Mary's Cubana Coffee

Three years ago when I move into the Bouldin Neighborhood, there was just the veritable Bouldin Creek Coffee shop on S 1st, and Cafe Caffeine tucked away on W Mary. One winter morning I went to Bouldin Creek Coffee shop after a 50-mile ride and 4-mile run, cold and tired, I made the mistake of ordering a Grande Americano, and the staff made fun of me. I’d waited long enough already and just left, never to return.

Well now on South 1st alone there is Fair Bean, Fair Bean in RunTex, Once Over Coffee, and of course Bouldin Coffee shop is still there keeping “Austin weird”, but this week there is a new addition, Mary’s Cubana Coffee.[Update: I was emailed and reminded that Summer Moon is also on South 1st, south of Oltorf]

I walked there early this morning, they have a very straight forward menu, I went for the Cubana cafe au lait Café con leche with codensed milk. They also offer espresso and an iced coffee. I really had no idea what to expect, and what I got took me back to the coffee of the early 1970’s in London.

That strange combination of strong, but sweet, and slightly sour. It was in a cup just slightly bigger than a tall cup for a double espresso, had a small foamed head and was resonably hot. At $2.79, if you are a quantity person this wasn’t great value, but as we sat in the front yard of Jovitas and talked, I could indeed imagine being at a street vendor in Havanna or Miami.

Mary’s Cubana was on South Lamar, I don’t know if this is the same cabin moved, or a second location. If steamed condensed coffee is your favorite then this is an interesting stop-off. Marys is on the east side of South 1st St, in Jovitas parking lot and is ONLY open from 7am-11am, stop off on your drive downtown!