As a former (perhaps even “recovering”) New Yorker, the thrill of the 24-hour coffeehouse is engrained in my brain as A Good Thing. Probably not a Martha Stewart-y “good thing,” since these places tend to be full of the types of weirdos and miscreants who need coffee and cheesecake at 3 in the morning. You know, the artists and derelicts of society, i.e. my kind of people.
Still, the lure of destinations that are open at all hours of the day or night makes me feel like I’m in the right place, that even if I am wide awake for no apparent reason, and just need someplace to go air out my temporary insomnia, I won’t feel like a complete and total freak who is wandering in the darkness, clutching a notebook, and feeling a little bit lost.
Sometimes, a 3 AM coffee is just what you need to feel like a human being again. Or stare at a few until you do…
So now that I know that Epoch Coffee is a 24-hour joint, I like it even more than I already did!
The first thing I noticed about Epoch was, actually, something unrelated to the coffeeshop itself. A yard art installation across the street caught my eye when I first pulled up to the joint. This particular art project is a giant panda head “impaled” on some type of (flag?) pole, which has been painted blood red at one end. Apparently this panda head is some type of father/son art project, and the expression on the head will change according to moods, seasons or other randomness. Or so local legend has it.
I only had my crappy cell phone camera on me, so I didn’t get any sweet snaps of the panda head, but if anyone’s got any photos of this uniquely Austin yard art please get in touch!
As for Epoch itself, I’ve sucked down their delightful Iced Mocha twice now, and would highly recommend it to coffee lovers on a hot summer day. The second time I ordered it, I was even asked whether I’d prefer Dutch or Mexican chocolate, and went with Mexican for a cinnamon kick. Seriously: screw the “Mocha Frappuccino” at the Evil Empire–this frosty beverage kicks its ass!
If you’re looking for some eats, they’ve got baked goods from the Upper Crust Bakery, sandwiches and wraps from The Green Cart, and pizza from East Side Pies. Haven’t tried any of these myself, but I’ve heard good things.
Conveniently located in the same groovy mini-mall as Blue Velvet (vintage clothing) and Breakaway Records, you can shop ’til you drop or linger on the patio for a while. Take advantage of their free wifi and get some work done, or just chill with your homies on a Lazy Sunday afternoon. Seriously, what’s not to love about this place?
