Cult Los Angeles Coffee Shop Alfred Is Hitting Austin

Aesthetically pleasing Los Angeles coffee mini-chain Alfred is expanding into Austin for its first non-California or Japan location. The coffee shop will be found in the lobby of forthcoming downtown spot the Line ATX Hotel, which is set to open in late spring 2018.

The fashionable coffee shop is known for its Stumptown coffee, the famous phrase “But first, coffee.” (trademarked and all, often displayed in fun neon on the cafe’s walls) and accompanying hashtag #butfirstcoffee, tile designs, tea, and breakfast burritos, all of which will be found at the Austin location. There will be an Austin-specific coffee sleeve too.

The Austin location of Alfred will boast of exclusive Texas-only drinks. First, there’s the Green Eye, which consists of a matcha shot paired with one of the shop’s iced teas, either the white coconut or rosy black. Then there’s the Oats and Honey latte, with oat milk, local wildflower honey, and two espresso shots.

Alfred/Facebook

Founder Joshua Zad is familiar with Texas — he lived in Dallas for three years and his sister graduated from UT last year — and it “feels like everything progresses to Austin,” he told Eater. The Line opportunity “was a no-brainer,” for him.

“Austin is doing an incredible job in the coffee space,” Zad said. He already familiarized himself with the local coffee scene, shouting out Houndstooth Coffee and Flat Track Coffee. “What we want to do is add to that and complement what these other great coffee shops are doing, but bring our own flair to Texas.”

As of now, there are no further plans to expand beyond this one Austin location, but it’s a “good barometer for us,” Zad said. “Being a newcomer in this town, a lot of the responsibility is alleviated for us,” he continued, “because we have a captive hotel audience that we can serve throughout the course of the day. Once we win over the Austin crowd itself and they find us, then we can continue that tradition with them.”

Zad opened Alfred’s first location opened on Melrose Place in 2013, and quickly grew with five other locations in Los Angeles, along with tea room spin-offs, one in Los Angeles, and the other two in Tokyo.

Alfred Austin joins the Line ATX Hotel’s three other new restaurants. Boston Top Chef winner Kristen Kish is opening her first restaurant, Arlo Grey. Austin chef Damien Brockway is opening a rooftop restaurant, P6, which will highlight Texas roots. Then, Mexico City chef Justin Ermini is opening a casual restaurant, with the name to come later.

• Alfred [Official]
• Alfred [Facebook]
• Alfred [Instagram]
• ‘Top Chef’ Kristen Kish Is Opening an Austin Restaurant [EATX]
• All Coverage of Line Hotel [EATX]