The Dojo of DoJo's

I’ve never been to the Dominican Republic. But when I picture it in my lack-of-real-life-experiences American mind, I picture gorillas, bananas and coffee. I don’t actually know if any of those are accurate exports except for coffee, so I’ll talk about that.

Coffee beans from the Dominican Republic carry a certain flavor; they are bold but subtly, sweet and have very low acidity, as compared to some high-acidic European coffee beans. Depending on your personal palette, you may prefer high acidity: I don’t.

Dominican Joe’s off of South Congress gets their coffee beans on direct trade from farmers in Columbia and has them roasted locally in Austin. What’s more is Dominican Joe’s pays fair-trade prices to the bean growers and donates to the area’s local underprivileged schools, Makarios and DoulosDiscovery School. And they don’t stop overseas; Dominican Joe’s also donates a portion of their profits to Austin non-profits.

All the buzz about their charitable reputation from loyal customers on yelp.com enticed me to check out DoJo’s, as it is affectionately nicknamed.

DoJo's Art

I descended the staircase (yes, they have a staircase) and my eyes peeled around the room absorbing the jungle atmosphere. Big, leafy potted trees were abound and the tall colorful walls were covered in local art. 

A moment of panic spread through my body as I looked for a place to sit; DoJo’s is as popular as it’s made out to be online. My anxiety subsided when I spotted open tables outside.

The patio is surrounded by flora. If it weren’t for the police sirens and Austin skyline you would really feel as though you were sitting at private table in the Caribbean.  I caught myself half hoping a scantily-clad cabana boy would burst through the bushes wielding a daiquiri and a bottle of tanning oil.

He'll do.
photo courtesy of romancebandits.com

Sigh. A girl can dream.

My misguided delusions behind me, I approached the counter and ordered a flan latte. After waiting for what seemed like hours (but was really about 20 minutes too long) I took my first gulp.  I can’t say that I was wildly impressed by the coffee. It was flavorful to be sure, and it definitely warranted me finishing my cup; although I wouldn’t slurp the remnants. It tasted more like a pumpkin spice latte from Starbucks than a carefully crafted Mexican masterpiece.

I was impressed with the sweet, burnt undertone that emulated that of the caramelized topping found on flan, but overall was disappointed with the execution. I expected more vanilla and less spice.

Nevertheless, I appreciated it for its awakening powers, it would be a long night.

This may be the first coffee shop I’ve explored where I like the décor more than the coffee. I will however, be returning to DoJo’s; I loved the music and the atmosphere. It’s one of those places where you can go to study but still socialize without feeling judgmental eyes boring into the back of your head.

Check out Dominican Joe’s (maybe don’t order the flan latte) and get lost in coffee paradise.

Dominican Joe Coffee Shop

515 S. Congress Ave.
Austin, TX 78704

(512) 448-3919

Hours:

Mon-Fri 6:30 am - 11 pm

Sat-Sun 7 am - 11 pm

Upper Crust is of the Uppermost Importance

Austin has innumerable gems hidden in plain sight. I think that’s what makes this city so special to its citizens.

You could live out your whole life in Austin happy and fulfilled, and still at the end of your days, have that sinking feeling you missed something.

That knowing defeat is what this weird city thrives on. Every morning and every night Ausitnites have the opportunity to discover some hidden novelty tucked away in the labyrinth and make it theirs; their skylineview of downtown; their dive bar on East Sixth; their perfect coffee shop.

Austin belongs to those voyeurs.

Upper Crust Bakery on Burnet road is one such hidden gem. You’ve probably passed it on your way to Hey Cupcake! or Central Market and thought to yourself “Now that looks like a cute little bakery. I should check it out one of these days.” Then you probably filed it away in your “Austin To-Do” file and forgot about it, until you inevitably passed it again and pushed it to the top of your list, only to have it fall again soon after.

Upper Crust Bakery and Cafe

If Upper Crust ever resurfaces in your consciousness, take the leap of faith and walk in.

Upper Crust is filled with “the usuals.” Looking around, it doesn’t seem as if anybody is unfamiliar with the quaint, but satisfying menu or the store-length pastry case. I can tell by the patrons’ naturalality in conversation that this is a favorite haunt of theirs and one they love to share with family and friends.

I ordered a caramel latte and one of their city-renown cinnamon rolls from the cheerful barkeep. As I waited I looked around the bare walls of the bakery. This cafe relies solely on the vitality of their customers, to bring the lack of décor to life. There are no vintage posters or mellow music filling the air, only bright smiles and sweet laughs shared between old friends.

I receive my order and sit down to enjoy it. I skipped my morning dose of caffeine (a risky move) just so I would have a craving for coffee now.

Bare Walls but Good Conversation

The coffee was just as I remembered it the first time I venture into Upper Crust: sweet and smoky.

At first taste, the latte is simply sweet- unbothered by loads of artificial sugar or overzealous syrups. And then the body of the espresso comes to maturity. The espresso tastes as if it was waiting to make it’s grand entrance, and once it does, it refuses to leave. It has subtle earthy undertones that make the drink alive and once I’ve swallowed, I can still taste the remnants of a caramelly sweet naturalness. It is a flavor I hope stays with me well after my latte is gone.

I can’t speak as highly of the cinnamon roll as I can the coffee. With all the talk of the cinnamon roll at Upper Crust being the end all be all of pastries, I expected more. I can appreciate that it was not overly sweet or coated in the white frosting that will undoubtedly frost one’s arteries.

Upper Crust Cinnamon Roll

I like that the inside is yeasty and doughy and that I can pull apart the roll in strips. What I don’t like is the simplicity in flavor and the fact that it was served cold. Perhaps I could have asked for it warmed up, but I expected that I would be served the famous pastry as it was intended to be consumed.

On a previous visit I had a cheese-filled croissant, and THAT was phenomenal. In fact, since the fateful day that I ordered that particular pastry, I’ve had reoccurring dreams of it about once a week.

I remember my first bite well; I was surprised to find that after sinking my teeth into the buttery and slightly sweet bread, my taste buds were drowning in warm, gooey, flavorful cheese.

Usually when  something says “cheese-filled” what it really means is, “yeah, we shoved cheese somewhere in that massive spongy bread,” but Upper Crust means business.

In my opinion, take the cheese croissant- leave the cinnamon roll.

So Many Pastries, so Little Time

Stop by Upper Crust for their wide pastry selection and sweet, smoky coffee, scratch it off your Austin “To-Do” list and make it your new favorite local haunt.

Coffee Drinkers: Anything on the coffee menu. You won’t be disappointed.

Non-Coffee Drinkers: Anything from the pastry case (except the cinnamon rolls). You won’t be disappointed.

Upper Crust Bakery and Cafe

4508 Burnet Rd
Austin, TX 78756

(512) 467-0102

Hours:

Mon-Fri 6:30 am - 6:30 pm

Sat 7 am - 5 pm

Sun 7 am - 1 pm

Lattes Have no Calories, Right?

I came to Dolce Vita with the best intentions.

Dolce Vita on Duval Street

“I’m just going to order a nonfat, sugar-free latte,” I told myself.

But after walking through the nondescript windowed door, I told myself: “I just need to make sure that whatever I order has nonfat milk in it. It doesn’t have to be sugar-free too.”

My previous declaration, after sampling one of the sixteen gelatos, quickly turned into “FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, GIVE ME SOMETHING WITH CHOCOLATE AND WHIPPED CREAM AND WHOLE MILK.”

So I caved. It happens to the best of us.

I asked the barista to give me the essence of Dolce Vita in a cup. After staring me down for a bit she offered me a spoon of coconut gelato. It was as if she peered into the dark depths of my soul.

Frozen heaven...or gelato

She could tell by the rolling of my eyes and the Meg-Ryan-in-“When-Harry-Met-Sally-”esque moan how much I loved it.

The friendly barista told me of a frappe drink she loves to make with the afore mentioned coconut gelato and how she could add dark chocolate to it. And that it was vegan to boot! I handed her my debit card and put my trust and $4.33 in her hands.

I knew I made the right decision when she handed me my tall, frosty glass filled to the brim with what I now know to be chocolate-coconut heaven.

Try not to drool on your computer.

It was like a melted Almond Joy candy bar in the best way. The chocolate retained its satiny richness until the very last drop. Even the sticky, left-behind residue plastered to the side of the glass tasted as delectable as the first sips.

I thanked the barista for her godly creation and marveled at the rest of the menu.

Dolce Vita sells food, cheeses (from next door Antonelli’s Cheese Shop), pastries, gelato and alcoholic drinks in addition to their locally roasted coffees. My waistband wouldn’t let me try more than my dark chocolate coconut frappe and biscotti, but my guess is the rest of the menu is just as divine.

There is one menu item in particular that peaks my interest: a sorberita. The soberita is a drink blend of sorbet or gelato and liquor, or if you prefer, good and even gooder. Needless to say, I put it on my “to drink” list.

yeah, they have a stocked bar.

Dolce Vita is aptly named; their drinks truly are the “sweet life.”

Coffee Drinkers:

Their renown espresso presses to impress.

Non-coffee drinkers:

Any of their frappes. Ask for a coconut one with dark chocolate and you can thank me later.

Dolce Vita Gelato & Espresso Bar

4222 Duval St

Austin, TX 78751

(512) 323-2686

Hours:

Mon-Fri 6:30 am – 12 am

Sat-Sun 8 am – 12 am

Mozart Memories

Lake Austin is home to some of my fondest “firsts:” Hula Hut is one of the first “Keep Austin Weird” style restaurants I ever went to as a child; Able’s on the Lake is the spot I sipped my first margarita with my parent’s approval; and Mozart’s Coffee Roasters is where I first got pepper-sprayed.

Okay, I can explain that last one.

Actually there’s not much to explain. My friends and I naturally wanted to test out the newly purchased pepper spray so we fired it over the water; the spray caught the wind and the rest is history.

This stuff hurts. For real.
Photo courtesy of handgunsonsale.com

But Mozart’s Coffee Roasters means more to me than happy accidents. Mozart’s is a beautiful place to sip coffee morning or night, spring or fall.

As I write this blog I am bundled up in my favorite sweatshirt, sitting on the top tier wooden deck, drinking Mozart’s Mocha Special and savoring every last chocolate infused drop.

Mozart's multi-level decks

 I look up from my computer to see the lake’s harbor lights dancing across the cool, black waters.

 This is my Lake Austin.

There could be a hundred people packed into this coffee shop (as there often is) and I wouldn’t take note of a single one of them.

This is my Mozart’s.

Coffee aromas drift through the warm air, but none bother the flavors in my perfectly crafted drink.

This is my coffee.

Mozart’s Coffee Roasters is a must-see for every Austinite and their out-of-town friends. We all have those unexpected visitors pop-in our lives asking you to be “shown  Austin;” and this place was built for that.

With three outside patio decks overlooking Lake Austin and a romantically lit interior, Mozart’s breeds comfortability. The coffee shop is designed to be reminiscent of a European café, a look that is accurately achieved. Wood floors, walls of windows and a cathedral ceiling transport patrons to a café tucked away unassumingly in a crowded Italian plaza.

But enough about the ambiance, let’s get to the coffee.

Bottomless coffee du jour.

I asked the barista to serve me “Mozart’s in a cup-“ so he ordered me the special and I eagerly awaited my drink. I leaned against the tall wooden counter and watched the barista grind my beans in front of me, and pack them so tightly that when he flipped the spoon over not a grain slipped.

I looked around the room and took in the environment. I began all at once to smell the rich coffee beans being freshly roasted just feet away from me. I’ve never been to South America, but I imagine this is what it smells like.

Thankfully my coffee was ready in minutes; quickly enough for me to avoid the temptation of their pasty case (an attraction my wallet and thighs have fallen prey to one too many times.)

Careful. Just looking too long adds 10 lbs.

I sat down and began to drink my coffee. Often mochas taste gritty; as if the syrup is really just sugary off-brand grocery store chocolate sauce mixed in with milk, not this mocha. This mocha is a smooth blend of what tastes like milk and dark chocolates. Just the right amount of coffee bitterness assimilated with the velvety richness of high-quality chocolate.

Usually I finish my lattes and espressos and café au laits and entire menu items at coffee shops within minutes, but this mocha is too good not to enjoy for well over an hour. My taste buds cling to the evenly blended flavors and I pray that my straw never makes that disheartening “slurp” sound. 

It may be the lake I am staring at playing tricks on me, but I swear that my coffee tastes as thick as the depths of the waters before me.

As I suck the very last drop of Mozarts’ specialty through my straw, I am reminded of the reality slowly coming in to focus. It’s getting late and I have some finance homework to complete. So for now, I say goodnight to my sweet coffee and my calm lake and my personal paradise, and trudge out of this hideaway Italian café onto Lake Austin boulevard toward home.

Mozart's coffee grinder

Coffee Drinkers:

Mozart’s Bottomless Coffee. Sip on any of their five daily brews all night for just $2.99. Your essay on American politics in the 1850s due tomorrow doesn’t stand a chance.

Non-coffee drinkers:

Mozart’s Mocha Specialty. You get all the sweetness of non-coffee drinks with all the perks of caffeine!

Mozart’s Coffee Roasters

3826 Lake Austin Blvd

Austin, TX 78703

(512) 477-2900

Hours:

Mon-Thu 7 am – 12 am

Fri 7 am – 1 am

Sat 8 am – 1 am

Sun 8 am – 12 am

Kicking Butt and Taking Orders

Community is the theme for this coffee shop. Well that, and martial arts. Yes, the beautiful pairing of coffee and martial arts. Thanks to this coffee shop, coffee now goes with martial arts like peanut butter and jelly, chips and salsa, or Cary Grant and Katherine Hepburn.

Kick Butt Coffee can be a little overwhelming when you first walk in. The espresso bar that stretches before you is plastered in community flyers advertising local events, music, and wanted ads. Across the back wall are nine pictures highlighting the lucky regular customers deserving of a $250.00 worth of Kick Butt Coffee gift cards.

Maybe it’s because my pockets are drowning in emptiness that I suddenly see Kick Butt Coffee as a viable part of my future. Not only is it cheaper than my usual haunt Starbucks, but there is glimmering hope of a check in exchange for my continued patronage looming in the future.

Kick Butt Coffee Bar courtesy of littleaustinite.com

After walking the span of the long narrow store and picturing myself beginning my 15 minutes on the open mic stage in the back corner, I drudge over to the counter and scope out the pastry case. Nothing looks too appetizing, although the lack of options may be due to my coming so late in the day.

There is a lone barista tending the espresso bar donned in an Asian style black shirt, complete with thread buttons and red trim. He moves quickly but with precision through the bar, snagging espresso shots from the coffee machines as if they were a flies in the hand of an old sensei. He snaps his head in my direction and asks what he can do for me.

I give him my order, and our dialogue proceeds much like a martial arts movie from the 1970s:

Me: DOMO ARIGATO. Put your passion to the test. Create the ultimate latte.

Him: I see. Tell me, Kelcey-San,  who sent you?

Me: PR 317. But there are two rules of coffee-rate.

Him: Oh? I accept your challenge.

Me: Much like the empire on which the sun never sets, I want my coffee iced and nonfat. GO.

Okay, so our conversation didn’t sound JUST like that- but I’m sure that if I started conversing like that, the lively barista would have followed suit.

Nonetheless the martial arts/coffee master accepts my challenge and begins my mystery drink. Its ready in moments and waiting for me at the bar. I snatch it off the counter quickly and look around suspiciously; expecting some sort of ninja or samurai to interfere with my liquid goal. Alas, I am safe…for now.

Kick Butt Coffee courtesy of kickbuttcoffee.com

I take my drink and sit on a comfortable sofa chair. Turning the cup around in my hand, I notice that a large white sticker is attached to every cup with a different proclamation of love for Kick Butt Coffee from a satisfied customer. I feel reassured.

As I sip slowly on my drink I am watching a martial arts movie playing on the TV screen. My coffee is sweet, but not too sweet. I can taste the espresso kick. I ask what I am sipping on and he unwillingly reveals his secret after a brief pause and a knowing smile, “an Almond Joy latte.”

The deed is done and my mind is made. Kick Butt Coffee is kick ass.

On the back bar is an array of ground coffee for sale with boldness measured on a scale of “ying” to “yang.” Near the coffee rests a binder chalked full of flyers advertising local community events; everything from belly dancing classes to the music line-up at Emo’s. The biggest surprise of all? All the information is current.

This binder is not on display purely to emanate the appearance of community, but to actually foster it. This is something I can appreciate.

I have a little chat with the working barista and ask him about Kick Butt Coffee. He hands me a menu with information about the owner. He informs me that the owner is actually an accomplished martial arts master and that there is another location off of Airport Boulevard.

I ask him about the stage tucked in the back and he tells me that it represents the very definition of an open mic. He says that the store is “almost a community center,” and that they support all performance art; stand-up, poetry, music, and the like. The Airport blvd. location even has a blues dance night every Friday from 9 p.m.-1 a.m. Check out their website for the complete calendar of events for both locations.

The cherry on top of Kick Butt Coffee? They have a full bar on stock. YUP. Not only do they serve coffee, but they can serve wine and beer and mixed drinks. They have even created a special menu of blended coffee and liquor that sounds mouth-watering. Only one more year until that golden birthday…. Perhaps I will return to Kick Butt and review its other kind of bar.

I love that despite all the sugary syrups added to my latte I could still taste the crisp espresso. I love that the baristas are friendly and creative. I love that the menu has a clear voice. And lastly, I love the community. Kick Butt Coffee fosters connectedness within Austin. Everyone at Kick Butt has an opportunity to express themselves and share that expression with the rest of this unique city. Kick Butt is not so much of a coffee house, but just like the kind barista said, a community center.

Bottom Line: Kick Butt is alive, fun, and funny. It’s perfect for those nights that you never want to end. Enjoy the espresso, enjoy the enthusiasm, and enjoy the community.

Oh, and the password to the wi-fi is Chuck Norris. Need I say more?

Coffee Drinkers:

Mint-Mocha is the definite favorite of the regulars. Can you ever go wrong with chocolate?

Non-coffee drinkers:

Birthday Cake Frappe. DELISH!

Kick Butt Coffee

4600 Guadalupe
Ste B-2Austin, TX 78751

(512) 467-4365

Hours:

Mon-Fri 7 am - 10 pm

Sat-Sun 8 am - 10 pm

Fancy This.

Walking down Sixth Street I happen upon a wall of windows painted sweetly in plain colors sharing with the street all this charming venue has to offer. I read “Walton’s Fancy and Staple,” and I realize immediately what I’ve come across.

What kind of Austinite would I be if I never visited one of Sandra Bullock’s bakeries/restaurants?



I know I made the right choice at first glance inside Walton’s Fancy and Staple.  There is a long light-up pastry case stretching half the length of the store and a refrigerator housing beautiful bouquets of flowers on the other half. The air smells of fresh baked dough and aromatherapy candles. Everything, and I mean everything found in this store is available for purchase.



Walton's pastry counter



The baristas are warm and inviting as I inform them that I am writing a blog. I tell them that I want to try the best the coffee shop has to offer.  Immediately the two baristas turn to each other and hold a mini-conference; It’s clear they are dedicated workers and don’t want to disappoint.  

After asking me my coffee and flavor preferences, one of the baristas turns to the other and says very seriously "give her the cocoa puff." I'm sold; an off-the-menu coffee likened to my favorite childhood cereal.

While the baristas craft my drink I am free to run around the small warehouse made quaint and drool over the pastry case: cream puffs and tartlets and grasshopper brownies, oh my!

 Luckily I've brought my best friend and trusty coffee shop side-kick along to snag a pastry. She decides on the Honey Bee: a petite honey layer cake filled with caramel buttercream, rolled in ganache, covered in slivered almonds and topped off with a marzipan honey bee. The store’s best selling pastry. In one word: delightful.

Honey Bee Cake

The barista takes her time preparing my drink, which I don't mind because the bar is small and allows for customers to watch as their drinks are being created.  There is just something about the way the silvery steam dances above the espresso machine that gets my mouth watering.

At long last, my latte is ready.

On first sip, I flashback to Saturday morning cartoons and a giant bowl of cocoa puff cereal: the coffee is appropriately named. What's unique about this off-the-menu delight besides its name, is it's deep dark chocolate taste. The espresso and the dark chocolate flavors share the mug politely- neither overshadows the other.

Perhaps the reason my latte was so delicious is due to the fact it was crafted with Cuvee coffee. The talkative barista, with her hair effortlessly wrapped in a white bandana, tells me that Cuvee Coffee is a product of a local roaster from Spicewood, Texas. The friendly barista’s name is Abby and she indulges in my multitude of questions and tells me how local this roaster really is. His name is Mike.

I like Mike.

Abby informs me that the Cuvee beans come from Guatemala, El Salvador, and Brazil. “Mike is very careful,” she says, “he knows all his farmers by name.”

Abby says that a local superstar, Clancy Rose, works for Mike. “He is the barista of Austin. He actually trained us.

Before my friend gets half way through the decadently rich Honey Bee cake, I've sucked every last bit of warm latte out of my mug. I even made the obnoxious slurping sound as I struggled to pull up the last little pool of chocolate syrup and foam. But no one throws angry glances my way; here, this sort of desperation is understood.

The "Cocoa Puff"

Once I have successfully satiated my caffeine craving, I approach the counter once more to ask Abby why she likes Walton’s Fancy and Staple (as if I needed another reason).

“It’s more of a traditional coffee shop,” she says. “So many coffee shops now are like the turn-and-burn coffee of Starbucks. It’s about experience here; not just slinging coffee to the masses. Here it’s carefully picked and carefully chosen.”

I pack up my bag, pry my friend from her buttery cake and mentally prepare myself to leave this true Austin treasure. But, I can’t walk away without asking if Abby has ever met Sandra Bullock; she smiles and nods her head as if she’s been asked this same question a thousand times “Yes, I have.”

Bottom line: Although Walton’s has no wi-fi, it adds to the allure of this café. Walton’s is an escape and a chance to lose yourself in butter, caffeine, and conversation. Make Walton’s Fancy and Staple a staple of your Austin experience.

Coffee Drinkers:

If you’re feeling adventurous enough, tell the baristas what flavors you like and ask them to surprise you.

Non-Coffee Drinkers:
Drown your taste buds in the immense number of Italian soda flavors. Create your own soda or choose from the tried and true classics. Perfect for a scorching hot Austin day.

Walton’s Fancy and Staple                                                                                       

609 West 6th St.  

Austin, TX 78701           

(512) 542-3380

Hours

M-TH: 7 a.m.-8 p.m.
F and S: 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Sat.: 8 a.m.-8 p.m.

                                 

Once Upon a Cappuccino

Swinging open the glass door, a rush of aroma pushes past me and all of a sudden I am swimming in smells of deeply roasted beans and a mossy, dusty fragrance; the dusty but welcoming smell like that of 19^th century mystery novels.

Intelligent. Brooding. Smooth. Houndstooth Coffee.

3.29.2011

The space is completely open and square. There are no secrets behind this barista’s bar. The walls are tinted a plain grey and from the open, dark ceiling hang clear orbs of light in line with one another.

3.29.2011

The coffee bar is the only thing remotely colorful.  Light piney wood swallows two strips of deep mahogany wood, and together, they sprawl across most of the free space in the center of the room defining the separation of the bar area and the lounge area.

3.29.2011

This coffee house blends together so smoothly- from the bar to the seats, to the rugs to the paint, to the windows to the lighting: the edges are seamless. Even the door to the bathroom is painted with a hat reminiscent of the 1950s but modern enough to match the furniture.

I approach the wide counter and ask the barista to serve me the best coffee drink the coffee house has to offer. His confidence in the Houndstooth cappuccino, reassures me in my leap of faith. I am very, very particular with my coffee.

Once I agree to a cappuccino, the placid barista asks which house blend espresso I would like.  Both espressos are from a coffee distributer, Counter Culture Coffee, that is dedicated to the purity of direct from farm coffee and to providing international varieties of coffee beans. One, the Espresso La Forza has a “dark chocolate taste with a smoky, tobacco undertone” he says, and the other, the Espresso Aficionado, a lighter chocolate taste with a suggestive berry finish.  Dark chocolate being the only other thing running in my veins besides coffee, the first blend is the obvious choice.

The barista immediately busied himself with the preparation of my drink and in a matter of moments it was ready and gingerly placed on the wide, raven-colored bar.

Cappuccino made with La Forza Espresso



I carried it carefully over to my seat so as not to spill the delicate frothy cream brimming the sleek black mug.  I cupped the mug in my hands and took a sip. The barista was right: I tasted dark chocolate and a hint of tobacco. Worry not; the tobacco taste is light, and suggests more of an earthy flavor than of a smoky one.

Before I knew it, I could see the bottom of my empty cup. And much to my dismay, the thick, sweet foam layering the espresso, and my travel deep inside the old dusty novels of the 19^th century, was over and I was back into the real world.

Houndstooth Coffee is not a place for studying. The sparse decorations and open layout makes for a noisy environment. However, it is the perfect atmosphere for socializing. All the patrons of Houndstooth are lively and friendly, and the air is full of laughter.

Bottom line: the menu is limited, and the prices a little high, but everything is prepared well. Every flavor and aroma is hand-crafted and beautiful.

Coffee Drinkers: Get the cappuccino and choose the espresso based on your own taste preferences. My guess is, you can’t go wrong.

Non-Coffee Drinkers: Don’t go here. Unless you are content noshing on a variety of slightly over-priced baked goods. Or you are over 21 and can revel in the wine and alcohol selection.

Houndstooth Coffee                                                                                                Hours
4200 North Lamar, Suite 120                                                                        M-F: 6 a.m.-10 p.m.
Austin, TX 78756                                                                                          Sat.-Sun.: 7 a.m.- 10 p.m.
(512) 531 9417