Guide to independent coffeehouses in Austin

Austin is full of independent businesses, independent thinkers, students, young professionals, and people who simply enjoy hanging out. The independent coffeehouse is a nexus for all these forces.

Aside from the quality coffee, espresso, and people-watching — one of the coolest aspects of the Austin coffeehouse scene is the complimentary Wi-Fi. So thanks, coffeehouses, for supporting the dissemination of information between coffee drinkers everywhere.

These coffeehouses have been arranged geographically — South, Central, and North. For specific locations, hours of operation, menu selections (most of these coffeehouses serve some sort of food), and additional information simply click on the name of the coffeehouse. For an overview, check out the Google Map at the bottom of the guide.

South

Bouldin Creek Coffeehouse and Cafe

Bouldin Creek Coffeehouse is a great place to do nothing on your day off, study, or play Scrabble. They think of themselves as a “pre-franchise” coffeehouse: “an important place for community action, intellectual foment, and people-watching.”

Cafe Caffeine

Cafe Caffeine holds numerous events within their walls throughout the year. On nights when they host events such as poetry slams, you can BYOB.

Dominican Joe

Dominican Joe goes about buying their coffee in a way that supports and sustains agricultural communities in the Dominican Republic.

Fair Bean Coffee

Fair Bean Coffee is fairly new on the South 1st scene. Along with espresso they serve French pressed coffee as well as drip.

Flipnotics

Flipnotics, just down the street from Barton Springs, is both a cafe and clothing store. The clothing store is downstairs, with the cafe up top looking out over the bustle on Barton Springs Road.

Garden District Coffeehouse

Garden District is situated on the edge of The Great Outdoors, South Congress’s go-to nursery. The lush atmosphere goes well with a cup of joe.

Green Muse Cafe

The Green Muse has lots of room both inside and out on the porch, which opens onto a park. It’s a good place for socializing and studying.

Irie Bean Coffeehouse

Irie Bean routinely has music and open mic events.

Jo’s Coffee

Jo’s Coffee on South Congress is one of those intersections in Austin where you’ll most likely run into someone you know, someone who knows you, or someone who knows someone you know.

Ruta Maya Coffee House

Ruta Maya holds many events, including live music, open mics, yoga, and various community events. Very kid-friendly.

Summermoon Coffee

Summermoon boasts that they sell the only wood-fired coffee in Austin, a method that doesn’t use electricity or fossil fuels.

Central

Austin Java

Started a decade ago at the 12th and Lamar location, Austin Java has expanded to several locations throughout the city. They offer solid daily specials.

Cafe Medici

Cafe Medici’s coffee is French pressed, served at the optimal temperature. Their coffee is a blend comprised of beans from Colombian, Guatemala, Costa Rica, and Brazil.

Cafe Mundi

Cafe Mundi has a peaceful ambiance, cloistered in a courtyard off of East 5th Street.

Clementine Coffee Bar

Clementine Coffee Bar has a prime location on the East Side, just down the street from The Vortex. The interior is slick and the crowd is cool.

Dhaba Joy

Located inside Toy Joy, Dhaba Joy is a vegan coffeehouse.

Dolce Vita

Dolce Vita is an Italian cafe. It’s upscale and a nice place to catch dessert and a digestif after a date.

Halcyon Coffeehouse, Bar, Lounge

Halcyon just underwent a renovation — and the result is a more spacious, polished interior. They have a little bit of everything: plenty of games for people to play, coffee, espresso, tea, and a full bar (check out the chocolate espresso martini).

Hideout Theatre and Coffeehouse

The Hideout is both a theater and a cafe. You can study in the cafe, check out some live music, or grab a beverage before heading into the theater to see anything from improv comedy to a Samuel Beckett play.

JP’s Java

This coffeehouse is situated very close to campus, so a great deal of studying goes on. JP’s is well lighted with soft music and many furrowed brows, sprawling books, and open laptops.

La Tazza Fresca

Located fairly close to campus, La Tazza Fresca is in the same building as Groovy Lube. Along with people getting their cars worked on, you’ll find students and a good number of regulars.

Lava Java

Lava Java is near the law school and many law students study here — but there’s also a peppering of doctors and nurses from the likewise nearby St. David’s Hospital.

Little City Roasting Co.

At Little City they don’t just serve coffee, they roast it too. In addition to coffee you can order espresso and tea. If possible, sit outside to enjoy a nice view of the Texas Capitol.

Metro Espresso

Across the street from UT, this is a great place to people watch, especially if you go to the second floor by the big window — you can see everything that’s going on.

Mozart’s Coffee Roasters

Mozart’s is right on the water off Lake Austin Blvd. The desserts will blow your mind.

Progress Coffee

Progress coffee has a strong base of regulars. Located just east of IH-35, Progress serves shade grown, organic, fair-trade coffee that’s roasted in small batches.

Quack’s

Quack’s sells delicious coffee and desserts and is a good place for studying or reading. The music is always cool and kept at a reasonable volume. The staff is nice (once you’ve come in a few times), and there’s no telling who you’ll run into.

Rio Rita

Rio Rita describes their establishment as “a mild-mannered coffee shop by day, swanky lounge by night.” They host a number of art shows and live music events. But it’s also just a cool place to hang out.

Spider House Cafe

Spider House is a house converted into a funky coffeehouse — the decor is shabby-chic and the company diverse, owing to its proximity to UT. Spider House is a valuable sponsor in the local arts scene, putting on some very worthwhile events.

North

Epoch Coffee

Epoch Coffee is open 24/7, a rare thing these days. The place is usually pretty full of a representative cross-section of the North Loop crowd.

Flightpath Coffeehouse

Flightpath is especially popular with students. The place is usually full of people on their laptops, studying under the quiet music. More lively conversation animates the porch where you can smoke.

Genuine Joe Coffeehouse

The proprietor of Genuine Joe’s Coffeehouse describes it as a place for everyone: “Whether you’re a boot, suit, hippie, or techie, or you defy all labels, there’s a place for you here.”

Pacha

Pacha is a chill establishment on Burnet. With two porches, it’s a great place to get some reading done. They do not have Wi-Fi — this could be a good thing or a bad thing depending on what you’re trying to accomplish here.

Thunderbird Coffee

The sister of Clementine, things are run just as well at this coffeehouse. They picked an area of town that really needed a coffeehouse.

Triumph Cafe

This place sells excellent coffee both whole bean and by the cup, and you might run into Kinky Friedman eating lunch.

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