When you say that you are moving to Austin, Texas, you generally get two different types of reaction. From Americans and people who live in USA: “Awesome, Austin is such a cool and hip place”. From your friends and family abroad: “Texas? Are you going to live on a ranch and hangout with cowboys?” I can’t blame them, I would ask the same question only a few years back.
Now that I live in Texas, shall I learn how to speak like a Southerner? Shall I say “y’all” even though it feels strange on my tongue? Austin, though is not exactly like the rest of Texas… It looks nothing like what I imagined. What did I imagine? Vast fields, horses, and cowboys – in short, all those stereotypes a foreigner has about the Lone Star State. What did I find? Beautiful grand buildings like Texas State Capitol and The Driskill Hotel, tons of local restaurants and cool cafes with outside patios, and hipsters wearing anything that would say “I don’t care” instead of brutal guys wearing cowboy boots and hats.
When people told me how “cool and hip” Austin is I would always ask: “What is so cool and hip about it?” Not one person could answer. Then I came to Austin. The moment I stepped inside a local café to have breakfast, a long understanding “Ooooohhh” escaped my lips. Ok, I get the part about “Austin being hip” now. Not that I could explain it to you, though.
I definitely start liking it. And what’s not to like in a city that has hundreds of restaurants and all you do is eat and write about it. For a chef to survive in Austin being good is not enough. You have to be freaking-awesome and out-of-this-world-creative. As for prices, in the first days I would double check the bill every time:
– How much is it? Seriously? Give me 7, please.
Perfect place for a food blogger, on the one hand. On the other hand, I feel slightly intimidated. With so much choice where do I start? Shall I write about many BBQ restaurants and amazing meat they offer? Shall I head straight to Franklin BBQ’s 5-hour-wait line and report about the most famous BBQ joint in USA? Although, how many reviews are there already about this place? I guess that’s why they have a 5-hour-wait line.
It’s been 4 weeks since we moved here and I still couldn’t bring myself to choose a topic and start writing about my Austin food adventures. Yesterday I decided to begin with something familiar, something I got to know pretty well in the past 4 weeks because I came here almost every day to grab a cup of morning joe and write to blog.
Oh no, I am “that guy” now. I spend a couple of hours a day in a coffee shop looking all busy and important while writing to my blog. How did this happen?
Epoch has great coffee, is open 24 hours a day, there is a big terrace outside and plugs everywhere, even hanging from the ceiling. Win, win, and win.
I love their regular brew – something I usually don’t fancy in other coffee shops, but I like the sweet aftertaste of “Wild Gift” coffee that Epoch serves.
Apart from loving the coffee I love the cups it is served in. They are all of different designs and every time I order my coffee I can’t help but guessing which cup I will get today.
But my all-time favorite here is cortado! Nobody makes cortado better than Epoch Coffee, believe me – I have tried it everywhere.
Do bring your computer, otherwise you will look extremely weird. Are there still coffee shops meant for meeting with friends and chatting or all of them turned into mini-libraries with students studying and young professionals typing proposals? Although, I have no right to say this… I am one of those people starring at the laptop while my coffee is getting cold on the side table.
