THE VICTORY Madison, Wisconsin
I
n today’s wired world, people think they can lug a laptop into their favorite coffee shop and surf the web all day. Aſter all,
free WiFi is standard coffee shop fare, right? Patrick Downey, proprietor of Te Victory in Madison,
Wisc. doesn’t think so. WiFi is not available, and cell phones are banned. “I spend as much time on the Internet as most strung-out
web users, so I certainly have no problem with it in general,” Downey says. “But for me, the vibe created by a bunch of people sitting in a cafe, plugged in and blocking out as much of the world around them as they can, is just deadly.” Te Victory is anything but deadly. Located in an
800-square-foot storefront that once housed a neighborhood grocery, the shop hums with actual face-to-face conversations, children’s laughter, and the purr of good coffee brewing. Te cozy space retains much of its mid-20th century charm, including a pressed-tin ceiling, gold banquette seating, and 1950s-style starburst light fixtures. Small tables line one wall, and a children’s play area fills a front window alcove. No one reads digital newspapers at Te Victory—but they can pick up today’s New York Times on real newsprint. Te no-Internet aspect is one reason the shop is so lively;
Downey himself is another. He’s in the shop, which opened in late 2010, every day of the week, chit chatting with customers, tending the espresso machine, keeping the place buzzing. “I really like to be in and work in a convivial, hospitable environment,” he says. Te decor may be small-town charming, but the coffee is state-of-the-art. Downey
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and his staff expertly operate a variety of brewing apparatuses, including a Synesso espresso machine, Chemex drip, and pour overs. Te coffee beans are roasted by Anodyne Coffee Roasters in Milwaukee. Tea is also popular at Te Victory—the two dozen loose leaf teas come from SerendipiTea. Te menu isn’t limited to coffee and tea. House-made soda,
in flavors such as cranberry, lime, raspberry, and ginger, are a hit. Te proprietary soda recipes use luscious, simple syrups a local baker creates. An article about Te Victory in Madison’s local newspaper, Te Capital Times, called the soda “the real breakout beverage.” Te coffeehouse serves baked goods from the nearby
Ironworks Café’s kitchen. However, Downey’s wife, Alison, bakes the crisp oatmeal chocolate chip cookie mentioned in Food & Wine magazine. Te shop also serves a variety of sandwiches ranging from tomato, fresh mozzarella and pesto to summer sausage with cheddar, spinach, tomato, and brown-sugar mustard. And Alison makes soups to accompany the sandwiches. Te Victory is Downey’s second coffee shop. Te first,
located in Brooklyn, closed in early 2011. Moving from the Big Apple to a mid-sized Midwestern town was quite a change for the Downeys and their two young children, but—as Te Capital Times noted—“New York’s loss is Madison’s gain.”
EQUIPMENT:
Synesso Espresso Machine Chemex Drip
Te Victory Monday — Friday 6:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. www.thevictorymadison.com
