Photo by Timothy Czerniakowski
K Street Cafe - Exterior
K Street Café in Greenfield, Wisconsin
Located on Greenfield Avenue, just off the corner of 70th Street, K Street Cafe is a sleek, surprisingly peaceful refuge from the traffic of the main street. K Street was launched in February to bring an authentic Korean café experience to Milwaukee; here’s hoping they stick around for a long time. Modern lines dominate, with bright white walls, cool wood tones, and black ceilings, counters and seating, all softened by the natural light streaming through the front windows. The ultra-modern seating is surprisingly comfortable; every time I’ve visited, there was at least one customer with a laptop settled in for an extended work or study session. That’s perfectly in keeping with Korean café culture, where cafes provide spots to socialize, relax and work with cafes even rivaling libraries as preferred study spots.
Photo by Timothy Czerniakowski
K Street Cafe - Interior
K Street Café's counter and pastry case
I’ve stopped in several times over the last few months to explore their menu; if there were ever any kinks to be worked out, they’re long gone. Counter service is professional and efficient, with orders taken quickly and the friendly staff willing to answer any questions about the menu … or help with pronunciation!
The real fun at K Street is found in things you can’t get elsewhere; why go for vanilla when you can try a Dalgona latte? Dalgona, a brittle candy with a toffeelike taste, is crumbled and sprinkled over top, making a distinctive alternative to more familiar sweet coffees. “Non-coffees” on the menu include light, refreshing fruit ades and spritzes ranging from safe and still delicious (strawberry, grapefruit) to more adventurous. If you’ve never tried it, give omija a try. A Korean berry that’s too pungent to be eaten raw, omija is fermented before being mixed into a beverage; at K Street, you can have it as a cool ade or a hot tea. My favorite drink on the menu is the black sesame latte. No coffee, just sesame paste, steamed milk, and cream for a nutty, creamy concoction that’s soothing, sophisticated, and not too sweet.
Desserts come in two main categories. Croffles are croissants cooked in a waffle press, resulting in a crisp, buttery confection and served with a variety of toppings. Bingsu is a curious and delightful ice cream alternative made of milk shaved ice. In the bowl, it has a texture that initially resembles super-fine sawdust but melts into pure creaminess in the mouth. Topping options include fruit (mango, blueberry, strawberry), matcha, and more decadent flavors (Oreo, tiramisu, blueberry cheesecake). I went for the traditional Korean Injeolmi, topped with glutinous rice cakes and sweet red bean paste, and devoured every bite (even though the “small” portion was easily large enough to share).
Although K Street is described as a “dessert café,” there’s a solid list of food options that blur the line between brunch and lunch. The bulgogi is tasty and the spicy kimchi is downright delicious; try one or the other (or both together) on toast or in a bap (served over rice and topped with a fried egg) for a more substantial meal. The K Street sandwich is a delicious mix of cooked egg, sliced ham, and cabbage topped with a sauce of mayo and ketchup between thick slabs of milk bread. The bread is crusted with a sprinkling of coarse-grained sugar, which makes a surprisingly great contrast to the salty ham. The whole thing is drippy and messy, but well worth grabbing a stack of napkins from the counter. The food options don’t come with sides, but packaged chips and other Korean snacks are available at the counter if you want to fill up your plate.
K Street Café
- 7028 W Greenfield Ave.
- (414) 500-7028
- www.kstreetcafe.online
- Hours: Monday–Saturday: 9 a.m. – 9:00 p.m., closed Sundays
- Drinks: $4–$6.50
- Desserts: Croffles $5 – $9; Bingsu $11.50–$15.50
- Food: $4 – $15.50
