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(Simona's Coffee + Cocktails)
Since we started working at Austonia, the editorial team has visited more than 40 coffee shops across the city to work in. We have a few favorites but the shops that transition from work to play are some of the best.
The ideal day-to-night coffee shops, according to us, are open by noon and stay open late, have both coffee drinks and alcoholic libations and are suitable both for a day of work or a night out.
Whether the conversation is just too good to pause, you need to blow off steam after a long day of work or want to mix up your midday pick-me-up, we recommend these businesses around town.
Ani’s Day and Night | 7107 E Riverside Dr.
Inside the house of the late Aniceta “Cheta” Limon, a businesswoman extraordinaire and lifelong Austinite, Ani’s Day and Night is an intimate choice to spend some time. With creative coffee drinks, like the espresso-chai “Let’s Choco-bout It” or dreamy blue “Pea Tea A,” similarly whimsical cocktails, natural wine and beer selection, there is something for any time of the day and night. You can catch bites from a food truck on site.
Better Half Coffee and Cocktails | 406 Walsh St.
Come for Better Half’s exquisite rosemary lavender latte, stay for the pineapple-y “La Llorona” or gin-based “Frozemary’s Baby” cocktails. From the minds behind Bad Larry’s Burger Club, Better Half slings classics with a personal twist, like the cauliflower tots, $6 happy hour “cheeseburgs,” or Sichuan hot chicken sandwich. The adjoining Hold Out Brewing has you covered on the artisan beer front, complete with a sprawling outdoor patio for those warm summer evenings.
Cherrywood Coffeehouse | 1400 E 38th 1/2 St.
With a homey interior, full menu of breakfast, lunch, dinner and brunch foods (delicious, if we do say so ourselves), and gigantic backyard with picnic tables galore, Cherrywood Coffeehouse is comfy enough to spend the whole day in. We enjoyed the breakfast quesadillas, sunset lane smoothie and more than 20 beers on tap.
Cosmic Coffee + Beer Garden | 121 Pickle Rd.
Just off South Congress, Cosmic is one of Austin’s most popular spots to spend a Friday afternoon. With a huge serene garden to explore and enjoy, famous food trucks like Tommy Want Wingy and Pueblo Viejo just steps away and an impressive array of coffee and cocktails on the menu, Cosmic exemplifies the Austin vibe. We like the frozen matcha painkiller, the yuzu lime Rickey and Cosmic’s Paloma.
Plaza Colombian Coffee | 3842 S Congress Ave.
This Colombian food paradise goes from a cozy tropical work environment to a colorful outdoor tiki bar experience. Plaza Colombian’s exquisite take on a London Fog is great for a daytime visit but the Tiki drinks come out once the sun goes down. As far as food goes, start with the plantain chip pataconcitos, arepas of your choice and don’t leave without an order of bocaditos, or puff pastry tossed in coffee cinnamon sugar.
Radio Coffee & Beer | 4204 Menchaca Rd.
On top of hosting acclaimed local food trucks—like Veracruz All Natural—offering morning brews and local booze, Radio is also an avid events venue. Live music, comedy shows and weekend markets are common occurrences, plus its hours can accommodate both the early bird and the night owl. Try one of the many local beers on tap or your pick of flavored margaritas.
Simona’s Coffee + Cocktails | 2510 S Congress Ave.
Bougie and Instagram-worthy, Simona’s at The Colton House Hotel is the complete package: Both indoor and outdoor seating, ample outlets for working, light bites, coffee, tea and a variety of themed cocktails. Head upstairs to the library nook for some decorative surprises and lowkey photo opportunities while you sip on a spicy “Hell or Highwater” cocktail with Ghost Tequila.
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The membership-only club will open its doors to non-members for certain events. (Olivia Nance)
Membership-based private social club and music venue Pershing Hall is expanding its service, opening some of its events to the public for the first time starting this weekend.
The Pershing, a low-profile but highly-coveted luxury club tucked away on East 5th Street and Pedernales, is the watering hole of some of Austin's most famous creatives and elites. It opened in 2018 as a membership-only club and has accrued 350 members as of last year.
It plans on hosting over 150 events in the rest of 2022, starting with a Friday night show featuring Clarence James, Moody Bank$ and Vace. Pershing has a partnership with Black Fret musicians to keep the good tunes rolling.
(Olivia Nance)
Pershing is also home to a monthly residency from Austin’s own Bob Schneider, which will sell tickets to members first before opening them up to the public.
(Olivia Nance)
In addition to opening its doors to the public, Pershing says it is “committed to supporting all forms of art and artists” by:
- Partnering with West Chelsea Contemporary to present live art, including work from Bill Tavis that will also be displayed at Pershing Hall.
- A new commercial kitchen and chef will expand the menu to include a wagyu beef Pershing burger, wild striped bass and ribeye with Japanese sweet potato.
- Offering new incentives for national musicians to perform at the venue.
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Austin is the best city for dating in the U.S., according to a Sperling's Best Places study. (Hannah Walkowaik)
Just in time for another "Hot Girl Summer," Austin was labeled the top city in the U.S. for dating, according to a study by Sperling's Best Places.
Contestants on Netflix's Austin-filmed dating reality show "The Ultimatum: Marry or Move On," may not agree, but it might not be a coincidence that a proliferation of romantic reality shows—and dating app giant Bumble—have made a home in the capital city.
According to the data analysis website, Austin ranked No. 1 among 80 U.S. metros and topped cities including New York City, Los Angeles and San Francisco thanks to its percentage of single residents ages 18-24, population density, and dating venues per capita.
Here's what Austin's dating scene looks like by the numbers:
- 13.4% of Austinties are between the ages of 18-24
- 81.2% of those residents are single
- Austin ranked 7th on its online dating score
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