East Austin Cafe by Greater Goods coffee roasters has been carved from the shell of an old automotive warehouse in Austin, Texas – a city that's seen an energy boost of high-caffeine hotspots emerge of late.
Converted by Michael Hsu Office of Architecture (the practice behind other Texan taverns like ATX Cocina restaurant, The Line Hotel and South Congress Hotel, and indeed, 200 further locations in Austin alone), much of the existing warehouse has been retained, if polished up (quite literally, in the case of the concrete floors). Exposed douglas fir framing, original gable steel trusses and translucent polycarbonate panels recall the former life of the structure, while a central coffee bar described by the architect as a ‘sculptural island' is rendered in contrastingly luxe quartz. All-over whitewashed walls and sandy-coloured furniture accents give the place a refreshing, seaside-in-the-city feel.
Greater Goods is founded by wife-and-husband team Khanh Trang and Trey Cobb, who – as well as being on a mission to provide the local area with a superior coffee experience – are dedicated to giving back to the community. They partner with four local charities (including the Central Texas Food Bank), dubbing their do-gooding as ‘coffee with a splash of kindness', with a dedicated fundraising page on the website. They also offer barista training on site, in a SCA-certified training lab.
Cobb, (who, ironically would have been just as comfortable in the automotive warehouse as the coffee shop, having managed a performance car company in another life) manages production and backstage stuff, while Trang is in charge of selecting the blends, and curating the menu. House specialities include The McGregor (dark rose tea, bourbon reduction syrop, milk) and Fronks Latte (an extra-creamy nut milk blend simply poured over espresso). If you're in need of a pick-me-up without the caffeine high, try the Chinese Pu-erh tea, which is earthy, deep and complex from its 12 year-aged leaves.
INFORMATION
For more information, visit the Greater Goods website
ADDRESS
East Austin Cafe
2501 East 5th Street
St Austin, Texas, 78702
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