Maria's Cafe, run by vendor Mary Ramirez, is poised to take over the tiny café inside Arts @ Large’s Walker's Point gallery, stepping into the footprint left by Green Baked Goods. The 300-square-foot counter-service space at 1100 S. 5th St. would serve coffee, flavored matcha drinks and a short hot-food menu while also offering catering for Arts @ Large events. The plan is pending city approvals and would see the café open Tuesday through Sunday, from morning into the early afternoon.
As reported by Urban Milwaukee, Maria’s Cafe would offer hot and iced espresso beverages, lattes, mochas, café de olla and matcha lattes in flavors like strawberry, mango and pineapple, plus pastries, parfaits, wraps, quesadillas and breakfast sandwiches. The outlet also notes the café "has no hood," meaning fried items could not be produced on-site, and that an Arts @ Large affiliate applied in February for liquor, food dealer’s and public entertainment licenses. Ramirez did not respond to multiple requests for comment, Urban Milwaukee reported.
Menu and service
Arts @ Large operates the Walker's Point community center and gallery where the café sits, using the space for artist residencies, Milwaukee Public Schools programming and rotating exhibits, according to Arts @ Large. The organization has long used a small on-site café to anchor daytime visits, and Maria’s Cafe would continue that role while providing catering for gallery events and receptions.
Green Baked Goods exit
As previously reported by Urban Milwaukee, the family-owned bakery shuttered its Walker's Point storefront on April 30 but continues to sell online and at farmers markets. Green Baked Goods had operated at Arts @ Large since 2023 and will remain active through market appearances and online orders, the report said.
What’s next for the space
Final approval from city regulators is still needed before Maria’s Cafe can open, and the timeline will depend on those permits and on the operator's build-out within the limited 300-square-foot footprint. If the project clears those steps, the counter-service café aims to provide a daytime hub for visitors, students and neighborhood workers while supporting Arts @ Large programming through on-site catering.
