While famous for its barbecue, beer, and breakfast tacos, Austin also hosts an impressive number of coffee shops, complete with locally-roasted beans, hip environments, and speedy WiFi. Freelance employees in search of a comfortable spot to work while fortified by coffee will particularly appreciate these four café-saturated Austin neighborhoods. 

Bouldin

Courtesy of Bouldin Creek Cafe

A historic South Austin neighborhood directly across the lake from the city’s downtown center, Bouldin is rightfully beloved for its artistic energy, unique shops, and high walkability. It’s also a prime location for some of Austin’s best coffeehouses.

The Bouldin Creek Café 

The eponymous Bouldin Creek Café is a consistently popular choice for a quality cup. It’s a homey spot with abundant seating and brightly colored murals by local artists. Bouldin Creek Café offers an all-vegetarian menu with plentiful vegan options, making it a perfect place to post up with a friend or a laptop. 

Seventh Flag Coffee

A laid-back Bouldin joint with outdoor picnic tables and locally roasted Cuvee Coffee, Seventh Flag Coffee features a minimalist aesthetic ideal for remote workers in need of focus. Seventh Flag’s menu focuses on toast variations, like challah toast slathered in apple-cinnamon butter and a widely beloved avocado toast with crumbled feta cheese, pink Himalayan salt, red pepper flakes, black sesame seeds, and extra virgin olive oil. 

Once Over Coffee Bar

Want to bring your four-legged friend on your coffee jaunt? Head to Once Over Coffee Bar, a South 1st Street favorite that has dog-friendly outdoor seating in its front yard and a miniature dog park to keep the pups entertained. Human visitors will enjoy Once Over’s coffee beverages made with local beans from Wild Gift Coffee, a curated selection of wine and beer, and the ability to bring in food from outside vendors with a beverage purchase (Once Over recommends the El Primo taco truck, located just a block away). 

East Austin

Courtesy of Figure 8 Coffee Purveyors

Austin’s current epicenter of cool, East Austin has plenty of coffee shops to keep you content and caffeinated. 

Figure 8 Coffee Purveyors

A trendy locale with whitewashed brick walls, concrete floors, and house-roasted beans, Figure 8 Coffee Purveyors is a favorite among the cool-kid population of East Austin.

Cenote

If you want a hearty plate to accompany your java, head to Cenote, a beloved cafe located inside a renovated 19th-century house. Their coffee comes from Austin-based roasters like Wild Gift and Casa Brasil, and their dining options include hits like a migas plate with eggs, tortilla chips, pico de gallo, avocado, and cheese, a parfait with house-made granola, yogurt, and fresh fruit, and an enormous grilled breakfast burrito stuffed with potatoes, egg, cheese, and chorizo. 

Thunderbird Coffee

Thunderbird Coffee, a hip destination for fair-trade coffee, Tacodeli breakfast tacos, and a rotating list of local beers, is a prime “coffice” spot on weekdays, hosting a multitude of Macbook-wielding freelancers who flock there for the excellent coffee, plentiful power outlets, and quick WiFi.

Downtown Austin

Courtesy of Wright Bros. Brew and Brew

Unsurprisingly, Downtown Austin boasts a wide variety of coffee shops, all easily accessible by bus or bike and all serving high-quality roasts. 

Wright Bros. Brew and Brew

On the border of Downtown Austin and East Austin, you’ll find Wright Bros. Brew and Brew, a massive space with lots of seating, a cool industrial vibe, and rotating fresh crop coffees from both local roasters and small artisanal bean purveyors based around the US. Wright Bros. also serves craft beers and Austin-made snacks, like tacos from Pueblo Viejo, croissants from Easy Tiger, and bagels from Rosen’s.

Juan Pelota Cafe

Juan Pelota Cafe, a bike shop/coffeehouse, is a downtown hipster haven offering Coava coffee from Portland, tacos from Veracruz All Natural, and plenty of workspaces both indoors and out.

UT Campus

Courtesy of Flightpath Coffee

College campuses tend to be hotbeds for vibrant cafés, and the University Campus area in Austin is certainly no exception. 

Flightpath Coffee House

A serene spot just north of campus, Flightpath Coffee House is an ideal café for work and study. Due to an unspoken understanding among Flightpath clientele, the interior remains consistently quiet, and conversations typically take place on the outdoor patio. They serve coffee, wine, beer, and a small assortment of baked goods, but the major draw is the peaceful atmosphere and the abundance of electrical outlets. 

Lucky Lab Coffee Co.

If you need to grab a coffee en route to class or work, Lucky Lab Coffee Co. is a charming permanent coffee truck parked on San Antonio Street. In addition to coffee from Austin’s own Third Coast Coffee, Lucky Lab also has locally-made sweet treats, like their artisanal “Pop Tarts” in flavors like Nutella and coconut.

Epoch Coffee

Those in need of 24/7 coffee fixes will find much to love about Epoch Coffee. This North Campus caffeine oasis never closes its doors, and on any given night, you’ll find the quirky café packed with students, writers, and area residents. They’ve got board games, an outdoor deck, and a menu filled with espresso drinks with unique flavors that put coffee chains to shame.