The Best Cafes in Austin

FoodHeads

★★★★☆ 4.3 (684) • $$

"We were thrilled to discover this hidden gem! A hot pastrami sandwich, lentil soup, homemade blueberry muffin and the BEST cup of tea I've ever had in the USA . I'm a Brit and would head back here just for the excellent tea! Served in individual tea pots, it was made to perfection. My new fave Austin spot."

Monkey Nest Coffee

★★★★☆ 4 (740) • $$

"Driven past this place countless times & finally stopped in. Matcha is a 10/10 & their cinnamon crumble muffin reminded me of coffee cake! So delicious! Inside was so cute with lots of different monkey gear. The baristas were friendly & helpful & we had our items within a few minutes. It's a very comfortable environment inside & way bigger than it looks from outside."

Another Broken Egg Cafe

★★★★☆ 4.3 (608) • $$

"Delicious brunch spot with tons of seafood options and unique dishes. I was in town visiting and so glad we came across this restaurant. The food was clean and freshly made, and I thoroughly enjoyed their variety of menu items. As a seafood lover I was pleased to see that they offered shrimps & grits, crawfish and crab items on the menu! We tried the dragon fruit mango French toast, crab cake Benedict and Mardi gras omelette which had shrimp and crawfish. They also had a fun variety of coffee, lattes and "spiked" drinks, as well as mock tails. Highly recommend this spot !"

Austin Tea Xchange Cafe

★★★★★ 4.7 (345) • $$

"What an incredibly run family business here in Bee Cave! Exactly the type of local business we should all support. I love the breakfast croissant, my wife loves the crushed avocado toast or sweet potato hash bowl. And any tea (Kombucha or other). Our neighbors also rave about their coffees. You can thank me later!"

épicerie

★★★★☆ 3.8 (524) • $$

"I used to go here like 5-6 years ago and it was always a nice place to grab a light breakfast/brunch or to splurge on what I think are the best and most authentic beignets in town. I recently moved back and man it looks like they've blown up in terms of popularity. And you know what, good for them. They deserve it. It's a great local spot. I'll come a lot of times just for coffee and beignets, but I'm also a fan of their breakfast sandwich. It can get a little busy during the weekends but I've never had to wait too long. If you're lucky enough to sit at the bar and have Miles help you out, he's the man. Really friendly guy and a great bartender."

The Hideout Coffeehouse

★★★★☆ 3.8 (402) • $

"Good hangout spot with delicious panini's. I'm not one with a sweet tooth, so I just wanted to chill with my kids while they devoured their nicely sized panini's. BTW: the chicken pesto panini is delicious just like the ones I make at home. The place feel very tight and crowded for my taste and that didn't help me with my claustrophobia. I would have stayed around for a while longer for people watching at chatting, but it was taking too much energy to pretend I wasn't feeling trapped."

Wright Bros Brew & Brew

★★★★☆ 4.1 (335) • $

"Nice little brew, coffee, cocktail pub. Probably the only of its kind. A choice of wonderful locally brewed beers, nice Czech style beers and we know Czech beers.Nice casual atmosphere."

Café Lago

★★★★☆ 3.9 (315) • $

"Cafe Lago is a total vibe! The food is seriously good - I'm still dreaming about their scramble... And their coffee? Chef's kiss. It's the perfect pick-me-up.The outdoor seating is super chill, especially on a sunny day. Plus, the staff is super friendly and helpful. If you're looking for a cozy spot to eat, drink, and relax, this is the place to be."

The Hive

★★★★☆ 4.3 (234) • $

"This is further south than I would usually venture but I would say a great work from home spot for anyone in South Austin!The staff was really friendly and was able to guide me since it was my first time visiting.It is a great place to work- plenty of tables and even couches. They also have an outdoor area and meeting rooms(not sure if you need to reserve beforehand).I literally came just to work so I got one of the specialty coffees with a little bit of hazelnut added Plenty of parking, so dont worry about that."

Red River Cafe

★★★★☆ 3.6 (221) • $

"This restaurant near campus serves very simple breakfast and lunch food at reasonable prices. The portions are modest, so you should definitely order sides if you are hungry. There are tiny parking lots in the front and back that each hold about two cars, but there is also free street parking in the neighbourhood.I came here with my friend for Sunday brunch, and there was no wait when we were there from 11am till noon. I ordered the Santa Barbara omelette, which came with an English muffin or toast on the side. The food was very ordinary. I like omelettes, and this one was pretty normal. My friend ordered the American scrambled, which came with a side of English muffin or toast, and she chose fruit for her additional included side. The fruit turned out to just be two pieces of watermelon, which she said was good, but we were definitely expecting an assortment of fruit."

Barley Bean

★★★★☆ 4 (129) • $

"Love the options and flavors here! Staff are friendly and helpful. They even have a separate plant based menu. However, the plant based menu does not mean "vegan"The biscuit has buttermilk in it. Not sure what else, that's the only one I asked about. I wish they would make the plant based menu 100% plant based and vegan friendly. Hopefully one day in the future!"

The Scarbrough

★★★★☆ 4.4 (95)

"The food was good. I had a croissant egg/bacon sandwich and an Americano coffee. Quality was really good and they managed to make the croissant into a sandwich type of bread. It was more crispy than soft pillowy of a breakfast sandwich because of the way the croissant was made. This is a cute cafe in downtown Austin in a lobby area of a building. The service was good even though you had to order at th counter and they brought the food to you. Coffee was good. We went here because it was walkable from our hotel. They also had savory and sweet crepes. I would return again when I'm in the area."

Rivery Coffee and Bagels

★★★★☆ 4.1 (92)

"Service was top notch. We had the house coffee it was good, but we preferred a stronger brew. But those bagels. Texas got donuts and kolaches for truck tires. But a good chewy bagel with a healthy smear is like panning for gold. Geeez Texas these bagels must be born in New York and flown to the rivery daily. They are just that good. Looking forward to our next doctors appt to stop back in. In the meantime mazaltov!!"

Anita's Mexican Restaurant

★★★★☆ 3.8 (85) • $$

"The Migas were absolutely on point. Sooooo delicious!! The homemade tortillas were to die for!! Huge portions and very reasonable pricing. Absolutely recommend Anita's authentic Mexican!!"

Good Things

★★★★☆ 4.2 (39)

"the viral croissants are worth the hype. trust.I was lucky to order the last one as i've heard they sell out super fast by 9-10am every day especially during the holiday season. Taylor and I tried the cherry pistachio and chocolate croissant and we both agreed they were some of the best pastries we have ever had.pretty pricey but definitely worth a try!"

Pepita's Cafe & Bar

★★★★★ 4.5 (31)

"Great food and cocktails! We had original and cantaloupe margaritas, cucumber ranch water, queso, shrimp tostadas, and tacos. Everything was delicious and there were other items I will return to try."

Uncle Nicky's

★★★★☆ 3.8 (41)

"Love their marinara sauce! We were visiting the area and tried this place out early in our stay and went back two more times because it was so delicious. We tried the chicken parm sandwich the last day and it was the best I've ever had. Tender chicken cutlet, cheesy but not mushy and delicious sauce. Highly recommend you try them out."

Barton Creek

★★★★★ 4.7 (21) • $$

"I love the fact that Barton Creek market is close to my home and it is a meat, deli market serving burgers, smoothies, drinks ect. Grocery store with many extras it is off of Barton Creek Blvd. Ok, so I can also tell you it's a wine store carrying many types of wines cabernet, merlots pinot noir lists goes on and with many selections quality wines plus. A small cafe resturant that serves tilapia with veggies chicken pastas roasted chicken rice pork tamales lasagna many item menus. One con is the area at night is sort of vacant but in the daytime it truly comes alive with students from St.Gabriels school and elderly people who live nearby assisted living next door people who live in the area. So if you happen to be close by do drop in believe me you will find almost anything at Barton creek market conscience store very clean store personal is helpful. Cheese burgers are made with ground chuck in boars head cheese fantastic. Pantinis and wraps delicious. In the front of the market is a cafe sitting area so you can enjoy a smoothie, squeezes espresso bar drinks fruit juices and freshly squeezed. Trust me you won't be bored here so enjoy."

Commons Cafe

★★★★☆ 4 (17) • $

"I wish I worked in this complex so I could eat here every day! It's insane how delicious and affordable this is! I mean seriously Pecan Crusted Chicken, Duchess Potatoes and Veggies .... the serving of chicken is massive & there are tons of options from fresh salads and sandwiches to chef prepared meals & desserts!"

Miranda's Cafe

★★★☆☆ 3.4 (9)

"Miranda's Cafe is the definition of a hidden GEM! I made my first (of many future) visits while attending SXSW spring of 2022. This quant little cafe is tucked away inside your average looking office building and is 100% worth the morning stop! I ordered the Roma Avocado Toast and the Bacon & Berry Jam biscuit! Oh my goodness! Both items were AMAZINGLY delicious! I'm a huge fan of breakfast and it's the meal I am most particular about since it starts my day off. I also ordered the largest caramel macchiato they had and sat down to enjoy my breakfast. Miranda's Cafe has ample room to sit and enjoy some quiet time before a busy day, or a peaceful lunch during a crazy one. Now for MY most important factor when eating out, COST! Miranda's Cafe is right up my alley with being very cost efficient. I live a "5 star rating, 1 dollar sign cost" lifestyle, and Miranda's is precisely that. On my visit I was lucky enough to have Miranda, Jose, and Greg serve me. I also learned Miranda's Cafe opened in 2020, yes THE 2020. So like all of your local restaurants, they are trying their best to make it through to the other side and become a lifelong success. Next time you need a quick delicious bite in downtown Austin, make the stop at Miranda's Cafe. Great service, great environment, and great FOOD!"

Innerbloom Nutrition

★★★★★ 5 (1)

"I stumbled upon this cute smoothie place today. The "perfect date" smoothie was so delicious! It had just the right amount of sweetness. I was super impressed. I do wish they would use an alternative to Styrofoam cups. Tip: They also charge a fee to use your credit card that I was not aware of. I'm sure I just missed some signage on that. All this being said, delicious food and very nice staff. I will be back."