If you're looking for a bright spot to chill or a place on campus for a quick, midday catchup, few cafés in the area boast the kind of table space and year-round natural sunlight that Aldo's slash the Wisconsin Institute of Discovery building has to offer. No outlets to spare in the café section though, so I'd think twice about camping out here with a laptop.
The coffee is marginally better than the next nearest spot, Peet's across the street at Union South, but it also costs a few shiny pennies more.
Lunch is generally fresh, but it's a little pricey. Expect there to be some cheese or cream or mayo concoction in most of the options. The long wait times and so-so menu execution make me want to say skip the food unless you're feeling fancy and slightly desperate for sunlight.