Best Coffee in Texas

A coffee revolution is in full swing in Texas, with quality-minded cafés spreading like wildfire across the state. Here are 15 places across the state where you’re sure to find a great cup. And for more on the state’s coffee, spirits, beer and wine scenes, check out theMarch/April 2013 issue, which is devoted to all things Texas.

AUSTIN

Houndstooth Coffee
Local barista Sean Henry opened Houndstooth in 2010 on a mission to serve Austinites some of the best coffees the country has to offer. To that end, he offers beans from Austin’s own Cuvée Coffee as well as out-of-state roasters like Intelligentsia, Verve and Counter Culture, and employs several different brewing methods at his two Austin locations.

Caffé Medici
Now three locations strong, this Austin original has been dazzling locals with impeccable coffee and espresso since 2006, with beans from Cuvée Coffee and a firm commitment to the French press.

Patika Coffee
Proving that great things come in small packages, this Austin coffee cart keeps the downtown crowd caffeinated with perfectly crafted coffee and espresso from local roasters Flat Track and Cuvée and eye-popping pastries from Flour Bakery.

Thunderbird Coffee
With two locations in Austin, this hometown favorite works only with roasters who purchase direct-trade coffees, and they brew them with plenty of TLC. Their iced coffees are especially delicious.

HOUSTON

Double Trouble Caffeine & Cocktails
Whether you’re looking to speed up or slow down, Houston spot serves Greenway coffee by day (and night) and killer cocktails by night.

Blacksmith
The new coffee shop from Greenway Coffee founder David Buehrer and local cocktail maven Bobby Heugel reaches for the stars with its experimental tasting bar. You won’t find spirits here, but creative, alcohol-free coffee cocktails are a specialty of the house.

Southside Espresso
Local roaster Sean Marshall of Fusion Beans opened this Montrose espresso bar in 2012, featuring the “roasting and barista style of the third coast,” with freshly roasted Fusion Beans coffees alongside a rotating guest espresso program.

Catalina Coffee
This Sixth Ward craft coffee institution offers beans from owner Max Gonzalez’s own Amaya Roasting Co., memorable barista art (panda latte, anyone?) and seasonal teas from Intelligentsia.

DALLAS-FORT WORTH

Avoca Coffee Roasters
Avoca roasts its own coffees onsite, many of which are organic and direct-trade. The owners are Texas natives who have been friends since childhood, and they make community involvement a top priority.

Buon Giorno
Slow coffee is the name of the game at this Euro-style café that roasts its own beans for its café in Fort Worth as well as a second location in Grapevine.

Cultivar Coffee
This East Dallas coffee bar from baristas/roasters Jonathan Meadows and Nathan Shelton features beans roasted onsite, with espresso pulled on a vintage La Marzocco and coffee made with manual brewing techniques.

Ascension Coffee
Fittingly, this new Design District favorite crafts some gorgeous coffee, from single-origin espresso pours to a range of manual brews, with beans from its partner roaster Eiland. And by night, the attractive digs double as a wine bar.

SAN ANTONIO

Local Coffee (pictured above)
San Antonio local Robby Grubbs gave his city a craft-coffee boost when he opened the first of his two coffee bars in 2009. The Alamo Heights and Stone Oak shops feature beans from Texas’ own Cuvée Coffee, as well as out-of-state roasters like MadCap, Counter Culture and Verve.

Frolic and Detour
Southtown’s favorite coffee stop is tucked into the upper level of the restaurant Liberty Bar, but the espresso—sourced from Cuvée Coffee, outside Austin—is worth the trek. Pair it with a slice of house-baked pie.

WACO
Dichotomy Coffee & Spirits
Coffee and spirits converge at this Waco spot serving beans from some of the country’s best roasters, including Counter Culture, Tirthy-Thirty and Ritual.