Houndstooth Coffee Opens New Café In North Austin

NORTH AUSTIN, TEXAS — Houndstooth Coffee is opening its newest location in North Austin on Saturday, officials said.

Just in time for the holiday season, the new coffee shop at 11501 Rock Rose Ave., Suite 118, is slated to open on Saturday, Dec. 8. Located next door to Tarka Italian Kitchen and renowned Thai restaurant Sway, the new café will be open from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. this weekend. Coming soon, planned full hours of operation will be Monday through Friday from 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., officials said in a press advisory.

Houndstooth’s new shop will offer their signature menu of coffee, teas, handcrafted espresso beverages, wines, and local Austin beers, along with assorted pastries and breakfast tacos in the morning from TacoDeli. With the vision of “bridging the a.m. / p.m. divide” over great beverages and hospitality, officials said, the café will introduce cocktails inspired by Dallas-based sister cocktail bar Jettison, which is similar to Houndstooth’s East Austin spot.

All cocktails will be available on tap coming soon, including signature favorites, such as the Red Headed Oaxacan, a playful take on a margarita with mezcal and ginger-honey syrup, along with coffee-centric house specialties, like the BLVD, made with bonded rye whiskey, Campari, Averna Amaro, and coffee vermouth; and the Red-Eyed Reviver, a citrus-forward, coffee spin on a Corpse Reviver, made with Rittenhouse Rye, lemon, coffee vermouth and Cocchi Americano.

"With a large, modern exterior mural of the brand’s logo, Houndstooth Coffee’s newest café is a bold addition to the lively Rock Rose streetscape," officials wrote. "Guests are greeted with 'the pattern begins here' on the door, a play on 'the pattern of coffee and people' — the representation of Houndstooth’s vision for their cafés in slogan form."

The interior space strikes "...a vivid contrast between cheerful rainbow tiling and the sleek simplicity of wood paneling, reflecting a playful expression of the brand.," officials added in their notice.

Sean Henry, founder/owner of Houndstooth Coffee, described the design process involved in creating the newest café: “As with all our previous locations, the new shop at Rock Rose provided both design challenges and opportunities. We saw similarities in layout with our first Dallas café on Henderson Ave. and were inspired to enliven the space with modern elements that quote and depart from what we've designed before. Rock Rose is a unique place for food and drink in Austin, and we hope our guests find this spot warm, inviting, and fun.”

Staying true to the Houndstooth brand, this location pays homage to Jettison and the six existing cafés, featuring design nods and elements familiar to each existing space, officials described. Houndstooth Coffee worked with general contracting company Chioco Development, LLC and interior designer Kasey McCarty to implement key aspects of each of existing shops.

Regulars of the brand’s first location at North Lamar Blvd. in Austin will notice the original wood bench and “The Pattern of Coffee and People” slogan above it, as well as a similar corner espresso machine set-up. Ideas for décor, such as the rainbow tile and wood paneling and cloud ceiling fixture over the bar, stemmed from the brand’s sustainably built Walnut Hill and award-winning Sylvan | Thirty locations, respectively, officials said.

White oak picket panels, an aspect that originated from the downtown Austin café and featured throughout subsequent shops, are fixed along the bar and in the cloud above the bar. "The integrated service counter and bar format, a concept carried over from Houndstooth’s cafe in East Austin, encourages fluid guest service and interaction whether for morning coffee or evening cocktails," officials added.

And there's more: A raised platform seating area with soft, warm overhead lighting, inspired by the Dallas Henderson Ave. shop, community tables, and patio seating from RAD Furniture offer flexible, communal seating options, allowing for groups to enjoy the space together as well as individual spots that offer guests more personal space to work, officials said.

Houndstooth is also bringing back their popular, limited time winter drinks, available now through the end of the year. The Rhum Nut and Cinnamon Spice Cappuccinos are signature Houndstooth cappuccinos made with one of two simple syrups crafted in-house. The Rhum nut syrup is a blend of Rhum extract and hazelnut, while the cinnamon spice syrup is a blend of cinnamon extract and anise. The specialty drinks are available at all locations, including Rock Rose, and are a perfect complement to the festive season, officials touted.

The Rock Rose café joins three existing Austin shops located at 4200 N Lamar Blvd., Ste. 120; 401 Congress Ave, Ste. 100C; and at 2823 E MLK Jr Blvd STE 105. Houndstooth Coffee also has three locations in Dallas.

ABOUT HOUNDSTOOTH COFFEE

Houndstooth Coffee is a locally owned and operated business. Since opening their first cafe in 2010, they have fueled the growth of community in Texas. While many places serve great coffee, Houndstooth baristas invite guests to help weave a vibrant social fabric—the Pattern of Coffee and People. That pattern is growing with seven current locations in Austin and Dallas, Texas, with the newest opening in winter 2018 at Rock Rose in North Austin. Houndstooth officials said their coffee shops create a warm and inviting atmosphere in each cafés by focusing on hospitality, the art of conversation, and education.

To learn more about Houndstooth Coffee, visit houndstoothcoffee.com. Follow Houndstooth Coffee on Twitter and Instagram or like the Facebook page.

Get Patch's Daily Newsletters and Real Time Alerts

>>> Photo courtesy of Houndstooth