4 Cafes/Shops to Visit When in Austin

About a week ago (cue the music) I took Kayleen to a few spots down in Austin that seemed pretty cool and came back with some pretty rad results. The best part was, I'd never been to any of these places either! So, when in Austin, if you're looking for a cafe, restaurant, smoothie joint or shopping opportunity, here are a few ideas:

Stop One: Kerbey Lane Cafe

For those living in the Austin area, or even just in surrounding parts of Texas, you've definitely heard of the Kerbey Lane Cafe. For a nice diner style cafe, the prices are super affordable, the people are super friendly and the food is DELICIOUS.

For starters, I had a gingerbread latte with soy milk which was absolutely lovely. The drink was in a cute, wide little mug and the taste was so full of holiday comfort! It is certainly comparable to- and maybe even better than- the Starbucks Gingerbread Latte.

Afterwards I had the "Paris, Texas Platter" which of course confused me quite a bit from the first glance. The dish was in essence, two pieces of french toast and migas with a side. I learned that migas is essentially scrambled eggs with pico de gallo, tortilla chips and cheddar jack cheese all cooked inside. Despite my prior skepticism, this dish ended up being absolutely fantastic. The french toast was wonderful, but the migas was just the perfect combination of eggs and tex-mex influence. It was however only a bit spicy until I got to my very last bite when I was totally assaulted by a hidden pepper that left me chugging water and coughing for ten minutes. Still, 10/1o would eat again.

Stop 2: Half Price Books

Alright, so Half Price Books is essentially a store where dreams come true. It started in 1972 with two guys named Ken Gjemre and Pat Anderson started advertising that they bought and sold books. The idea totally blew up and now they have established locations all over the US (primarily in Ohio and Texas).

We went in after breakfast and had to have been sitting in the astrology section for an hour. It's such a great store because it sells titles that one would not typically find on the shelves of a Barnes & Nobles or maybe even anywhere else. It gets better though, it's not just books. They also sell DVDs, collectibles, TV seasons, Comics, and records. On top of that, it's in the name- all books are at least half off their original sales price and in readable, to almost perfect condition.

Find your local HPB, you know you want to.

Stop 3: Uncommon Objects

After eating brunch and buying books, Kayleen and I made our way over to Uncommon Objects. From the outside, there's not much to see- it's just a cute little shop introduced by some potted plants. The magic happens however, while when you walk through the front door.

Old books, paintings, vases, sculptures made of dead animals, mirrors, and other peculiar finds lined shelves and the walls throughout. The best way to describe this store is as a "one-of-a-kind emporium of transcendent junk" (as said on the official website. The only downside is that everything was quite pricey, but even just looking around and experiencing the place was definitely worth the visit. Basically, if you're into nifty, old stuff, this is the place for you.

Stop 4: Cream Whiskers

Originally, I had planned to take Kayleen to the Spiderhouse Cafe, but the website failed to provide the fact that it is a cafe/bar- so instead we improvised and found Creamy Whiskers.

I didn't get as many pictures as I wish I had, but this place was ADORABLE! They had darling little orb lights hanging all across the ceiling and post-its advertising community events on the walls. It was also totally student friendly- we had a hard time finding a seat, there were so many young adults on laptops.

Let's get to the drinks: they were delicious. I myself am a big fan of chai tea lattes, so I ordered the chai with the most spice and the coolest name- tiger spice. I always get my lattes with soy milk- not only because I'm lactose intolerant, but also because it adds a thickness and flavor to the drink that I absolutely love. The tea was hands down the best that I've ever had. There was so much spice and richness, my tummy felt so warmed and entertained! (Mine was the one with the elaborate decorations.

Now, the cream puff: I ordered the Choco-whip Brownie and it whipped my mouth- with deliciousness!

The cream inside was so sweet and rich, I could barely stand to eat the whole thing- partially because- as I said before- I'm lactose intolerant..

Even then, the puff itself was so bready and crispy, it served as a perfect shell for the cream, the chips and the brownie that was hidden within.

Overall, I certainly enjoyed the ambiance of the place just as much as the crafting of the food and drink. If I find myself in the area, I'd definitely pop in to see what other wonders the menu has to offer!

Recap

At the end of her two day stay, we were thoroughly impressed with every spot that we were able to visit. It was so much fun to be able to show her a bit of the big city while spending the best time with one of my absolute favorite people. I can't wait to create even more Austin memories during her next visit in December!