The National Cafe is Closed
Walker's Point business is latest casualty amid a difficult time for independent restaurants.
Vegan cinnamon roll at The National Cafe. Photo by Sophie Bolich.
The National Cafe is the latest casualty amid a devastating several weeks for small businesses. The Walker’s Point cafe, 839 W. National Ave., announced its permanent closure Thursday morning.
“It is with great sadness and utter heartbreak that we announce the sudden closure of The National Cafe,” leadership wrote in an online post, citing “a painfully slow” 2025. “We kept hoping for a busy fall and holiday season that just never came.”
It’s the second such loss for owners Amy Plennes and Angela Wierzbinski, who shuttered The Lafayette Place at 1978 N. Farwell Ave. after a driver crashed into the building, causing major structural damage.
At that time, the vegan brunch restaurant rehomed its employees and most popular recipes—the Vegan Brekkie Sammy and cinnamon roll were fan favorites—at The National.
Now, both establishments have taken up a place in Milwaukee dining history.
Plennes and Wierzbinski are already grieving everyday moments at the cafe. “We will miss working with our favorite people. We will miss the smell of crispy bacon and cinnamon rolls. We will miss the hiss of our espresso machine,” they wrote in the post. “And we will so so miss serving our beautiful and amazing customers with our brunch that was made with so much love.”
Distinguished by its charming historic façade and west-facing mural, The National Cafe has long been a fixture of the neighborhood, serving breakfast dishes like huevos rancheros and French toast, along with sandwiches and paninis, scratch-made pastries and Sugar Leaf coffee.
The cafe has operated for more than a decade at the corner of S. 9th Street and W. National Avenue, changing hands several times throughout its tenure. Its community focus, however, has remained a constant.
In addition to restaurant operations, The National offered catering services and had a presence at local farmers markets.
The cafe is the latest in a series of local businesses to close—or announce their imminent closure—in recent weeks. Others on the list include Beans & Barley, Pomona Cider Company, Nick’s Anvil Inn, Martino’s Hot Dogs & Italian Beef, Classy Girl Cupcakes, Ouzo Cafe and others.
Other small businesses have sounded alarms on social media in recent days over sluggish sales, warning that if the trend continues, closure will be unavoidable.
Existing members must be signed in to see the interactive map. Sign in.
If you think stories like this are important, become a member of Urban Milwaukee and help support real, independent journalism. Plus you get some cool added benefits.
