Restaurants, Coffee Shops Throughout Waukesha Offer Wi-Fi

As an opening disclaimer, this column is being written at a coffee shop to be mentioned later, and will be uploaded using the wi-fi at the coffee shop. I distinctly remember reading Sarah Millard’s article “Welcome to Waukesha Patch” and watching the video of Sarah saying that we want to let people know where they can get free wi-fi in Waukesha.  This column will set out to do that.  This will not be an exhaustive list of all of the places one can find wi-fi as it is based on my experience.  Though I tend to be a restaurant/coffee shop connoisseur, I haven’t been to every restaurant and coffee shop in the city.

We will start with the place where I am currently writing this column, Caribou Coffee located on the intersection of Silvernail Road and Grandview Boulevard in Waukesha. Many people have heard me refer to the employees/regular customers at Caribou as “my Caribou family!”  In addition to the cookies that can be warmed up in their small oven and their wonderful cold blended drinks they refer to as “coolers,” my favorite being the “Mint Condition,” they also have very reliable wireless Internet.  Turn on your computer, click on the Internet and boom, you are in.  There is no password required. 

Hint: If you go to this place, make sure to ask them what the daily trivia question is.  Answer it correctly, and you will get $0.10 off your drink purchase.

While we are on coffee chains, let’s look at Starbucks, specifically the store on Moreland and Delafield.  Formerly, one had to purchase a Gold rewards card to take advantage of wireless Internet.  Now, it’s the same as Caribou above.  Click on the Internet, accept the terms and conditions of the license agreement, (does anyone actually read those things anyway?) and you are in!  Starbucks has also gotten rid of the two-hour time limit for Internet use.

Another one of my favorite places to access the Internet is Le Café Bistro located on Sunset next to Cardinal Fitness and close to Culvers.  This place is very roomy consisting of round tables and chairs and also what I call a few “comphy chairs.”  If you haven’t used the Wi-fi here before, you will need to ask for the password which the always-smiling baristas will give you at the counter.

Not all coffee shops have wi-fi however.  Kerry Mackay, owner of the Steaming Cup downtown Waukesha refers to his coffee shop as a “social coffee shop.”  Abigail Olson from the Book Café LLC feels the same way.  They had wi-fi until their computer crashed. With only a few small tables in what is primarily a bookstore, Abigail says that people generally want to talk to each other.  I don’t believe that having wi-fi in a business always takes away the social aspect.

Not necessarily a coffee shop, per say, Divino Gelato Café downtown Waukesha has been one of my more recent places to access wi-fi.  I stop there after putting in my time at the Habitat for Humanity office located right across the street.  Coffee and Beans, also located acrosse the street from Divino Gelato has wi-fi as well.  Look for my trusty yet-to-be-given-a-name laptop and I hanging out at one of these places soon and be sure to say hi when you see me!