Beans & Barley is a neighborhood gourmet grocery as well as a great little café with low prices and good, wholesome, home-style food. The place draws health-conscious mainstream diners and serious old-line vegetarians and vegans with fare such as chicken burritos, tempeh Reubens and vegan burritos. Here and there, the menu sports fillips of gourmet flair such as chicken pine nut salad. Breakfast is popular here, and once you see the offerings, you understand why: pesto scrambled eggs; a lox plate; tofu scrambled with green onions, mushrooms and tomatoes; meatless biscuits and gravy; eggs Cubano with black beans and salsa; almond French toast; and house-made pastries. Arrive early or cool your heels, because it's a popular destination on weekends. If you have to wait, it could be worse – you have the whole fascinating store to browse. Toys, dishes, kitchen towels, décor items, trinkets – you can get a little shopping done while you wait. Prices are a fraction of what you'd expect. You can eat a fine meal here for just $6. There's also a great selection of daily takeout food in the deli – check the website for each day's menus by clicking the "deli today" button.
Beer, wine and special cocktails available. Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner daily.
Voted Best Vegetarian in the 2008 Shepherd-Express readers poll and Best Breakfast in the 2008 OnMilwaukee.com editors' poll.