“Our mission is to create welcoming and inclusive cafes that enhance the lives of our team members, enrich the communities we serve, and inspire guests to become superfans.”
Ancora has been a staple in Madison since 1994.
What began as a cozy downtown coffee shop founded by Sue and George Krug quickly grew into a neighborhood staple—equal parts caffeine, community, and comfort.
In spring of 2013, when the Krugs retired, Ancora entered its next era under the ownership of Tori Gerding, who had worked for the original owners right out of college. With a deep respect for Ancora’s roots (and a healthy appetite for growth), Tori expanded the vision while keeping the soul intact.
Today, Ancora is proud to be a four-location cafe family across Madison—each one rooted in its neighborhood, but united by the same love for great coffee, welcoming spaces, and creative brunch offerings. Our teams sling brunch seven days a week, including craft lattes, house-made bakery, egg sandwiches, and so plenty of other classics with a twist.
At our core, Ancora is about connection. We believe cafes should not only be pretty to look at, but also feel lived-in, inclusive, and a little magical—the kind of place where you can linger over coffee, bring your whole crew, or make a regular out of yourself without even trying.
Our guests aren’t just customers—they’re part of the Ancora family. And after 30+ years in Madison, we’re still growing, still evolving, and still showing up every day for the community that made us who we are.
Every day, we have three different varieties of brewed coffee available, as well as 15+ different coffees for purchase by the pound. We feature a rotating list of seasonal drink options, crafted with house-syrups, signature espresso blends, and a large variety of milk options, including 4 non-dairy offerings. We pride ourselves in our speed and quality, and truly look forward to slinging what we believe are some of the best craft coffee drinks in Madison, every day.
We feature a seasonally rotating food menu, with a variety of brunch, egg sammies, and lunch options. Customer favorites include our honey bacon biscuit, and our chorizo hash. We offer a wide variety of vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-sensitive options – our staff favorite being our seasonal quinoa bowl. From our biscuits to our jams and cashew creams, we pride ourselves in our house-made offerings, and aim to go above and beyond the offerings that come to mind of a traditional “cafe”. All of our bakery is made in-house, with donuts, pop-tarts, scones and more!