The Lost Texan

05/11/2026

Mescalito Coffee
☕☕(out of 5)
100 E Alamo St, Brenham, Texas

Eight dollars for a large drip coffee? Eight? For drip coffee? Let me be clear: I order a large drip coffee; the barrister takes a large cup, turns a quarter to the left, flips the lever on a 2-gallon carafe, fills the cup, takes 2 steps, puts some creamer in, adds a lid, turns and hands me the cup. $8!!! (Jesus H. Tap-dancing Christ and all that’s holy.)

Coffee – full coffee and espresso options – and my coffee was fresh, tasty, and had a good aroma – but $8! The fixings bar wasn’t much and was combined with the trash and dirty dish tub, so not the place you are going to pause and get your coffee done properly.

Atmosphere – Comfortable and clean. Good interior design (Industrial) that makes good use of the space, with a cute boutique shop in the back & clean bathrooms. But seriously, eight bucks?

Food / Other Drinks – teas and smoothies. If you are hungry, there are some bags of chips and a case of pastries, and kolaches. $6 to $7 for a kolache, which is a little pricey, but expected at this point.

Seating – A good amount of indoor seating, some outdoor seating at the front door, and a quite deck in the back, overlooking some great street art. Great WIFI. And you can sit much more comfortably now that your wallet is so much thinner.

Community – Not much. Checked their page, nothing listed for charity events, live music, book club, anything. These are people who want you to come in, give up all your money, and leave.

Ok. In most places around the state, a large (20 oz.) cup of drip coffee, with some cream, should cost less than $4. Maybe bump it up to $5 if you are in downtown Dallas or something. If your coffee option is a pour-over, maybe charge a little more because there is some labor involved – but $8 is too much (and then I tipped, which I shouldn’t have, but that’s what I do). Looking at the menu, they listed the drip large as $6.75, so I guess the cream was extra ($0.75 at the bottom). I see that a Cafe Au Lait is the same price, with makes more sense with the extra effort – and the Americano was less ... I don’t get it, unless this is just some passive aggression towards people who just want a plain cup of coffee (this would make sense with the sad state of the fixens bar). Looking back at the menu, a bottomless drip coffee is an additional $4, and Mrs. Lost Texan pointed out that a tea (hot water & throw a tea bag in it) is $5 to $6.50. In short: Mescalito Coffee: your coffee is ok, but it’s not bringing around World Peace or anything. Mescalito Coffee

05/10/2026

05/10/2026

05/10/2026

Coffee this good from such an unassuming spot is a pleasant surprise.

05/10/2026

05/05/2026

04/26/2026

Epoch Coffee - Far West
☕☕☕☕☕(out of 5)
3900 Far W Blvd, Austin, Texas

Guest Reviewer – Mrs. Lost Texan:

quick summary:

Upon approach, very inclusive and welcoming to all, plenty of parking

Once inside, warm and welcoming eclectic, artsy vibe

Large shiny front counter with lots of drink offerings, even for the serious coffee lover, (I’m looking at you Mr. Lost Texan)

Large variety of comfy seating options

accessible restrooms

Rating: Easily 5 of Mr. Lost Texan's precious coffee mugs

More detailed story:

I could tell from the parking lot that the inside was gonna have great vibes. I was on a rare solo excursion and truly had no idea where I might end up, although hoping to find the perfect cozy coffee shop to while away some free time with a latte and a good book. I could not have stumbled upon a better place. As I walked in, I found walls lined with intriguing original artworks, soft lighting, beautiful plants, lots of cozy nooks and tables to set down and enjoy the lovely ambiance. There was the cheerful murmur of families with children spending time together, couples chatting, a local artist sharing their work, people like myself just relaxing with a good drink, reading or typing away. After being awed by all the amazing art as I walked in, I made my way to the counter and ordered my favorite, a chai latte! If dining in, drinks are offered here in an Epoch ceramic mug, which I think that alone should garner a 5-mug rating. Not only is it more healthy and environmentally conscious than drinking from plastic lidded disposable cups but having a nice warm mug to hold in your hands while breathing in the wonderful aroma of your drink as you raise it to your lips to take a sip, I would argue is mostly what makes a hot coffee or tea so satisfying. Anyway, back to the review, very shortly after ordering, the barista presented a perfect mug of chai with a delicious dash of spice sprinkled over a light foam of steamed milk. To me it tasted of nutmeg and cinnamon and possibly turmeric, which I found to be a pleasant surprise. I commenced to select a comfortable table for one and settled in with a good read and my nice warm chai, which was especially cozy on a very uncharacteristically chilly spring day for Austin Texas. Epoch is clearly a valued part of its community, and I hope to visit again whenever I’m in the area.

Love, Mrs. Lost Texan

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100089509195872

04/26/2026

Today marks SIXTEEN years that we’ve been slinging coffee on North Loop Blvd. We really couldn’t be more grateful for it all. Here’s to sixteen more! ❤️

04/26/2026

04/25/2026

Dos Gatos Kolache Bakery
☕☕☕☕(out of 5)
243 Wonder World Dr #106, San Marcos, Texas

Ok – technically (air quotes) this is a bakery (air quotes), but they have embraced and encouraged people staying, sitting, eating, talking, (drinking coffee) etc. For a bakery, they have grown a good “third place” for people in the area.

Coffee – full coffee and espresso options, and a good fixens bar. They sell Katz Coffee, which is a great brand and other coffee shops use (Wake the Dead Coffee), but know this: The owners of Dos Gatos last name are Katz – but they are not related to the owners of Katz Coffee (last name also Katz). Weird. Cosmic, even kismet, but weird.

Atmosphere – Comfortable and clean – and smells like a bakery. It can get crowded, but the staff are friendly and accommodating.

Food / Other Drinks – teas and other drinks, and freshly squeezed orange juice that can start a serious addiction. Did I mention the kolaches? There are kolaches you get from other coffee shops, truck stops, farmer’s markets, etc. - and then there are these, which show you HOW IT’S DONE – and freshly baked every day.

Seating – a large bench along the wall, and 4 little tables with chairs, that 10 could sit at inside semi-comfortably. Another couple of tables with chairs outside. Not a lot of seating room - a lot for a bakery - but it loses them ½ a cup in the rating. I think they have Wifi.

Community – This is a bakery, and they focus on that. The “coffee shop” element is an add-on, but other than being a great local business, not much in the way of community involvement. As a result, they lose another ½ cup (for the coffee shop part - they get 10 tummy rubs for the kolaches).

A cool place, with great kolaches – and still a pretty decent coffee shop / third place. Great place to stop for a bit.

https://www.facebook.com/dgkww