Coffee in East Austin
This post is part of the 2015 City Guide by the Austin Food Blogger Alliance.
A rainy day inside Cenoté.
The coffee scene in Austin has expanded pretty rapidly over the past couple years, particularly on the south and east sides. Living in East Austin, I’m most familiar with the coffee shops over here, and since this is a guide and not a review post, I’ve listed all of them. That said, I have had good coffee at each of these, aside from the two trailers I have yet to visit!
The area covered here is located between I-35, Airport, and East Cesar Chavez. (Coincidentally, there isn’t a single Starbucks within this triangle.) Everything is listed alphabetically within three categories: Mainly Beverages, With Full Kitchens, and Small / Mobile.
Mainly Beverages
(The food items offered at these shops are mostly made by other local businesses.)
Bennu Coffee
2001 East Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard
Bennu is one of the first coffee shops I visited in Austin. The best part about it? Open 24 hours. They have lots of tables, chairs, and outlets (even hanging from the ceiling), but since it’s so close to UT, it’s often packed. It’s owned by one of the creators of Chameleon, so their cold-brew is good. Aside from the usual espresso offerings, they also have a gourmet mocha menu, if you’re into that.
Hours: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Wifi: Yes
Outdoor seating: Yes
Food: Pastries, tacos, salads, sandwiches
Alcohol: No
Cuvée Coffee Bar (no website for their bar)
2000 East 6th Street
You might be familiar with Cuvée Coffee via their beans or nitrogenated
Hours: 6:30am – 10:00 pm, weekdays | 7:30am – 10:00pm, weekends
Wifi: No
Outdoor seating: Yes
Food: Pastries, cheese boards
Alcohol: Beer
Figure 8 Coffee Purveyors
1111 Chicon Street
I’ve been meaning to check out Figure 8 ever since it opened not too long ago, and finally did for the purpose of this guide. Not gonna lie, it might be my new favorite place, both ambience- and coffee-wise. Maybe it was because it was the afternoon, but there weren’t too many people there, so it was pretty calm and quiet. When ordering an espresso beverage, you’re given a choice between two kinds of beans. The owners were very warm and that cappuccino was the best I’ve had in recent memory.
Hours: 7:00am – 7:00pm, daily
Wifi: Yes
Outdoor seating: Yes
Food: Pastries
Alcohol: No
Thunderbird Coffee
2200 Manor Road
If you’re looking for an Austin vibe with friendly baristas, this is a solid bet. Thunderbird is one of the classics on this list, and they’ve upped their game with the addition of craft beer. It can get crowded with people working or studying, but if the weather is nice, they have some picnic tables outside.
Hours: 7:00am – 11:00pm, weekdays | 8:00am – 11:00pm, weekends
Wifi: Yes
Outdoor seating: Yes
Food: Pastries, tacos, salads, sandwiches
Alcohol: Beer
Vintage Heart Coffee
1405 East 7th Street
Despite its close proximity to downtown, Vintage Heart has a warm, homey feel. It’s great if you want to sit on a couch and get some work done, but can’t motivate yourself to do so at your own house. (Um, right?) Basically, they want you to feel welcome here, which can’t be said for every place.
Hours: 7:00am – 8:00pm, daily
Wifi: Yes
Outdoor seating: Yes, though limited
Food: Pastries
Alcohol: No
Wright Bros. Brew & Brew
500 San Marcos Street #105
With 38 craft beers on tap, Wright Bros. is definitely equal on both brew fronts. The space is small, but you can sip beer or espresso at the bar. Located in what used to be Progress Coffee, street parking can be a little hard to find, but I believe they now have reserved spots in the lot across the street.
Hours: 7:00am – midnight, daily
Wifi: Yes
Outdoor seating: Yes
Food: Sandwiches, salads, lighter fare
Alcohol: Beer
Cappuccino at Figure 8 Coffee Purveyors.
With Full Kitchens
Cenoté
1010 East Cesar Chavez Street
The house that Cenoté occupies is a historic one, brightly updated with teal paint and artwork. While it can be a challenge find somewhere to sit amid the sea of Macbooks, there is a nice patio out back, along with a yard making it one of the most dog-friendly places on this list. They take pride in all of their fresh, locally-sourced ingredients and clearly label all gluten-free items.
Hours: 7am – 11pm, weekdays | 8am – 11pm, Sat | 8am – 4pm, Sun
Wifi: Yes
Outdoor seating: Yes
Food: Menu
Alcohol: Beer and wine
Cherrywood Coffeehouse
1400 East 38½ Street
Cherrywood is one of those places that feels like it’s been in the neighborhood forever. I almost think of this place more for than coffee just based on how extensive their menus are. Breakfast is served anytime (including tacos!), and you can order a smoothie any way you like it. They have live music on weekends and show games on the televisions, so it’s a little bit of a different vibe than your average coffee shop. Their property outside is expansive and pups are welcome.
Hours: 7am – midnight, weekdays | 8am – midnight, weekends
Wifi: Yes
Outdoor seating: Yes
Food: Menu
Alcohol: Beer and wine
Hillside Farmacy
1209 East 11th Street
This is actually a restaurant, but they are definitely worth a mention on the coffee front. As in, if you’re a die-hard lover of Stumptown, go here. They use ingredients from local farms (and their garden) in a building that used to be a pharmacy, so that’s the deal with the name.
Hours: 9am – 10pm, Sun – Wed | 9am – 11pm, Thurs – Sat
Wifi: Yes
Outdoor seating: Yes
Food: Day, Night, Brunch
Alcohol: Beer, cocktails, wine
Quickie Pickie
1208 East 11th Street
Quickie Pickie is a bright little convenience store in Rosewood. In addition to groceries and snacks, they have a full kitchen cooking up food all day, along with espresso, beer on tap, and wine.
Hours: 7am – midnight, weekdays | 8am – midnight, weekends
Wifi: Yes
Outdoor seating: Yes
Food: Menu
Alcohol: Beer and wine
Sa-Tén Coffee & Eats
916 Springdale Road, Building 3, Suite 101 (in Canopy)
Sa-Tén is the newest spot on this list, and perhaps the most unique due to the menu of Japanese-inspired fare. Owned by the people of Komé and Daruma Ramen, they offer toast with toppings like eggplant and kimchi along with curry and teriyaki plates. The coffee menu is pretty standard, aside from the macchiato (and espresso) set. Oh, and the place has a lot of visual appeal with squirrel wallpaper and Japanese knick-knacks.
Hours: 7am – 10pm, weekdays | 8am – 10pm Sat | 8am – 8pm, Sun
Wifi: Yes
Outdoor seating: Yes
Food: Menu
Alcohol: No
Teriyaki lemon kinoko toast and a macchiato set at Sa-Tén.
Small / Mobile
Elixer Coffee
4209 Airport Boulevard (with the Mueller Hangar food trucks)
This is a little Studebaker truck that’s been outfitted with an espresso machine. They also have some pastries available.
Hours: 7am – 1pm, weekdays | 8am – 1pm, weekends
Flat Track Coffee
913 East Cesar Chavez Street
Flat Track can be hard to find the first time because it’s a tiny shop behind a bookstore, but it’s not to be missed. They roast their own beans, which you can buy in-store or online.
Hours: 8am – 6pm, weekdays | 9am – 6pm, weekends
Legend Coffee Co.
900 East 11th Street (in the side yard of Franklin Barbecue)
I have to admit that this trailer is the one place I found out about while writing this guide. It looks like they’re taking advantage of caffeinating the line of hungry customers that Franklin attracts, which is a good idea for all parties.
Hours: 8am – 3pm, Tues – Sun (closed Mon)
Sister Coffee
1223 Rosewood Avenue
This little coffee cart is in the same food truck park as Micklethwait Craft Meats. It’s often closed, which is mainly why I’ve missed out, but I’ve heard good things about their coffee. Also, boobs on the coffee cups, so that’s cool.
Hours: 9am – 4pm, Wed – Sat | 10am – 3pm, Sun (but check Twitter first)
