Ground Zero was the first coffee shop I visited after moving to Madison, and it's still a favorite to this day. While there are probably more funky and electic alternatives, Ground Zero is a bright, solid choice for lingering over a Sunday paper, studying, or browsing through one of the many Dwell magazines inhabiting the space. Choose from hot coffee and tea drinks or something cold from the cooler to go along with pastries and sandwiches and soups made to order.
Given its location, Ground Zero is popular with Willy Street area residents, grad students, and others of the "mature" crowd--weekends can be challenging to find a table amongst the laptop crowd tapping the free wi-fi. Parking is plentiful in the building lot or on Williamson St. One of the only knocks is the hours--closes at 9pm on weekdays and 10pm on Friday and Saturday evenings.