Last year, I wrote a series of articles listing my criteria for the perfect coffee shop (Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3). As I explained before, but I’m happy to reiterate, I am the world’s foremost authority on coffee shops. My criteria represent the absolute standard, the bellwether against which all coffee shops should measure themselves in the future. Feel free to dissent if you wish, but do so with the knowledge that I’m right and you’re – well, probably not.
In any event, for the last article in my series, I felt it was my duty to provide you with this long-awaited list of the best coffee shops in Austin and the vicinity. In order to do so, in the eight months since I published my original groundbreaking work, I returned to all of the coffee shops around town, most of which I had visited several times already, and reviewed them all again with a more critical eye.
Some of these coffee shops require a long drive, but the best are worth it. I’ve put the downtown shops, or the ones close enough, in bold.
Why Bother?
Wright Brothers Brew & Brew: Noisy, hard to find a seat, and even harder to find parking now that East 6th is gentrifying. Tiny, lukewarm lattes don’t help. And they don’t have skim milk.
You Can Do Better
Buzz Mill: Unique interior. It has a “Quiet Hall”, but if you can’t get back there you’re stuck fighting it out for outlets. Worst of all, overpriced, small “large” latte’s.
Radio Coffee and Beer: Parking is terrible and not all tables have easy access to outlets. My two biggest peeves though: no skim milk and they cut the Wi-Fi off at 5 p.m.! It’s a nice venue otherwise, but more bar than coffee shop.
Need Some Work
Cherrywood Coffeehouse: Decent menu, breakfast tacos are okay (I have an upcoming article on the best breakfast tacos in Austin), but the lattes are hit or miss. It can also be noisy and hard to find a seat with an outlet nearby.
Dolce Vita: The worst coffee on this list, like drinking dishwater. It does have a decent menu, but I wouldn’t recommend it.
Halcyon: Hipster hangout. Not sure whether it wants to be a bar or a coffee shop. Who wants to pay for parking to find out?
Irie Bean (South Lamar): Fine in a pinch.
Jo’s Coffee: One of the better cups of coffee, but it’s outdoors so it’s not an all-weather stop. You can work here if you don’t mind the lawn chairs, wooden benches, inquisitive dogs, and worst of all, smokers! Aargh!
Seventh Flag Coffee: Do you like to site on planks? An austere interior, but a friendly staff. The lattes need to be hotter.
Thrice (Thai Fresh): This would be a much nicer venue if there were some outlets outside, but overall, it’s average.
On Its Own
Bouldin Creek Cafe: I have mixed feelings about Bouldin. It can be hit or miss. Sometimes, the service is good; other times, not so good. Sometimes, you get a seat at one of their small tables; sometimes, you have to work on a bench.
Not Quite There
Austin Java (Lamar): Short-skim my latte and you’re forever on my enemies list. Austin Java also serves up breakfast tacos (with turkey sausage though) – I’ll document breakfast tacos in a later post. It’s not as cozy as the Barton Spring location, but it’s all right.
BookPeople Cafe: I hate how I can’t have my backpack with me and I worry every time I have to walk upstairs to the bathroom.
Café Medici (Congress): Decent downtown location, but the upstairs furnishing is too modern for my taste.
Cenote (East Austin): I like the place, the vibe, the coffee. The furniture is so-so and outlets are a problem.
Dominican Joe Coffee Shop: Service without a smile. Nice if you like lukewarm lattes. Nothing special.
La Tazza Fresca: Although I like the metal coffee cylinders, they seem to collect too much foam, but the nutella bread is tasty. It’s cozy, but there’s usually only one barista working and she has her hands full, so be prepared to wait.
New Braunfels Coffee: No outlets to speak of. Nice spot, but you can’t work here.
Pacha: Who told the staff here to turn up the volume to 11? I like the quality of the latte’s here, but it’s loud and the Internet service is terrible. Also, the last time I was there I got Austin attitude and I hate that!
Spider House Cafe: Interesting spot and the coffee’s decent; more of a bar though and way too loud.
Stinson’s: Loud and not a typical coffee shop; more of a bistro. Clean bathroom and not too crowded. Good lattes. Very slow Internet service.
Thunderbird Coffee: This isn’t one of my favorites. It’s uncomfortable and the servers hate when you bother them, but it has a punch card and a help-yourself water pitcher.
Trianon: I’m here often, but the quality of the lattes varies. I still like it though.
Nice Hangouts
Austin Java (Barton Spring): Good breakfast quesadilla to go along with the latte, but probably the weakest quality bean of the bunch, and it’s not always consistent quality.
Bee Cave Coffee Co. (Galleria): It’s clean, but sterile. I’d rather take my coffee to go and drink it at the library. The metallic chairs are terrible. If they improved that, it would be a better place to hang out.
Café Ruckus: Small and hard to get to (parking), but how can you beat a 5 for 1 punch card? That’s value!
Corona Café: Quaint and small venue. Not bad, but they close too early.
Crema Bakery and Café: Any place that has a “To Our Friends with Laptops” sign is already starting off on a bad foot with me. Outside of this ominous portent, the service is good, but it’s not the most comfortable place to work.
Epoch: Can get crowded and parking’s tight. I also heard rap here – aargh!
Genuine Joe’s: Service with a frown. Cozy interior, decent latte.
Hound’s Tooth Coffee (North Lamar): Good coffee, but I’m grading it as a coffee shop and on this basis it’s weak. It’s not a comfortable hangout.
Lola Savannah Coffee Lounge (Bee Cave): Tepid latte’s and the conversion of the coffee shop into an extra dining area at 5 o’clock mark this down.
The Hideout (Congress): One word: seedy. If you’re downtown, this is the spot to go on Congress. It’s not a comfortable work environment though.
Thyme & Dough (Dripping Spring): Nice enough, but you can only legitimately work there on Thursday; every other day they close at three. Nice people, friendly service, decent latte though.
A Tweener
Summer Moon Coffee (South First): Yet another coffee bar without distinction, and you have to walk outside to pee. Pray you can sit in a chair and you’re not stuck in one of those student high-chairs.
Good, Enjoyable Spots
Café Medici (West Lynn): Only one bathroom, but it’s small enough so there’s not usually a wait. Parking’s a hassle though.
Café Mozart: It’s hard to find a nicer spot than Cafe Mozart on the lake. It’s just gorgeous, but can be hard to get an outlet.
Fair Bean Coffee: This used to be one of my favorite spots, but they’ve been operating on reduced hours for months now. Get it together, people!
Kick Butt: A little loud, a little cold, but they do have a changing table in the lady’s room. I love the Chuck Norris poster in the back.
Once Over: They would be slightly lower, except for the presence of El Primo’s taco trailer at the entrance to their parking lot. They have the best breakfast tacos in Austin – bar none! Once Over does have a nice patio though, so that’s a plus. My main problem is the inability to get a sufficiently hot latte here.
Quack’s 43rd Street Bakery: Good food selection, but can it be more uncomfortable?
Vintage Heart Coffee: Cramped spot on the east side, but a nice latte.
Fun Spots
Mazama (Dripping Spring): Nice spot, walking distance to the Barber Shop (a bar), but the hours aren’t ideal. They get a half point for partnering with Belly.
Sa-Ten: Nice spot, but slow Internet and uncomfortable. I’d rather hang out somewhere else.
Stouthaus Coffee: It’s austere and uncomfortable and the lattes can be lukewarm, but it’s growing on me. The projection TV on the wall behind the bar helps.
A Fifth Place Tie
Bennu Coffee: Plenty of outlets and fairly comfortable when you can get a seat, but I always wonder whether the toilet will flush. They serve coffee piping hot though – nice. It’s open 24 hours so that’s good.
Café Crème: I had Café Crème higher before, but they cranked up the lousy music last time I was there – big points off.
It’s a Grind (Parmer Lane): Small, but comfortable.
Strange Brew Austin Coffee: Thank goodness they got rid of their 2 hour Internet limit. Still, they recommend that you buy something every 2 hours. What? Get over yourselves. Just get my latte. They are open 24 hours though, so that’s a positive.
The Flightpath Coffee House: Nice spot, but parking is terrible and I hate waiting for bathrooms.
In Fourth Place
Cups and Cones (Lakeway): Very kid-friendly, which means it can be noisy; overall, comfortable and pleasant.
Monkey Nest: If you can get a parking space and a table away from the bright afternoon sun, you’re in good shape.
Just Barely Out of the Top Three
Opa: I like this spot a lot. You can sit indoors or outdoors. It’s comfortable, quiet, and never too crowded. One of my favorites.
The Second Runner Up
Summer Moon Coffee (Buda): I feel very comfortable here; so much better than its cousin on South First.
The Runner Up
Cianfrani (Georgetown): Good place. Quiet. A little uncomfortable. I wish I could come here more often: it’s just too far from where I live.
And the Winner is…
Lola Savannah Coffee Lounge (Lakeway): The location is so fantastic I have to give them extra points. The interior is clean, generally quiet, and offers news on a few different TV’s (great spot to watch the World Cup). They’re attached to the Grove Restaurant, so they offer a full menu. Very noisy the last time I was there.
Not Rated
Baguette et Chocolat: Quaint, good bakery, but not a good work environment. You feel like you’re just taking up a table.
Russell’s: You can’t work here. There are no outlets, and no Internet between 12:30 and 2:00. Skip it.
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