When you’ve got a hankering to explore local establishments on Lake Superior and find yourself on the hunt for coffee in Ashland, Black Cat Coffee Shop has been your unique brewlicious oasis since 1995.
With a warm and unique welcome from the interior of the coffee shop itself, with its local artwork, exposed brick, and used books (that are totally for sale!), to the friendly baristas and their neighborly hellos and how are yous, Black Cat Coffee Shop is a coffee experience every coffee and tea lover should indulge in when they’re looking for a Lake Superior coffee shop.
Whether you’re traveling to your next adventure in Washburn or Bayfield or you’re a proud Ashland local, Black Cat Coffee is a spot that’ll capture your caffeinated heart with its community-filled spirit, organic ingredients, and delicious drinks and treats.
“A black cat crossing your path signifies that the animal is going somewhere.”
– Groucho Marx
My husband and I like to call ourselves Dawdlers, and as dawdlers, we love a cozy adventure! One of the most important elements of those cozy adventures is to support local coffee; it makes the whole trip taste that much better knowing you’re part of the support local coffee movement and supporting what was once someone’s daydream turned reality. How magical is that?
Our favorite adventures always take place up around Ashland and its beautiful surrounding areas. When we’re cruising on through, or we need a morning/afternoon pick-me-up, Black Cat Coffee Shop is our go-to for a brewlicious delight. From the first time we stopped in, to each time after, we fell in love with the hygge atmosphere, the comfortable seating area in the back, and the fact that you can purchase used books! And after doing some more research prior to writing this article, I came to appreciate Black Cat Coffee Shop even more.
Where is Black Cat Coffee Shop?
Black Cat Coffee Shop is right off Main Street West in Ashland, WI. It’s a minute’s walk from the Chequamegon Food Co-Op and across the street from Ashland Baking.
Black Cat Coffee Shop Address
211 Chapple Ave, Ashland, WI 54806
Black Cat Coffee Shop Hours
Below are the operating hours for Black Cat Coffee Shop according to their online posting in 2024. These hours may vary depending on Holidays or other circumstances; please take a peek at Black Cat Coffee’s Facebook for further details.
Monday: 7 AM – 7 PM
Tuesday: 7 AM – 7 PM
Wednesday: 7 AM – 7 PM
Thursday: 7 AM – 7 PM
Friday: 7 AM – 9 PM
Saturday: 7 AM – 7 PM
Sunday: 8 AM – 4 PM
Grab a cup of your refreshing drink of choice, and don’t forget a scrumptious snack before you head out on your adventure/day! There’s much to explore, experience, and take in when you’re on Lake Superior.
“Today’s socially acceptable behavior has been made possible by the magic of coffee.”
– Nanea Hoffman
Grab a Drink & Something to Eat at Black Cat Coffee
Black Cat Coffee shop has a range of yummy drinks and treats aside from their delicious coffee. From gluten-free, vegan, and vegetarian options, proudly serving ingredients that come from other local establishments (Listed on their website: Tetzner’s Dairy, Basket Flats, Bear Trap Creek Farm, Suri Fina Alpaca Farm, Full Keel Coffee, and Heritage Meats).
Black Cat Coffee uses Duluth Coffee Company beans, brewing and roasting up an espresso storm since 2012. The founder and proud owner of Duluth Coffee Company, Eric, started his humble coffee roasting journey in his garage and has since grown to the heart of Duluth, where he and his team continue to roast coffee beans and deliver rich coffee to the groovy folks of Duluth as well as coffee shops in surrounding areas like Black Cat Coffee Shop. Their beans are ethically sourced through genuine relationships with farmers in countries all around the world, including Costa Rica, Guatemala, Colombia, Mexico, and Papua New Guinea, to name a few.
“Wonderful little place to get coffee in Ashland, WI! Went with an almond milk honey lavender latte. The latte was really good! The drink was made pretty quick considering how busy they were at the time. The atmosphere was really nice with plenty of spots to sit and enjoy your drinks/food if someone wanted. The servers were really friendly. Would definitely recommend this place to anyone who is looking for some good coffee from a local spot.”
– Jessica G ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
With your traditional coffee and tea drinks and specialty drinks offered throughout the seasons, Black Cat Coffee Shop also has the largest selection of craft beer in Ashland and options of cider and hard seltzers. Rock on, Black Cat Coffee!
“Since 1995, the Black Cat Coffeehouse has been serving organic, fair-trade and farm focused coffees. We currently offer Duluth Coffee Company-Duluth, MN
We make a variety of syrups in house, using organic sugar & natural ingredients to add extra flavor to your cup. Not a coffee drinker? We offer Tea Source tea, smoothies made with real fruit, or a variety of natural bottled juices and spritzers to quench your thirst. We also have one of the largest craft beer selections in Ashland!”
– BlackCatAshland.com
There are also various food options, such as breakfast (served all day), classic sides, salads, pizza, nachos, kids’ choices, and so much more. Instead of listing them out, I’d encourage you to check out their menu on Black Cat Coffee’s website or, better yet, pop in and see for yourself! There’s nothing like the action of support local coffee to spruce up the day.
Vegan/Vegetarian-Friendly Options at Black Cat Coffee
Black Cat Coffee proudly serves options that meet the lifestyle and dietary needs of gluten-free, vegan, and vegetarian options. Love that!
“Our philosophy on food is simple – better food means better health. We make everything in our kitchen from scratch using quality ingredients with an emphasis on organic whenever feasible. This means the food not only tastes better, but is better for you and the planet! Our menu has many vegetarian and vegan items as well as gluten free options. We use Larry Schultz free range organic eggs, and most of the meat on our menu was raised on small farms in the region.“
– BlackCatAshland.com
My husband and I are both vegan and although it’s come a long way and many spots are pitching in to offer vegan options, it can be a little dicey at times. When we’re planning our trips we get antsy wondering if the area we’re going in has a vegan-friendly spot. It’s something we took for granted in the past, but not anymore! So we deeply appreciate places like Black Cat Coffee that serve vegan options, as well as vegetarian and gluten-free.
A thoughtful and intentional continuous action(s) like this further show their commitment and love for their community and all of the pitter-patter patrons who cross the threshold of their cozy coffee shop.
Support Local Coffee on Lake Superior
There’s a vital importance to support local coffee and local establishments while you’re on Lake Superior and anywhere your wanderlust feet wander. Supporting local is pouring back into the local economy; it’s supporting a dream turned reality, a place that holds memories and goods for the community and those who come across its path.
When you make a choice to support local coffee, that one choice is pouring into the creation of something special, and you’re helping it remain special in your life, the employee’s and owners’ life, and so many others. Whether we see them or not, our actions have ripple effects, and making a positive (and don’t forget delicious) choice to support local coffee is one that you won’t regret. Local is the [black] cat’s pajamas!
And at Black Cat Coffee Shop, they go above and beyond to be a staple in the Ashland community and also give back. They take mindful action of sourcing their materials and ingredients from local establishments, take part in community events as well as hosting them at their shop (check out their Facebook for all the neat events they have going on in the future!), and give back to local charities and causes. Wait until you hear about their composting ventures as well!
Take a gander for yourself at how deeply rooted Black Cat Coffee Shop is in the Ashland community and surrounding communities in this well-worded excerpt from their website.
“We strive to purchase from local producers and vendors as much as possible. Doing so keeps your money in our community making it stronger and more sustainable. If you are a local producer and would like work with us, give us a call or stop in and chat with us about what you can provide!
We not only strive to be active members in our community, but also good stewards for the environment that surrounds us. This is why we’ve partnered with Big Lake Organics and their composting program. We started composting scrap foods when we first opened, sending many thousands of pounds to Hermit Creek Organic Farm over a 20 year period.
When the Hulings Food Center opened on the Northland College Campus, we saw an opportunity to not only compost food scraps, but also our compostable to go containers and paper towels that needed a commercial facility to properly break down.
After a number of years, Big Lake Organics took over the composting program. All of our to go containers are currently either biodegradeable, recyclable, or compostable keeping them out of landfills and our rivers, lakes, and oceans.
As a member of the community, we also donate to many local charities, and other organizations to help strengthen the Chequamegon Bay region. This is our way of giving back for the amazing support our community has shown us.“
– BlackCatAshland.com
There are many wonderful things to be said about the Black Cat Coffee Shop, but I’ll keep it short and sweet so you can get to your adventuring on Lake Superior. When one is on the prowl for coffee in Ashland and a cozy place to sit down with a good book or visit with friends, point your curious tails to Black Cat Coffee and get yourself a special little treat.
My happy, healthy place to stop. I love the Black Cat!
Love to hear that, Nancy! It’s one of our favs for sure, too 🙂
It truly is a happy, healthy place, isn’t it? 😊☕🐈⬛