For the past year, Mill Street Cafe in North Lake has been building a boldly delicious reputation for itself. The Cafe’s space was previously just a coffee shop, primarily serving drinks. However, the new owners have worked hard to integrate a robust and tasty menu into the location’s list of offerings. Since taking over, the choices of sandwiches, soups, salads, and several other delicious snacks has expanded immensely. For the season of Lent, the Mill Street Cafe has taken a whole new approach to the tradition of meatless Fridays. Each Friday from March 7 through April 18, the Cafe is offering a creative spin on their fan favorite grilled cheese sandwich.
In April of 2024, Mill Street Cafe was opened by its new owner, Jennie. She and her husband had been longtime Lake Country residents, growing up in Stone Bank. For the past few years, the couple lived nearby in North Lake, where their love for their community grew. Jennie worked as a private chef, but her dream was to create something different for the entire area to enjoy.
“I wanted a close spot for the community to come together that wasn’t just a bar,” she stated.
When the Cafe opened, their focus was on serving up high quality foods and beverages. One of Jennie’s main focuses was to offer food options that were locally sourced. In store, they sell several products that are made in or near Lake Country, such as Grassy Lane Acres eggs, Jackson’s Sweet Potato Chips, and Bayview Bread. In fact, all of the sandwiches at Mill Street are served on Bayview Bread’s beloved country blonde sourdough, which is baked in Oconomowoc.
Jennie’s passion for great, natural foods was something she knew she wanted to incorporate into the business. “I didn’t want to sell anything that I, myself, wouldn’t want to eat,” she said. As a result, she uses organic flour and no artificial dyes in everything she sells. Additionally, all of her bakery is lovingly made from scratch daily. Jennie’s biggest problem has been her creativity, as she is constantly thinking of new menu items she wants to offer customers.
The Lenten grilled cheese menu was a way to solve that problem. By giving a new angle to the familiar sandwich, she was able to show off her creative culinary skills. While many fish fries will be served throughout Lake Country in the coming weeks, hungry locals looking for something new can stop into Mill Street Cafe. Some of the grilled cheeses slated to appear in the next few weeks include caprese, jalapeño popper, and cranberry walnut.
“My favorite so far has been the fig, brie, and apple grilled cheese we had last week,” Jennie commented. Apparently, the community agreed. The response they’ve received from customers so far has been overwhelmingly positive, with curious guests eager to try out the new flavor combinations.
As Mill Street Cafe approaches its one year anniversary, they’re working hard to create a unique identity. Located just off the Kettle Moraine Scenic Drive, the Cafe is a treasure for the Lake Country community. Fans of good food will certainly find something worth enjoying about the place, whether it’s soup on a chilly afternoon or açaí bowls on a steamy summer day.
