Confession: I don’t really like coffee, but I do love TOMS shoes. As soon as I heard about the company’s new retail/coffee shop hybrid on South Congress, I decided to choke down a latte, if only for a good cause.
Photo by Christin Urso
TOMS Roasting Co. is one of two stores that combine both a TOMS retail shop (shoes, bags, sunglasses) and a coffee shop. TOMS recently ventured into coffee, applying its famous “One for One” philosophy by providing a week of clean water to someone in need with every bag of coffee purchased.
Photo by Christin Urso
The coffee shop provides a standard menu, but the signature drinks are what really caught my attention. I ventured for a vanilla coriander latte, sweetened with honey, and Holy Mother of Pearl was it delicious—nutty and warm from the coriander and vanilla, and not cloyingly sweet. The cold-brewed iced coffee was smooth enough to drink black, a sign of how top-quality the beans are. I didn’t sample any hot beverages since it’s June and I like not sweating, but they come in trendy pale blue cups with the company’s signature white logo.
Photo by Christin Urso
The staff was friendly, knowledgeable, and engaging. In addition to four choices of milk for your drinks (regular, soy, almond, and hemp), the shop also offers pastries, bottled kombucha, Daily Juice selections, and Topo Chico. It’s safe to say TOMS has nailed the Austin thing.
Photo by Christin Urso
If you’re trying to take advantage of all that Austin has to offer, I seriously recommend checking this place out. The walls are covered in advertisements for free sunset yoga, tie-dye classes and more. Most of the advertised events take place at TOMS Roasting Co. itself, which has a very laid-back, community atmosphere. With the exception of a screened-in porch, most of the seating is outdoors. Two swinging benches provide seating on the front porch, while a variety of lawn chairs and benches are scattered throughout the expansive back area. Twinkle lights add an ambiance perfect for relaxing on a summer’s night.
Photo by Christin Urso
I’d recommend this place as a hangout rather than a study destination, but regardless of why you go, you’ll see that it’s definitely worth the battle of South Congress parking.
Location: 1401 South Congress (Note: the map will tell you that this address belongs to Representative Sarah Davis. The map is a liar.)
Hours: Mon-Fri: 6am-8pm, Sat: 7am-9pm, Sun: 7am-8pm