Exploring Austin by Bike: Coffee, Gravel, and Adventure
by Dave Danenfelzer
Making time for the things you love isn’t always easy. One way I try to “do it all” is by combining the activities and people I love. I go to yoga with my wife, scuba dive with my son, paddle and fly fish, and ride my bike—often with a coffee stop along the way.
When it comes to cycling, I don’t like riding the same routes over and over. Google Maps has been my go-to tool for discovering new paths. A few years ago, when I started riding more gravel routes, it helped me find trails where I could train without leaving town.
Of course, exploring new routes meant finding new coffee shops for mid-ride breaks. Once my list grew past ten spots, I decided to organize it. That list now includes 70 coffee shops in and around Austin. Click the link or find it by searching for Austin Cyclo-Coffee Stops on Google Maps.
I use this list to plan weekend rides, aiming to stop at new places and explore different parts of the city. So far, I’ve visited about 35 shops. Some have closed, but I keep notes on each one—bike parking, coffee quality, and food options. And yes, I’m a sucker for good pastries.
Here are a few of my favorites that I often recommend:
- Flitch Coffee – Tillery Street
- Once Over Coffee Bar – South 1st Street
- Tiny’s Milk and Cookies – Off 38th
- Sour Duck – East MLK
- Celito Lindo – Manor
- Malone Specialty Coffee - Merrilltown Dr. and Bratton Ln
- Merfolk’s - South Congress
Cycling isn’t just about the miles—it’s about the experience. For me, that means great coffee, good company, and discovering new corners of Austin. If you’re a cyclist and a coffee lover, open the Austin Cyclo-Coffee Stops map and plan your next route. I’m sure you’ll find the perfect place for you and your riding pals.
Left: Flat Track Coffee on E Cesar Chavez. Right: The Water Tank- Vinyl Brews Coffee on McNeil Dr.
Dave Danenfelzer is a cyclist, coffee lover, fisherman, hiker, curler, canoeist, scuba diver, marching band parent and undecided on so many other hobbies, it hurts. In his free time, he works in public finance, historic preservation and affordable housing to pay for his real life. He’s been a happy resident of Austin, Texas since 1995 and will eventually go to all 70+ coffee shops on the list he’s creating.