La Tazza Fresca

Without a doubt the best cup of plain coffee I have ever experienced. It has a subtle hint of sweet to it, almost like it was roasted with cinnamon, and is perfect just the way it is. WARNING: if you are someone who truly likes a strong, slap your grandma cup of coffee flavor, this isn’t it. For the longest time I couldn’t drink coffee unless it was loaded with cream and sugar, and gradually I’ve trained myself to either drink it black or with just a bit of almond milk. That being said, I find some coffee undrinkable without cream and sugar, but thankfully the coffee at La Tazza Fresca is not one of them. Literally after my first sip I was hooked, and texted my friends to tell them about the life-​changing cup of coffee I’ve just had. Does anyone know where they get their coffee from?
Heard they had the best chai latte in all of Austin. I just moved here a few weeks ago so will have to update my review on this later after I’ve had more to compare to, but I will say I wasn’t overly impressed. But, as I said, their coffee is wonderful and I’d like to start a fan club page for just the coffee.

Something that really sticks out to me about La Tazza Fresca is how friendly and approachable the staff are — they are always taking care of their customers and are generally very pleasant to interact with, which I really appreciate.
I love coming here to study late in the afternoon or in the evening, being that it is close to Hyde Park where I live. The atmosphere is a bit dark but comfortable for reading, listening to music or studying. I probably wouldn’t come here to socialize but some people do.
The menu is quite large — I’ve heard their chai is some of the best in town but I have yet to try it. I love the metal cups that their hot tea drinks come in, and have not been disappointed by their coffee. I usually just order a hot latte wherever I go, and theirs is decent. Nothing special though — I like my lattes with a strong bitter coffee flavor, which I don’t really get from theirs, but it’s nonetheless good.
They also serve a variety of desserts /​pastries, and I think a limited range of food options, as well as beers and other drinks, and there is outdoor seating if that’s what you like.
Also, and this might just be me, but a nice bathroom is a huge plus at a coffee house, and though their bathroom is pretty rundown, there’s a lot of interesting and unique graffiti, which keeps me entertained. (haha)
Overall, La Tazza Fresca is an Austin gem, with a good location, super nice staff, and good drinks. I’ll continue to support.

This place has no ventilation. When I go to a coffee shop, I want it to actually smell like coffee inside! Every time I’ve come here it’s musty and either smells like mold/​mildew, stagnant water, or like they sprayed cleaner for 10 minutes straight. I mentioned it to the barista and she said that they’ve gotten that complaint before… I had to sit outside because it was so bad, but their outdoor seating is kind of a joke. The seating on the side near the autoshop isn’t too bad, but their front patio is just plain ratchet. All of the furniture is dirty, falling apart, and it just looks like a fenced in junkyard. And even with my headphones blasting music I couldn’t escape the horrible songs they were playing. As for the coffee, I’ve had really bitter americanos and a disgusting iced almond milk latte here. It gets 2 stars because it is open until midnight and the space is cozy, despite all of the above.

A nice little coffee shop with lots of space (especially when its nice enough to sit outdoors). Reasonable prices and adequate space to get some work done. I got the Turkish Coffee and the girl I was with got a Coconut Vanilla Latte… both were excellent. Wouldn’t go significantly out of the way for it, but if you’re in the neighborhood and looking for a spot to get some work done or talk over coffee its an excellent spot.

This place is a little hidden gem. I would always drive past this place and want to give it a try. One day, I finally did. It took me awhile to figure out where the entrance was, but once I did, I was in heaven. It’s a nice relaxing coffee shop. Every time I’ve gone, there’s been a place to sit. The music is also very mellow and doesn’t distract you from what you’re doing. I would recommend that they get more baristas. The lines can get pretty long and the wait gets a little crazy when there’s only one barista available to fill everyone’s orders. I fully intend to go to this location again.

Hands down, the best chai in all of Austin! I get mine with almond milk, sometimes dirty, and other times with a shot of vanilla. Iced or cold, it is the best! La Tazza is great to study or read at, but often is usually full with students and can be a little crammed. Worth the visit though!
Other recommendation: Turkish Coffee. Pair it with one of their biscotti. So. Good.
Little secret — the floor looks like random spots but it’s actually a giant world map!

Iced chai latte is my new favorite! I usually DO NOT like chai latte’s because they’re too spicy or gingery for me but here it’s DELICIOUS! So sweet and milky. They also sell packs of their chai latte mix separately for like $ 7 which I should probably invest in so I can just make it at home. They really just take a scoop of that, mix it in steamed milk, and add more milk until it fills the cup.
Apparently there’s also a discount for UT students so WOOHOO! Only one barista’s ever mentioned it to me and that was the last I heard of it because they literally never ask.

I love this café. The coffee is great of course– any of a great variety, including Turkish and Vietnamese. But you can get great coffee at lots of places in Austin, so what makes La Tazza Fresca special? There’s a unique ambience to the place. It’s quiet, a fantastic place to study at or focus. It feels homey, with unique rugs and furniture dispersed throughout. The employees are extremely friendly, and it is usually full, but not too full. You’ll always find a place there.

I love this coffee place cause its divey and, in my opinion, embodies Austin.
The coffee and tea is great, and if it isn’t listed on the menu they will still try to make what ever it is you are wanting. All the baristas are friendly. Wifi is available, and also an assortment of board games. It has a vintage and «Keep Austin weird» appeal to it.
I have made it a tradition to stop here and get hot chocolate after walking down 37^th st to see the 37^th st Christmas lights.

Still think this café is one of my favs. When studying at home gets too stuffy, and I can’t focus, I come here. I actually dropped by on Sunday around afternoon, and it was soooo crowded with a lot of people studying. Music is just right, noise level is perfect, and their iced chai tea is to die for. Sort of tastes like a cinnabon bun in a silver cup. But I also still love their vanilla latte. I had it iced this time, and it was still amazing.
Definitely one of my favorite cafes to study for or chill at and drink some amazing drinks.

Great ambiance, small selection of sandwiches, fast internet. I will definitely recommend it.

I was trying to kill time while waiting for an audition. Drove up from San Antonio. Emily was amazing. She had a beautiful smile, was friendly to everyone & very knowledgeable about the menu. I’ll definitely be back.

Oh, how I’d love to actually like this place. Despite the many hipsters that drink coffee and work on their laptops, I do sincerely enjoy the coffee and tea selections. I do NOT enjoy the fact that every time I go to get my coffee of choice I am charged a different price depending on who is working. Nor do I enjoy staring at the back of the person who is to be making my coffee, but is actually just texting away on their cell phone when I only have 15 minutes to be on time to an interview. I shouldn’t have to ask you what time it is in order to get you to do your fucking job. Perhaps if you had baristas who actually did their job I could give this place a higher rating, but if I am treated as though I am inconveniencing someone who is at WORK I sadly cannot.
Do your fucking job, baristas. Texting for 10 minutes and wasting your customer’s time is TERRIBLE business. You can be certain that the word spreads, so if I were the owner of this establishment I would hire someone who actually cares about being employed.

La Tazza has a special place in my heart. It’s definitely my favorite study sanctuary in this part of town. The Chai smoothie is heavenly (hang over cure)! And I also love their creamy tomato soup; it’s awesome that a cup is included with a sandwich, but I also order a bowl a la carte sometimes. I’ve had the veggie sandwich a million times and I’ve never gotten sick of it. I think management does an awesome job hiring their staff because everyone I’ve ordered from is kind and speedy! This place is an Austin gem.

The atmosphere is great. The prices are great. The location is great. But the baristas are self-​important and rude if you are not familiar with all of the punctilio of their coffee shop which is supposed to be the center of your world as well.
Makes me glad I am not in the service industry.

Admittedly, I have high standards for coffee, but this was terrible. The cappuccino I ordered had virtually no foam, tasted like slightly bitter, watered down coffee flavored milk, and was barely warm. The barista was not at all friendly, engaging just enough to take our money, and hand us the coffee. We will not be back.
*I have updated this review due to the response of the owner to my initial review. She graciously offered a refund, and invited us to come back for a better experience. While that doesn’t change my initial experience, I appreciate her caring enough to do so.

Very old building with its own atmosphere. Think of a rainy day at home, that’s what this place feels like. Pastries, limited but still very good. They have a lot of different coffee flavored, smoothies, teas, etc. I got an English toffee latte. One word. Foamy :) oh, and they have a lot of food options.
It’s a pretty large café with a lot of space, inside and out, but since it’s near UT it can get crowded. Choose your time wisely.
I’m coming back to this hidden gem.

La Tazza Fresca is not meant for coffee snobs. That being said, I’m not even that knowledgeable of coffee, and I base everything on taste – but LTF is not meant for someone who loves coffee.
Period.
LTF is a coffee shop way down Guadalupe, a perfect location for students although perfect is stretching it because the parking lot is small and crowded, the line waiting to get coffee is forever too long and never ending, and the amount of seats available is slim to none. On the bright side, many of the tables pull out, so that’s a nice thing if you need the extra seat.
A double vanilla latte was poured into a tall stainless steel container, super creamy and sweet and hot. Let me rephrase that: Watery creamy, way too sweet, and a lot hotter than I would expect for espresso. It tasted like Epoch’s vanilla latte. That’s not a compliment.
LTF just completely missed what I expected a good cup of coffee to taste like. I probably should have expected it because they offer all these flavors from minty mocha to Black Forest to coconut vanilla. Too many flavors is usually a sign of poorly crafted coffee. I should have seen it coming.
If you enjoy a sugar high coffee that tastes more like sugared milk, this is probably the place for you. I prefer places where I can taste rich coffee.
La Tazza Fresca was just not for me. There are many places in Austin I would much rather go to.
On a high note, service was very sweet.

I came back to La Tazza Fresca for the first time since college (wow, time flies!!) and I still found it to be as enjoyable as I remembered it. We were visiting for the holidays and I needed a nice, quiet space to relax and recharge before going back to the in-​laws… I’m sure someone on Unilocal feels me on that one.
On an weekend afternoon, it was very mellow and felt as cozy as I remembered. There are tables of all sizes, some couches, and outside tables to choose from. There are a ton of power strips everywhere for people who want to study (why don’t other coffee houses think of that). Since it’s a little further north of campus, it draws a much quieter student crowd then that of, say, the starbucks in west campus. I think it usually draws more of an older crowd too, which is nice now that I don’t dig the college scene.
I really like the music they were playing: a little piano, a little jazz, a little of generic coffee house singer/​songwriter stuff. Mellow and good for getting your mind right.
I think they have an excellent tea list. Peppermint and peach passion are my favorite at this joint. The man behind the counter was polite and helpful, and offered my husband suggestions when it came to the food and coffee. There isn’t a big parking lot, but you can park in the neighborhood close by. Or take one of the many buses that pass by!
I sat and enjoyed a few hours of reading a book in peace with a nice cup of tea. If that’s what you’re into, then I think you’ll like this place too!

This place has a great, cozy vibe during the day but the times I’ve walked by at night it looks way too crowded for my tastes. The tea is pretty standard fare (stash teabags) and they didn’t seem to have any fresh breakfast items.
Credit card minimum is $ 2.50 so come prepared to buy coffee for the person behind you or bring cash.