A staple on San Marcos’ infamous Square is a little coffee shop that now goes by the name, “The Coffee Bar.”  It was formerly known as Root Cellar Cafe Bakery, diagonally across the street from the popular brunch spot, Root Cellar Cafe.  Nothing about the shop has really changed other than the name.  I think what brought about the change was that there used to be confusion for those trying to locate either the coffee shop or the restaurant.

This place really is adorable.  I’m a regular here, as I like to stop by before class to grab a cold brew and/or a snack.  What I like most is how quaint it is, and yet they have plenty to offer.  The shop is not too big, and not too small.  They have an adequate amount of seating, which works perfectly because whenever I visit it’s never busy enough to fill every seat.  It’s a good option if you don’t want to go to the more popular coffee shops in San Marcos to study, because the atmosphere is comfortable and quiet.  Oh, and they have plenty of outlets, which is essential for many.

The beverage menu is extensive.  They’ve got the coffee shop standards and special handcrafted drinks as well.  Their menu also has all the teas plus yerba mate, and as of February, they added matcha green tea too.   Also, I should note that they have wine and beer too.  Plenty of options in that department.  As for food, options are very limited, with only pastries for the most part, but the drink menu makes up for it.  I want to note that their prices are pretty decent as well, at least for what I usually order.  My go-to is a cold brew with either a cookie or a gluten free muffin.  A most I pay $6.00, and that’s with a dollar tip.

Yes, the name is pronounced just like the word “epic…”  I’m pretty sure it was intentional, but who knows!

This coffee shop is a popular, cool, trendy, comfortable, and yet sophisticated place that’s exclusive to Austin.  There are three locations that I know of.  The location I go to most often is the one near Anderson Lane.  It’s set up with their patrons in mind.  They know why people go to coffee shops.  For good coffee and drinks, and to most likely spend time there in the shop on a device.  They’ve got your back with plenty of seating, and outlets throughout to charge your device(s).

Epoch has some really great coffee and drinks.  They have options for people who are looking for something a little more health-conscious too.  As far as food goes, the selection is limited.  What they have is a small array of baked goods, but they’ve also got pastries that are gluten-free which is cool.  For what they lack in the food department, they definitely make up for with the drinks.  The drink menu isn’t huge either, but think quality over quantity here.  Obviously, you can order just about any standard coffee or espresso based drink.  Hot or cold beverages are available, including smoothies.  The signature beverage is an “iced mojo.”  It’s a nutty, espresso based drink with sweet cream.

So, if you’re in Austin, or next time you are, this is an “Epoch” place to study.  Grab an iced mojo, a comfortable seat, and get your work on.

One fun, quirky coffee house I like to visit from time to time is Tantra Coffee House.  They have a unique vibe that gives the place a different feel than most.  If I had to describe it, I’d say it’s homey, laid back, and more or less hipster.  This is a shop with a health-conscious and environmentally friendly disposition that goes against the grain.

The feel of this place, the menu, combined with the overall layout and venue make Tantra what it is.  It has an interesting character that makes this place attractive in that it’s not one of your mainstream coffee shops.  What I love most about this shop is the outdoor seating that wraps around the quaint looking house that is the shop.  They host live music out on the patio weekly, and they stay open relatively late for a local coffee shop.  So it’s a good option for a place to study or to get some work done in a comfortable atmosphere.

As for the drinks and the food, you can see that they’re a health-conscious place.  They have what you’d expect from a coffee shop with your typical lattes, cold brew, mochas, and iced or drip coffee, but they also have a nice selection of teas and house special drinks.  The house special drinks, or “Tantra Originals,” as they’re called are unique handcrafted beverages based from coffee, espresso, or tea usually blended with milk, spices and syrups.  One of my favorites from their originals is the Lavender Mate Sour, with Yerba Mate, house made lavender syrup, and fresh squeezed lemonade.  This one is so refreshing, it’s perfect for the hot summer days here in San Marcos.

So, I decided to start with my favorite place to chill and study in San Marcos. I discovered it one evening with a friend of mine, early in September of the 2018 Fall semester. Wake the Dead Coffee House is the kind of place that you can stay at for hours. The space is much larger than expected, with two rooms for seating indoors, and a very spacious, beautiful courtyard area that wraps around the shop with more than enough seating.

Besides the space, what makes this place especially unique is their theme. From the outside walking up, you can see the black and red vertical stripes along the side of the building with windows trimmed in green. Once you walk inside, you’ll be totally immersed in the overall macabre decoration of the place. Lots of black, red, and green, art on the walls from local artists, and skulls here and there throughout the interior.

What’s more is that they’re open much later than most coffee shops; until midnight, seven days a week. They also hold events frequently, including but not limited to, comedy shows, live music, and even business meetings. The menu at Wake the Dead is noteworthy as well. The coffee always tastes great, never watery or bitter, and they have an array of other hot and cold drinks to choose from.

Oh, and they have more pastries to offer than any other coffee shop I know of. One of my personal favorites is the sour cream coffee cake. So, if you have a sweet tooth, you know where to go!

https://www.wakethedeadcoffeehouse.net/

Hey there!  I’m Sasha, a Mass Comm student at Texas State University and a lover of coffee/tea.  I’m an avid coffee shop patron.  Having frequented several coffee shops in Austin, and now San Marcos, I know of some great spots to grab a good cup of coffee or tea.  I’ve realized that there are so many awesome places, particularly local ones, that get overlooked or go unnoticed.

Visiting coffee shops is something I absolutely love doing, because no two are alike!  They often provide a new, laid back atmosphere to sip while you get some work done, study, read, or just relax.  On top of that, you’ll find that most of them have unique menu options that you won’t find elsewhere.  I want to share some of these places with you, because Starbucks is great and all, but sometimes we want other options.

As a student, it’s nice to have somewhere else to go to do homework.  That’s how I feel at least, although I’m sure plenty of people out there agree with me.  I plan to visit some cool coffee shops in both San Marcos and Austin.  For each place I visit, I’m going to make a post giving you an overview of what they have to offer.  I may also throw in a few posts about particularly unique menu items I find along the way.  So, through this, hopefully I can provide someone with a new favorite spot to do homework and grab a cup of joe.