toasted almonds on top. The barista was very pleasant and nice. They were wearing a Fall Out Boy shirt which immediately gave me good vibes, and was happy to answer our questions about the pastries. I also appreciated the music choice. Paramore, nice. ”