By Lauri Lee
Northside Economic Development Coalition
“Croissants and bars and gluten-free treats, oh my! Brownies and doughnuts and cookies, oh yum!” raced through the mind of Tori Gerding, owner of Ancora Coffee and Cafés, when she learned Manna Café was closing. She was disappointed to hear of the closure of her beloved neighborhood cafe and quickly started to daydream about filling the void left behind. “I’ve been looking for a third location for Ancora, and the café space in Lakewood Plaza is the perfect fit for us, especially considering we’ve been looking to expand our bakery operations. I live in Maple Bluff nearly across the street from the former Manna Café, and I really feel we’ll be a great addition to the Northside neighborhood.”
The benefit of opening up in a former café and bakery space is the opportunity for Gerding to take her dreams to the next level. She purchased Ancora, a coffee house founded in 1994, from her employers in 2013. Her vision was to own and operate full-service cafés, so she leased new spaces on King Street and in Shorewood.
Ancora have made their own bakery the last few years but with limited space in both kitchens, the offerings are currently limited. However, with plenty of kitchen and baking space in the new café, Gerding is expanding and retooling the bakery menu with plans to bake out of the 611 N. Sherman Avenue café for all three sites. “My friend Kristine Miller is an amazing pastry chef who is acting as our consultant. She’s in charge of recipes, imparting her specialized knowledge to our lead baker and helping us get the bakery program set up.”
The café’s seating area is being built out and transitioning to the Ancora’s cheery modern vibe that exudes its own warmth and feeling of hospitality. When the weather is warm, there will also be outdoor seating.
Plans are to open Ancora in early 2021. Visit ancoracafes.com to get an idea of the Ancora menu featuring a full brunch, lunch, and espresso bar with whole bean coffees and more. It will be open seven days a week from 6:30 am–3 pm during the pandemic, and afterward, until 5 pm. Curbside pickup and delivery will also be available.
Ancora is known for its from-scratch cooking and baking, creative brunch offerings, great specialty coffee drinks, loose leaf tea, chai that’s made in-house and a friendly atmosphere. If you’re hungry for updates, keep an eye on @ancoramadison on Instagram and Facebook.