☕ Austin's Heartbeat Since 2017
The Roast & Grind is the loud, unapologetic café your mornings have been missing — bold espresso, killer sandwiches, and rock 'n' roll at full volume.
We open at 7am because your commute deserves a fighting chance, and we don't quit until 4pm when the last sandwich is gone.
The three things people come back for. Every. Single. Day.
A triple-shot dark roast espresso pulled long and cut with a splash of steamed oat milk. It hits hard, warms fast, and keeps the chaos going. This is what Austin tastes like at 7am.
$6.50
Thick-cut applewood bacon, heirloom tomato, butter lettuce, and a swipe of chipotle aioli on toasted sourdough from Texas Star Bakery. This sandwich shows up like a headline act — it doesn't disappoint.
$11.00
A double-chocolate espresso muffin baked fresh every morning at 5:30am by our baker Marco. It's dense, fudgy, and packed with a shot of espresso right in the center. One is never enough.
$4.75
The Roast & Grind was born in 2017 out of a 400-square-foot rented space on South Congress Avenue when Lena Torres — then a barista with a decade of café experience and a stubborn dream — decided Austin needed a coffee shop that didn't take itself too seriously. She maxed out one credit card, borrowed a commercial espresso machine from her uncle, and opened the doors at 7am on a Tuesday. The line was out the door by 7:15.
Lena built the team from scratch: head barista Diego Reyes, who trained in Bogotá and has a sixth sense for espresso ratios; baker Marco Villanueva, who shows up at 5:30am every single day without fail; and front-of-house lead Priya Nair, who knows every regular's order by heart. Together they've turned this café into the kind of place people walk into as strangers and leave as regulars.
Our mission has always been simple: make the best cup of coffee you've ever had, put a ridiculous sandwich in your hand, and send you into your day feeling like you can handle whatever Austin throws at you. We source our beans directly from small farms in Colombia and Ethiopia, and every roast profile is dialed in personally by Diego each week.
We believe that a good café is a community anchor. That's why we host open-mic nights on the last Friday of every month, keep a community bulletin board by the door, and donate 5% of all Friday sales to local food security nonprofits. We're loud, we're real, and we're not going anywhere. Pull up a stool. Let's get weird.
This is what your morning looks like with us.
Diego pulling a perfect shot at the La Marzocca machine
The Amplifier BLT fresh off the press — don't blink
Friday Night Open-Mic on South Congress — full house, every time
Marco's Mosh Pit Muffins, fresh out of the oven at 6am
The patio at golden hour — best seats in the neighborhood
Lena with the crew before the morning rush — the real dream team
Real reviews from real Austin regulars.
I've tried every café on South Congress and nothing comes close. The Habanero Horchata Latte sounds wild but it's genuinely the most interesting coffee I've ever had. I come in every Tuesday and Thursday, and Priya already has my order up before I even reach the counter. That kind of service is rare, and it's what keeps me coming back.
Marcus B.
Software dev, East Austin — regular since 2019
The Breakfast Burrito Bomb is not a joke. It is the best burrito I have eaten in Austin — and I grew up here, so that means something. The chorizo has this perfect smokiness and the tomatillo salsa is just bright enough to cut through everything. The music was loud, the line moved fast, and Lena herself handed me my order with a smile. This place has soul.
Camila V.
Austin native, Zilker neighborhood — weekly regular
I travel to Austin for work four times a year and this is the first stop I make every single trip. The Cold Brew Crush is unlike anything I can find back in Dallas — smooth, not bitter, and insanely strong. Grabbed a Mosh Pit Muffin and sat at the counter while AC/DC played overhead. For twenty minutes I forgot I had back-to-back meetings. The Roast & Grind is exactly what a café should be.
James T.
Marketing director, Dallas — visiting Roast & Grind fan
1408 South Congress Ave.
Austin, Texas
Right in the heart of the SoCo strip.
Street parking available. You'll smell us before you see us.
Questions about catering? Private events? Just want to say hi? We actually respond.