The Austin Travel Guide for Coffee, Art and Food Lovers
There are times when you choose a destination so you can marvel at its sophisticated art, but arrive to discover that its culinary scene leaves much to be desired. These are normal trade offs we all make when we travel. But then every once in a while, you discover a destination that ticks off all your boxes. If you love coffee, art and food as much as we do, that destination is Austin, Texas.
For the Coffee Lover
Houndstooth Coffee
If we were in Austin right now, there’s a very good chance you would find us at this coffee shop. Lynn would be sipping an iced coffee while she checked her email and Justin would be sitting at the bar, jawing with the barista (something he rarely does). But Houndstooth Coffee is not your average coffee shop; it’s a coffee nerd’s paradise. This locally owned and operated business has a solid reputation for curating an eclectic selection of coffees from local and national sources. When we rolled up to the bar and ordered a drink with espresso, they asked, “Which espresso would you like?” Cue the angels, Justin was immediately in love. Turns out they always have at least two options on hand. If you’re overly serious about coffee, find your fellow obsessives here.
Patika Coffee
With its humble roots as a popular trailer on West 4th in downtown Austin, Patika expanded to a brick and mortar location on South Lamar back in 2014. This shop is passionate about consistently producing great, locally-sourced coffees and delicious, house-made, seasonal menus for breakfast, brunch (weekends), and lunch.
Vintage Heart Coffee
When you are looking for a quiet, comfortable, open space to get some work done while drinking some good coffee, Vintage Heart Coffee is where you need to go. Partnering with local businesses is part of their philosophy. Their coffee comes from Austin’s Third Coast Roasting Company, pastries from Russel’s Bakery, and vegan offerings from Red Rabbit Cooperative Bakery. They also make their beverage syrups in-house.
For the Art Lover
Betty & Edward Marcus Sculpture Park at Laguna Gloria
This art and nature destination affiliated with The Contemporary Austin is located on the gorgeous grounds of Laguna Gloria, adjacent to Lake Austin. Its incredibly diverse ecology serves as a dramatic backdrop for the fantastic array of modern sculptures from such renowned artists as Ai Weiwei, Tom Friedman, Superflex, Tom Sachs and many more.
Blanton Museum of Art
The Blanton Museum of Art is part of the University of Texas at Austin, so education is at its core. The faculty, staff and students are active participants. The calendar is chock-full of events and temporary exhibitions, but the permanent collection is enough to capture (and hold) your attention. There’s an extremely well-curated collection of European, American and Contemporary Art. We were particularly impressed by the robust Latin American Art collection.
Ai WeiWei's Forever Bicycles
The Contemporary Austin collaborated with Waller Creek Conservancy for its Museum Without Walls Program to bring two large-scale installations by Ai Weiwei to Austin’s public. One piece resides at Laguna Gloria, while the other has been installed at the Waller Creek Delta. Forever Bicycles (2014) consists of 1200 bicycles and is displayed where locals can enjoy it as they run and play on a daily basis.
For the Food Lover
Kemuri Tatsu-Ya
There’s an understanding that Texas makes everything its own. So it should come as no surprise that the team behind Austin’s uber-popular Ramen Tatsu-Ya would conjure up a marriage between a Japanese izakaya and a Texas smokehouse. Kemuri Tatsu-Ya merges the two cuisines with a healthy dose of zeal and ingenuity. This was, far and away, our favorite meal during our stay in Austin. And that says a lot, since we had many incredible meals. The play on flavors, the complex textures, and the unusual presentations left us speechless, only our eyes betraying the delight we experienced during the many courses of that meal. And when we said award-winning, we didn’t mean from a dubious Austin periodical. Kemuri Tatsu-Ya made Bon Appetit’s list of Top 10 Best New Restaurants in America for 2017.
Épicerie Cafe & Grocery
We’d show up at Épicerie early in the morning just for the excellent coffee and an order of their hot, fresh, enormous beignets. We salivate even thinking about them. And yet, that would gravely undersell the breakfast, which is quite respectable as well. It helps, of course, that the quaint exterior is covered in ivy and the interior space is bright and open, with an integrated gourmet market offering wines, cheeses, meats and other various kitchen staples.
Launderette
Tucked into an otherwise quiet residential area, this former laundromat is now a hip, elegantly-designed neighborhood cafe with a cozy patio. And it serves up some of the best food on the East Side of Austin. Chefs Rene Ortiz and Laura Sawicki whip up contemporary Mediterranean cuisine, with myriad regional influences, and incredible desserts. (Sawicki is a three time James Beard Award semifinalist for her pastries). From everything we tried--and we tried nearly everything--there wasn’t a loser among them. There were the fried oysters with jalapeno, lemon and coriander dressing. And the Piri Piri Prawns with crsipy rice salad, tamarind and mint chutney. Launderette was an experience, and one we’ll very happily repeat.
