Aladdin’s City Cafe

Oftentimes, great things are hidden in plain sight. Others require a search, but are worth the effort. The latter is true for Aladdin’s City Cafe, a counter-service restaurant located on the lower level of the Frank P. Zeidler Municipal Building, 841 N. Broadway.

The staple lunch spot may be common knowledge among city employees who pass through the cafe in a steady stream each day for a morning coffee, mid-day meal or afternoon pick-me-up; however, Aladdin’s is likely lesser-known by other downtown folk, who may be more familiar with the business’s sister locations at Milwaukee Public Market (Aladdin Taste of the East/Pitaworks) and Milwaukee Intermodal Station (All Aboard Cafe).

Azmi Alaeddin, the owner of all three establishments, has been sharing his culinary talents with Milwaukeeans for more than 20 years. With the establishment of his first restaurant downtown in 1996, Alaeddin’s Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine became an immediate hit, and today remains a popular choice for fast-casual dining.

Aladdin’s City Cafe, the last of Alaeddin’s restaurants to open, made its debut in 2016. Though Aladdin’s is located in the basement of a government building and accessible by tunnel from Milwaukee City Hall, the cafe and its surroundings lean more school cafeteria than Pan’s Labyrinth, which is both a relief and a slight let-down.

Aladdin’s offers a straightforward menu of breakfast and lunch items, as well as Colectivo coffee and a grab-and-go cooler.

Breakfast offerings include breakfast sandwiches (egg, turkey bacon and egg, veggie and egg) served on your choice of a bagel, English muffin, toast or tucked into a pita pocket. Add American, swiss or cheddar cheese for a slight upcharge. Other options include croissants, bagels (with butter, cream cheese or hummus) and oatmeal.

For lunch, the cafe serves hamburgers, hot dogs, soup, grilled cheese and an assortment of grilled focaccia paninis. Middle Eastern options, listed as Aladdin’s Specialties, include a pita grilled chicken sandwich, chicken shawarma sandwich, falafel and hummus wrap and spinach and feta pie.

Snacks and sides include nachos, fries, chips and hummus and pita. The cafe also offers soda, hot chocolate and tea. Coffee drinks are available with dairy, almond or soy milk.

And while Aladdin’s dessert offerings are sparse, manager Sherri Musa is a real treat — a cheerful presence who greeted each regular by name, offering kind words and an easygoing attitude even as the lunch-rush line stretched out the door.

Each meal, efficiently prepared by Chef Javier, was delivered warm, well-seasoned and conveniently packaged for takeout, though guests also have the option to grab a seat for dine-in.

For anyone yet to visit, Aladdin’s City Cafe is a welcome step off the usual path and well worth the trip.

Aladdin’s City Cafe is open on weekdays from 7:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m.

To access the cafe from the Frank P. Zeidler Municipal Building, enter from Broadway, proceed straight, past the offices on the left, to the elevator. Go to the basement level. Exit the elevator and turn left. More adventurous visitors can take the tunnel system from Milwaukee City Hall or the 809 N. Broadway building.

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