The Coffee Grind: Cherrywood Coffeehouse

As you can see, coffee isn't the only drink sold at Cherrywood.

It seems appropriate that the first review after a final should be about a coffeehouse. Admittedly, coffeehouses are not my first choice for studying, but this was a good place to chill and study in a place that wasn’t always full of college students. Not only coffee is sold here, but a menu full of real food and strong drinks to marathon your way through another study session.

At least there's lots of room to sip your coffee.

Cherrywood Coffeehouse is located close to I-35 on the East side of Austin. Near to some food trailers, Cherrywood is quite reflective of the Austin spirit. A large patio outside includes an outdoor stage for live music or poetry performances. The place is comfy and cozy with lots of light sources to allow you the pick of your study spots. However, that does not mean the place is the most ideal for a study spot. The music is pretty loud and not soothing and if there were more people, the calling of orders from the counter could be distracting.

Look past the computer to a doorway to peace and quiet...maybe.

For these cases, there is also a side room if you need a bit more quiet or privacy and a computer for free internet access. Wi-fi is generously provided free. Happy hour goes from 3-7pm and the place is open ’til midnight, perfect for a late night study group.

😛

My roommate and her boyfriend were kind enough to bring me along to the coffeehouse. Entering the place, there were tons of tables and it was not too busy at 10pm on a Saturday night. Their favorite choices there include the breakfast tacos. They are a good size, ranging in about half the size of a Chipotle burrito. What makes them unique is the potatoes  are not cubed, but more like crispy shoestring potatoes. For less than $5, you can customize a breakfast taco that is both delicious and satisfying. A perfect snack to enjoy with your coffee or strong drink.

Mmm, just the right size.

It was pretty late so I ordered a hot chocolate to keep my brain awake as I prepared the next post for the blog. It was good, but a little more on the sweet size. Fair 8 oz. size and in a nice cup. More sugary than creamy. Chocolate taste was not muddied and quite delicious. It was also nice that they asked for the choice of milk in my hot chocolate. I chose whole milk, but it can range to soy milk and even almond milk.

So many pie slices were lined up!

If you’re feeling like a sweet dessert, there is more than enough to satisfy sweet tooths. I was too full to try anything, but there are pies and croissants and a number of other pastries.

Overall, Cherrywood Coffeehouse is a welcoming place to sit down and hang out for a good long time or enjoy the music scene on the patio. The prices are fair and the food is fair. If Bennu is too busy, why not try another coffeehouse like Cherrywood?

Rating: 😛 😛 😛 😛 for lots of study spots, pretty good food for pretty good prices, and also lots of distractions.

The Coffee Grind: Bennu Coffee

This looks just like a coffee house should. Mocha on the left, cranberry scone in the middle, hot chocolate on the right.

Tempted by the menu of literary-themed drinks, I visited Bennu Coffee, located close to UT on the east side. It is open 24 hours with lots of comfy nooks and corners to settle down and study in an overstuffed chair while sipping on a drink and chewing on pastry. Or Torchy’s tacos. Or Hoboken Pie’s pizzas.

What makes Bennu an Austin creation is its promotion of small businesses in Austin such as the food places mentioned above, Russell’s Bakery and The Green Cart. Bennu sells its own array of coffees (especially mochas) while also promoting local foods you would want to eat, all at one cozy location.

Does this place not look comfy cozy? Look for hanging plugs on the top right.

If you’ve come here to study, quickly find a chair. The atmosphere is really great, having a sort of hipster quality to it that invites you to sit down and soak in a college atmosphere. Bennu is an awesome place to study since there is free WiFi and even power outlets hanging from the ceiling so that even more people can access a power supply. However, even though the coffee house is a good size, it can get full quick late at night or finals time. It is often difficult to find a place to sit down and enjoy your coffee and can be a grind at this particular coffee house.

The cup of hot chocolate was huge!

Now, to the food. I personally don’t drink coffee, but the friends who did enjoyed it and especially the specials that Bennu offers. The coffee is pretty nice and the chocolate added is also pretty nice. Overall, the coffee is a little better than average, but doesn’t wow you. I was THIS close to trying coffee after hearing about the Pride and Prejudice Mocha. However, I settled for a hot chocolate that came in a huge coffee cup and a cranberry scone.The hot chocolate was pretty good.  but mellowed out the sweetness with the scone. The scone by itself wasn’t that tasty either, but combined with the hot chocolate was very good.

Are you tempting because of the chocolate or your literary references? I am quite befuddled.

The mochas seem to be the specialties of the place. What makes this place so quaint are the mochas that pay tribute to literary greats. How can you not want to try a drink called The Raven or Oliver Twist? In general, the mochas are supposedly pretty tasty, but it might depend on the time you drink it because sometimes the chocolate is mixed in well and other times it isn’t. It’s also good to know that you get a huge mug for your mocha as well. It’s just something fun to try once and say you have tried a drink called the Great Gatsby.

How very zen.

I also cannot forget to mention the bathroom. Awesome and clean! I must have looked crazy taking pictures, but not sure if you’d believe me without them. There is also, strangely enough, a blackboard in the bathroom to keep up the literary tradition of the place. There is only one bathroom as far as I remember, but it seems to be pretty well-maintained. Considering how busy the place gets, try to be careful about filling your bladder up too much with coffee and one bathroom.

Overall, Bennu is a cool Austin-exclusive coffee house that pays tribute to the academic institution it owes many of its customers to. Perfect for the college student who studies late into the night, Bennu also supports small businesses and has all you need for a study marathon. With clean bathrooms. How can you beat that?

Rating: 😛 😛 😛 😛 for its atmosphere, average food, and plugs from the ceiling.