Johnson Public House

For the love of

908 E. Johnson St

7 Am – 5 PM Daily

Coffee, Food, and a Neighborhood Dog

We weren’t far from Johnson Public House before but since moving in August, it is an inevitable destination along the path we walk our dog. It is hard not to stop in every time we walk by, between our desire for a coffee or a Level 5 donut (Thursday – Sunday) or the pulling of Bodie our 6-month-old puppy. We got Bodie when fall was starting to give way to winter, and the desire to walk my dog with a warm beverage in hand was too good to deny. The staff at Johnson Public House has been equally quick with a coffee for me and a treat and a scratch for Bodie. A match made in heaven that Bodie would prefer to explore each time we walk.

Kin Kin Coffee

Johnson Public House serves Kin Kin Coffee, a small-batch roaster from right here in Madison, Wisconsin. My order has generally gravitated toward just a black coffee but recently I’m going through a latte phase, unsure if it will pass. Courtney, a lover of all things Lavender, sticks to their Carmel Lavender Latte, Iced or Hot. Whereas most places would run a mix of two syrups to get that Carmel and Lavender flavor together, here, that’s a special flavor they’ve made. I’m a big fan of their coffee as it’s never so hot I burn my mouth and it’s also not overly acidic.

From the Kitchen

The menu is simple but not to be overlooked. Pair quality ingredients together and you don’t need a multiple-page menu. Sourcing bread from Madison Sourdough, each sandwich is a delight like the Sunday Morning Breakfast Sandwich or the B-Fast Roast Beef. You can also start with something lighter like the House Granola Parfait or one of their Smoothie Flavors, either will surely lead to a properly fueled start.

Level 5 Donuts

Level 5 Donuts might be some of the best donuts in Madison and they just so happen to be vegan. Delivering to various coffee shops Thursday – Sunday each week with standards like Vanilla and Chocolate and a weekly special flavor that is always a creative masterpiece. Johnson Public House is one of a few locations around the city where you can pick up these treats. Each week, Bodie and I make our pilgrimage to JPH and add a donut of the week to the order mentioned above.

A Seat For You

While Johnson Public House remains a somewhat small and quaint coffee shop, there always seems to be a spot available when we go in. They’ve got a lot of seating inside and when the weather is nice, some picnic tables out on the sidewalk. It’s not uncommon to see friends catching up next to folks working remotely and someone in the corner finishing a book. Johnson Public House is that neighborhood coffee shop you wanted to live by and we’re glad we get to live by it.

Johnson Public House

For the love of