Austin, Texas · Est. 2018
The Roast & Grind is your neighborhood's loudest, proudest café — where the coffee hits hard and the energy hits harder.
Serving Austin one bold cup at a time, Monday through Saturday, 7am to 4pm.
Fan Favorites
These three have a cult following. Order one and you'll understand why.
Three shots of espresso, steamed oat milk, and a kick of chili-infused simple syrup. It's sweet, spicy, and dangerously smooth — this is the drink Austin wakes up for. Available hot or iced.
$6.50
Thick-cut sourdough, smoked turkey, sharp cheddar, arugula, caramelized onions, and our house-made chipotle aioli. It's a meal that means business and never lets you down. Served with kettle chips.
$13.00
Buttermilk waffles stacked high with whipped mascarpone, fresh strawberries, candied pecans, and a drizzle of Texas wildflower honey. The kind of thing you cancel plans to come back for. Saturday and Sunday only.
$11.50
Our Story
The Roast & Grind opened its doors in 2018 when Lena Torres — a former line cook and obsessive coffee nerd — decided Austin's east side needed a place that felt like home and hit like a strong cup. She signed the lease on a Tuesday, painted the walls herself over a long weekend, and opened to a line around the block the following Friday. That line hasn't really stopped.
What started as a 400-square-foot espresso counter has grown into a full-on neighborhood institution. Lena brought on head barista Marco Reyes in year one and chef Dani Okafor in year two, and together the three of them shaped the menu into what it is today — real food, serious coffee, and zero pretension. No oat milk lectures. No judgement if you want a hazelnut syrup.
Our mission is simple: be the best part of someone's morning. We want the regulars to feel known by name, the first-timers to feel instantly at home, and every single customer to leave thinking about when they're coming back. We put that energy into every cup, every plate, every interaction.
We believe in sourcing local where we can — our eggs come from Barton Springs Farm, our honey from a small apiary in Dripping Springs, and our bread is baked fresh daily by our friends at Cornerstone Bakehouse. We're loud, we're a little chaotic on a Saturday morning, and we wouldn't have it any other way.
The Heart of the Neighborhood
"Coffee is just our excuse to bring people together." — Lena Torres, Founder
6+
Years Open
300+
Daily Cups
100%
Local Heart
Life at The Roast & Grind
This is what it feels like when you walk through our door on a Tuesday morning. Or a Saturday. Honestly, any day.
Morning pour-over ritual, 7:02am
Live acoustic sets every Friday
The Big Stax — built to impress
The Weekend Stack — come early, they sell out
Saturday morning rush — controlled chaos
Our patio — the best seat in Austin
Real Regulars
Don't take our word for it. Here's what the people who actually drink our coffee think.
★★★★★
"I've been coming here every single weekday since 2021 and Marco still knows my order before I open my mouth. The Hellfire Latte is the only reason I get out of bed before 8am — that chili kick is completely addictive. The playlist is always loud enough to wake you up but not so loud you can't have a conversation. This place has a pulse like nowhere else in Austin."
Jasmine Calloway
East Austin resident & graphic designer
★★★★★
"I took a client meeting here last month instead of the usual boring hotel lobby, and it was the best decision I've made professionally all year. We both ordered the Grind Bowl and ended up talking food for half the meeting. The vibe is buzzy and real without being overwhelming. Lena and her team run an incredibly tight ship — every visit feels effortless even when it's packed."
Derek Omondi
Freelance consultant, South Congress
★★★★★
"The Weekend Stack has ruined all other waffles for me. I'm not being dramatic — I've tried to recreate it at home and failed spectacularly every time. My kids ask to go to 'the coffee place with the honey waffles' every Saturday and honestly I need zero convincing. The staff are warm, the coffee is incredible, and the patio on a cool morning is genuinely one of the best places in the city."
Priya Nair
Mom of two, Bouldin Creek neighborhood
Come Find Us
The Roast & Grind
2214 East César Chávez Street
Austin, Texas 78702
Say Hello
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