Good food choices, Mom and Pop type business, good coffee and atmosphere to relax, use your laptop. The only issue I have is that they should add more charging ports and outlets because if it is busy, good luck finding an electrical outlet. Unlike in my generation, you need a battery, and a cord to function nowadays. LOL.
Clarence Smith (Clancy Smith)
Amazing coffee! Very friendly staff and knowledgeable! Thanks.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Sophia Banaszak
Fair Trade is truly the quintessential Madison coffee shop, filled with interesting people (staff & patrons both), a view of State St and delicious coffee drinks - this place is a gem.So many downtown Madison locals make this their dedicated coffee shop because it just feels good to be there. The owners have put in so much work to cultivate a chill & welcoming yet bustling energy in the shop. Stop in to grab a speciality drink & people-watch over State Street in the front window for a good time :)
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Olivia Lueskow
The employees were very rude and talked about the customers under their breath. All of the drinks were extremely watered down and did not taste how they were supposed to. You pay for a bagel to be made for you and they don’t put the cream cheese on it. Very disappointing visit.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Brad Canard
We visited on a Saturday afternoon. The place was quite busy, but ordering and receiving our drinks was quick. I ordered a chai latte, hot. It really hit the spot. It was too cold to sit outside and all the indoor seating was full. I'm glad to see the place was doing so well.Kid-friendliness: Lots of bakery options and hot chocolate.Wheelchair accessibility: First floor business with enough room to get a wheelchair through.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Thu Dang
Awesome caramel macchiato ☕️
Catherine Cade
Not kid or baby friendlyKid-friendliness: No changing table
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 3
Sho R.
I stopped by on a Friday evening for a coffee. Not a time when people think of coffee. Not so surprisingly there were not that many customers. I went for a seasonal drink - chocolate milano latte. It was a good coffee. Cappuccino walnut scone was a good snack. The place had a good number of seat. You can work there while enjoying the coffee. Ambiance of the place was good.
Sydney Berkeley
One of my favorite coffee study spots on campus! Super cozy, service always amazing and very cautious of allergies!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Stephanie M.
I always love going to Fair Trade. I usually get a London fog or a hot chocolate. The apple pie and spinach/feta croissants are my favorites. Service is quick, the place is a little busy and it can be hard to get a seat during busy hours, but it makes a great place to sit down and do homework- they have free wifi!
Great coffee and food. The baristas are very friendly and quick with service as well. Good study spot nearby the UW Campus, but the music tends to be very hit or miss. One barista loves to play vintage tiktok music, and it's an interesting mix.
Isabella K.
This place is great when it's not super busy. The only reason I'm taking off one star is because it can get unbearably loud when packed with undergrad students. Otherwise, it's warm and cozy with a large menu. I love the booths they have along the side wall -- perfect for getting work done since it appears that each booth has a spot to charge your devices. When it's busy, make sure to wear headphones if you're trying to concentrate. I got an iced chai latte with almond milk and a coffee cake muffin. Both were delicious. The sprinkle of cinnamon on the beverage was a nice touch and I appreciate that the barista offered to warm up the muffin for me. Altogether, the staff was friendly, the service was quick, and the food and drink was yummy.
Cheyenne Carder
Fair Trade is my favorite coffee shop in Madison. The staff is always friendly and makes the best drinks! Best cozy spot in the city.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Tanzanite
Coffee here is really delicious, staff is nice and they always seem to be enjoying themselves when I come.Food is okay but it's expensive for what it is.The sweets are better than the savory stuff!
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 5
Addison B.
Came here on a busy day and it was pretty good. Really liked my coffee, but the breakfast sandwich was just ok. Definitely need to come back on a slower day!
Good food choices, Mom and Pop type business, good coffee and atmosphere to relax, use your laptop. The only issue I have is that they should add more charging ports and outlets because if it is busy, good luck finding an electrical outlet. Unlike in my generation, you need a battery, and a cord to function nowadays. LOL.
Amazing coffee! Very friendly staff and knowledgeable! Thanks.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Fair Trade is truly the quintessential Madison coffee shop, filled with interesting people (staff & patrons both), a view of State St and delicious coffee drinks - this place is a gem.So many downtown Madison locals make this their dedicated coffee shop because it just feels good to be there. The owners have put in so much work to cultivate a chill & welcoming yet bustling energy in the shop. Stop in to grab a speciality drink & people-watch over State Street in the front window for a good time :)
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The employees were very rude and talked about the customers under their breath. All of the drinks were extremely watered down and did not taste how they were supposed to. You pay for a bagel to be made for you and they don’t put the cream cheese on it. Very disappointing visit.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
We visited on a Saturday afternoon. The place was quite busy, but ordering and receiving our drinks was quick. I ordered a chai latte, hot. It really hit the spot. It was too cold to sit outside and all the indoor seating was full. I'm glad to see the place was doing so well.Kid-friendliness: Lots of bakery options and hot chocolate.Wheelchair accessibility: First floor business with enough room to get a wheelchair through.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Awesome caramel macchiato ☕️
Not kid or baby friendlyKid-friendliness: No changing table
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 3
I stopped by on a Friday evening for a coffee. Not a time when people think of coffee. Not so surprisingly there were not that many customers. I went for a seasonal drink - chocolate milano latte. It was a good coffee. Cappuccino walnut scone was a good snack. The place had a good number of seat. You can work there while enjoying the coffee. Ambiance of the place was good.
One of my favorite coffee study spots on campus! Super cozy, service always amazing and very cautious of allergies!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I always love going to Fair Trade. I usually get a London fog or a hot chocolate. The apple pie and spinach/feta croissants are my favorites. Service is quick, the place is a little busy and it can be hard to get a seat during busy hours, but it makes a great place to sit down and do homework- they have free wifi!
Restaurantji Recommends
Great coffee and food. The baristas are very friendly and quick with service as well. Good study spot nearby the UW Campus, but the music tends to be very hit or miss. One barista loves to play vintage tiktok music, and it's an interesting mix.
This place is great when it's not super busy. The only reason I'm taking off one star is because it can get unbearably loud when packed with undergrad students. Otherwise, it's warm and cozy with a large menu. I love the booths they have along the side wall -- perfect for getting work done since it appears that each booth has a spot to charge your devices. When it's busy, make sure to wear headphones if you're trying to concentrate. I got an iced chai latte with almond milk and a coffee cake muffin. Both were delicious. The sprinkle of cinnamon on the beverage was a nice touch and I appreciate that the barista offered to warm up the muffin for me. Altogether, the staff was friendly, the service was quick, and the food and drink was yummy.
Fair Trade is my favorite coffee shop in Madison. The staff is always friendly and makes the best drinks! Best cozy spot in the city.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Coffee here is really delicious, staff is nice and they always seem to be enjoying themselves when I come.Food is okay but it's expensive for what it is.The sweets are better than the savory stuff!
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 5
Came here on a busy day and it was pretty good. Really liked my coffee, but the breakfast sandwich was just ok. Definitely need to come back on a slower day!