Photo via Instagram / Joy Ride Cafe
This past year, local bicycle retailer Wheel & Sprocket opened its very first bike shop within the Milwaukee city limits. That new shop, located in the Bay View neighborhood, also hosts Joy Ride Café, another new concept for the cycle shop.
“We wanted to make our shop accessible to everyone in the neighborhood. There has been a culture surrounding cycling that isn’t always as inclusive as we’d like it to be, so the café is a way to bridge that gap in our community,” says café manager Leslie Peckham. Prior to managing Joy Ride Café, she had worked in marketing and outreach for various Milwaukee organizations, and as a shift leader at Colectivo Coffee.
Proceeds from the café are donated to the Chris Kegel Foundation, named after Wheel & Sprocket’s longtime owner and a passionate cycling advocate. The fund supports signage on the Oak Leaf Trail. Joy Ride Café, located at 187 E. Becher St., is also in the same building as the Wisconsin Bike Federation and Rails to Trails Conservancy.
Joy Ride Café opened Dec. 1. COVID safety protocols include wiping down the café multiple times per day with medical-grade sanitizer and utilizing single-use items. Carryout is also available. Peckham says they are working on an online ordering system, but customers can also call the café to place an order. Menu items can be prepared within minutes and be ready when customers arrive.
Menu Features Favorites from Neighboring Businesses
The marquee menu item is Cedar Teeth Pizza, a line of vegetarian and vegan pizzas made in Bay View. Joy Ride Café customers can find six varieties including the Large Marge, a margherita style; Cheesus Crust, a sourdough rosemary crust topped with sweet marinara and basil, and loaded with mozzarella and parmesan; or Bronze Fonz, with Swedish style vegetarian sausage, basil and mushrooms. Pizza is available whole ($14), half ($8.50) or by the slice ($5).
Customers can also find muffins and cookies from nearby Troubadour Bakery, Colectivo’s baking division. Milwaukee Pretzel Company’s Bavarian beer garden style pretzels and pretzel bites, along with a range of dipping sauces, are also on the menu.
Joy Ride Café features pour over coffee made with beans from small batch roasters including Madison-based Just Coffee co-op. Their Just Bikes blend supports the Wisconsin Bike Federation’s equity initiatives. There’s no espresso bar at this time, but cold brew fans can find Pilcrow Coffee’s Sweet and Dreamy Nitro.
Tea lovers can enjoy West Allis-based Swaye Tea’s jasmine green, hibiscus mint or warming crimson berry—just some of the many varieties that were available in late January.
If you want a beer after a long bike ride, there’s a rotation of local craft beer on tap. “Here in Milwaukee, we’re blessed with such a wide selection of breweries that we want to show support and build camaraderie with everyone,” Peckham says. January’s tap choices included Bay View-based 1840 Brewing Company’s Haus Weisse, or MobCraft’s Nigel’s Coconut Delight.
They’ve also got canned cocktails from Plain Spoke, out of Madison. Peckham says they will soon add wine.
The café has an outdoor space with a firepit. Peckham says once the weather gets warm, they’ll add café tables to the outdoor space. “Our goal is to have people to think of Joy Ride Café as they’re getting ready to go on a group ride. They can stop in to get some energy-boosting food or a little coffee,” Peckham concludes. “And stop in to rewind after your ride with a reward treat or a beer. We look forward to meeting everyone.”
Joy Ride Café is featuring a Valentine’s weekend special: get 50% off a giant pretzel with the purchase of two beverages.
For more information, visit joyridecafe.com.
