Cafe De Arts

The old center of Waukesha has been redeveloped over the last decade. Though large, somewhat bland apartment buildings and condos are abundant, many 19th-century limestone buildings remain, as do a number of Victorian wooden residences. This year the Café de Arts (136 E. St. Paul Ave.) opened its doors. It is set in an old wooden home with a color scheme that looks more like San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury district than Waukesha. The outside is a vivid purple with painted sunflowers. The interior consists of a series of rooms, and includes a coffee roaster in the front area. The café, which serves a full line of coffee beverages, has a bakery case and a small kitchen. Light meal choices include panini, salads, a daily soup, and a deli sandwich that you create on your own. It is refreshing to see independent businesses like Café de Arts.