Austin's Coffee Shop Study Havens

Everyone’s familiar with Austin’s live music culture, but what about its coffee shop culture? I decided to venture beyond the Union’s Starbuck’s to see what this city has to offer for ‘study-friendly’ environments. So if you are caught in a caffeine romance, take your Cup O’ Joe out beyond campus. Who says it has to be a bad romance?

Dominican Joe’s

Here’s the place to frequent if you want to save the world. Because that’s just what Dominican Joe’s does. They buy their coffee from farmers in the Dominican Republic at prices that would put large corporations to sham e. By selling their coffee directly to Dominican Joe’s, these farmers cut out the middlemen and enjoy a larger share of profit. But that’s not all folks. Dominican Joe’s exists to support Makarios (Greek for “blessed”), an Austin-based non-profit organization that supports educational development in the Dominican Republic. So nurture your caffeine romance, support coffee farmers, and contribute to education in the D.R. We college kids are all about multi-tasking, right? A patio out back is the perfect place to enjoy the warming weather, and computer outlets galore allow you to work on your laptop for hours. Free Wi-fi is also a plus in this classic coffee house. You can just imagine the person at the table next to you thinking up the next plot for Harry Potter, or the lyrics for a famous song. If you get the midnight munchies, not to fear—sandwiches are here! ...And other snackage that’ll appease your appetite. It’s open until midnight daily, so bust out the books and enjoy some coffee!

For directions, click here.

Ruta Maya

Kudos to Ruta Maya for keeping Austin weird. The fact that its free wireless internet network is named La Chupacabra is only just the beginning of its bizarreness. Each wall is a different bold color, and beautifully unusual artwork covers the walls. After purchasing your first cup of delicious coffee, head upstairs to the balcony that overlooks the dance floor. Watch a Salsa or Swing dance class, or listen to an open mic session. It may not be the most ideal place to write your senior thesis, because this places buzzes with activity and music. Almost every night of the week, Ruta Maya hosts a live band or teaches a dance class. For a schedule of events, click here http://rutamaya.net/. Ruta Maya is a place where you can feel Austin’s pulse. It’s fun and lively and captures Austin’s vibrancy. The typical crowd here is well...pretty atypical. You could easily make people watching your new hobby. So come on down to South Congress and feel Austin’s heartbeat during one of Ruta Maya’s events. You cannot consider yourself to be an ‘Austinnite’ if you’ve never visited.

Quack’s 43rd Street Bakery

Quack’s, formerly known as Captain Quackenbush’s Intergalactic Dessert Company and Espresso Café, has a very low-key environment for the serious studier and an impressive menu for the serious sweet tooth. The ginormous display case flaunts its diverse assortment of cookies, cinnamon rolls, cakes, pastries, scones, muffins, cupcakes, éclairs, and anything else that dissolves your defenses against sugary goodness. Quack’s makes these treats from scratch every day. Besides a delicious mug of coffee and a dessert, try one of their many deli sandwiches! Quack’s’ personality may not be as strong as Ruta Maya’s, but its chill atmosphere will put you into a study trance. Stay until midnight every day of the week, and bring your laptop to fit in. A looksy at the interesting artwork is the perfect study break.

Check out their website here.

Bennu Coffee

Bennu Coffee’s chatty atmosphere won’t allow you to fall asleep while completing your homework, but the comfortable chairs and couches might. It’s very cozy with closely packed tables, so you won’t feel alone if you need to pull an all-nighter. Bennu’s is open 24/7 with free Wi-Fi, so stop by anytime of day for baked goods, salads and sandwiches. Its wide selection of food will appease any craving with chow from local Austin suppliers like Torchy’s Tacos, Russell’s Bakery, Fricano’s Deli, The Green Cart, and Hoboken Pies. Coffee craving instead? Try a gourmet mocha named after a piece of literature—Pride & Prejudice, Great Gatsby, Don Quixote, Moby Dick, The Raven, Oliver Twist, and The Scarlett Letter. But the house favorite is Pride & Prejudice, a delicious cup-a-Jane blended with sweet chocolate powder and sauce topped with homemade whipped cream, with a dust of coco powder.

For a menu and directions click here.

Mozart’s Coffee Roasters & Bakery

If you’re into the nature scene, you’ll definitely want to check out Mozart’s coffee house! Located right on Lake Austin next to Hula Hut, Mozart’s offers over 350 seats outside on the deck so you can study right next to the lake overlooking the hills of Lake Austin! From coffee to strawberry cheesecake to gelato, you’ll be tempted to indulge in these savory sweets as you study. This classical, Northern European coffee house offers free Wi-fi, so bring your laptop and let nature inspire your thoughts!

Check out Mozart's website here.