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Categories: Coffee & Tea, Specialty Food
Neighborhood: East Austin$1 off all domestics & a different import special every night.
We have over 40 bottled beers!
$1 off all sandwiches. Come join us from 5-7!
Mon. 7:30 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Sat-Sun. 8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
"If I wanted to go to a fun, funky coffee bar in east Austin, this is where I would go. I had some time to kill...I drove by (wait! a new…" read more »
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Well I hate to take the "based on 69" away from the world, but here's review number 70 for Cafe Mundi......
Let me begin by stating that I am not, by many definitions, a hippy. I like to shower, use some chemicals around the house, and even occasionally trim the hairs of my armpits (really?!), even if only in a healthy, socially prescribed way.
That being said, I tend to like things that are local, naturally grown (whatever that means), and that have a feeling of uniqueness and untouchedness by dollars. Cafe Mundi is definitely all of these things.
Went looking for a unique brunch experience this most recent saturday and came across cafe mundi on yelp. Saw they had migas and made an executive yes decision.
The coffee is great and is oh-so-locally grown without pesticides, and blah blah blah. The migas were good, not great, but everyone else was really happy with their waffle fruit and egg plates. The menu is not terribly large, and is highly lacking in carcass options, but that's to be expected with hippies.
The only problem with this place is that it is order at the counter and get the number (or rather, portrait of BandW movie star) and they deliver it to you. Now this is fine, except the line for ordering gets really long, and the gal stops taking orders to carefully prepare the espresso drinks (which is appreciated, but not the timing.) Maybe they just need more employees, or a better system, or maybe this is how they keep out people with little patience. Either way, I still really like this place, I'm just gonna stay outside with the dog next time and let friend go inside and order....
Beauregardless
Cafe Mundi was one of the first cafe's if not the first to open East of I-35. They saw growth in an area that others had yet to see when 10 years ago, Mundi opened in an industrial area next to some freight rail tracks.
The cafe is now a pillar in the community and host to many events for all types of folks. The space indoors, while a bit dark, is spacious and has a pleasant atmosphere. The patio/garden is where it's at and a great place to have a cup of coffee and read - plan the day ahead or discuss the day behind.
The food, coffee, and service is as good as the person behind the counter. Sometimes it is stellar and other times it lags behind. They make much of their food in house - in asset in a town where many cafes lack the ability to make a waffle or an egg sandwich
First time venturing out by the railroad on the other side of I-35 after a refreshing run out on the TLT. Saw this place on yelp and wanted to see what all the fuss was about.
I was starving and needed my daily caffeine fix so I decided to check this place out. WOW. They have yerba-mate traditional gourd style! The empanada combo was small, but the crisp pastry was delightfully spiced, and the salad had the perfect mix of greens. Americano wasn't bad either.
Only thing wrong was that they had problems with wi-fi that day (who doesn't occasionally) leaving many patrons frustrated as their online lives, business plans, and surfing fix were temporarily interrupted.
My favorite Austin finds are the ones that appear out of nowhere when I take an unexpected turn on a barren-looking gravel street. Cafe Mundi appeared like a lush oasis off the railroad tracks on a graffiti-filled side street (though the graffiti is beautifully done and must be the work of professionals). This place is great, you will love it. I think they close early (like around 3pm) during the week, FYI.
I think I've died and gone to Cafe Mundi. I had to get away from the South Austin for a bit because it seems people that were attending ACL stopped in all the restaurants I wanted to go for breakfast. And I still wanted pancakes.
So ventured over to the East side and it seems like a rocky road because of the unpaved road and the railroad tracks. It was definitely worth it. You get here and you see this patio/garden - it. is. heaven.
Good strong coffee and they give it to you in a tall glass. Finally I did get my blueberry pancakes with some cornbread too. I'm happy and I love it here at Cafe Mundi.
The garden area gives me a feeling of peace and serenity. The bustling inside makes me feel comfortably at home. Sometimes there's some weird hippie stuff going on in the parking lot. When I'm at Mundi, all is right in the world.
I loved this place! Any place that can book Ocote Soul Sounds for a free show and provide beer, wine, and chai tea AND do it all on a gorgeous crepe myrtle ensconced party lighted patio AND attract everyone from the jeans and t-shirt crowd (myself) to the unwashed masses of Bohemia doing they solo don't-care-who's- watching dance, anyone who can do that has a definite place in weird Austin and in my heart. What a great welcome home!
LOVE IT! Could someone please tell me what is in their secret hot sauce recipe?
Whenever I come here for breakfast, I quickly dart my eyes to the waffle and egg option or the fruit and yogurt parfait, or egg sandwich; then I see another hot plate of migas being carried out with their deliciously concocted salsa (with a pinch of citrus)!
So, my husband and I always order more than we can eat and split it. What can I say? I am a tapas kind of girl even when it comes to breakfast; salty, spicy, sweet--I want it all.
Mundi has enough reviews without me going into crazy detail, so let me just say: BEST ICED MOCHA EVER. Oh my God, every sip is perfectly bittersweet. Fantastic banana crumble muffin as well.
Atmosphere = Good
Food/Drink = A++ would eat/drink again!
Location = weird, secret garden-y
Baristas = fun, friendly!
Boyfriend = sufficiently supplied with alcohol to sit with me while I hipster-coffee it up.
Thanks, Cafe Mundi!
Cafe Mundi is the anti-Starbucks. Where Starbucks is generic, Cafe Mundi is individual. Where Starbucks is consistent, Cafe Mundi tends to vary. Needless to say -- although I do frequent Starbucks --I prefer a place like Cafe Mundi.
The friend I breakfasted with on my last visit to Cafe Mundi is an avid hula hooper. She brought a couple of her custom-made hula hoops and proceeded to teach me how to hoop in the parking lot. I include this information in my review to underscore how laid-back and easy-going this place is. I can't even imagine hooping at Starbucks!!!
Cafe Mundi has a good selection of standard breakfast fare like bagels, muffins, and even migas. And as one might hope, the coffee is very good.
Oh Cafe Mundi, how I love thee. let me count the ways
1) You're a two block walk from my apartment
2) Your salsa is amazing
3) You have the best beer selection I've ever seen in a small cafe
4) The Fibbanachi? ace.
5) The patio/garden is absoulutely relaxing and on somedays you can watch artists sprucing up the permission wall across the street.
6) Your bread is soooo good
7) Your waitstaff has always been helpful
8) To top it off, all organic and locally bought produce? Nice. (I'm about 90% sure of this one)
Most days I just walk down with a book, order a new beer and a Fibbanachi (no idea if I'm spelling that correctly), and just relax outside under the trees and watch the cute little birds eat chips.
P.S. Breakaway Records in the same complex is the best record store in town. Check it out when you check out Mundi.
I've been spending more and more time at this little east side haunt, and I'm starting to think its one of the best places to go in Austin. First of all, you can always get a seat (or at least I've never had a problem). The internet works (I'm looking at you, Progress) and the crowd is chill. I ride my bike over here and besides the uneven paving job on 5th street, the ride over is relatively safe.
Cafe Mundi has a selection of oddball beers (not on draught, as far as I know) for very reasonable prices. Most of them are $2.50, which is a damn fine price for a beer considering how much they are at most other places. Did I mention that the food is delicious? I just tried to eggplant empanada and its fantastic!! They have several vegetarian options including tofu migas, daily empanda specials and several sandwich and salad options. This place is great for studying as well as a hip spot for lunch. Also, its right next to the El Lay tortilla chip factory, so it constantly smells like fresh made tortilla chips. Yum.
Cafe Mundi has awesome, friendly service, great food and drinks, and is reasonably priced. A hidden treasure that gets better the more you visit it.
I love this place. Their coffee is amazing---especially love their vanilla lattes. I had lunch with a group of coworkers, and everyone loved the food (turkey provolone. salads, soups, and empanadas).
We sat outside at the picnic tables and didn't feel rushed. It's a chill place, and I recommend it to everyone who's hanging out on the eastside.
Cafe Mundi is tucked away on east East 5th Street. It's kind of a secret. They have a sprawling outdoor patio, and a fun indoor seating area with free wireless. The indoor area has cement floors that don't absorb sound, so it can get a little ear-splitting in there if there is, say, a screaming child.
The coffee is quite good, and they have an array of beer, wine, and interesting sodas. The food is also worth having. Last time I was there I had the roasted red pepper sandwich. It was on really nice focaccia bread and had a little chipotle kick. A great, unpretentious Austin spot.
I didn't get the chance to sit outside because it was hot and my friend wanted to sit inside... but the outdoor patio looked a-m-a-z-i-n-g and i can't wait to grab a book and go back to cafe mundi's patio!
anyway, i tried the vegan sandwich which was pretty tasty. i think i would have liked a vegetarian version of it with feta cheese. i also switched out the maple mustard for the spicy chipotle sauce, which was really good!
it's a little pricey for just wanting to go read a book because you know you're not going to just grab a coffee ... but you can be rest assured the food will taste good and very fresh.
This is a great place to go and if you are sitting at an outdoor table (recommended), you just may have to reflect on how very LUCKY you feel to be in Austin. At least, I sure did!
Their berry shakes are delicious (I tasted my friend's), the tofu migas was nice (I tasted my friend's) and came with chips and salsa -- though it must be said they were pretty chinzy on the salsa, my guess is you would have no trouble if you asked for free refills.
I got the Greek Plate. That was interesting and surprising. Just about every restaurant I go to, (and I don't go to the really expensive ones so I can't tell you about those), if the dish has feta cheese it will usually be an infinitesimal amount. Not so here. This Greek Plate was clearly ABOUT the feta, of which I got a very surprisingly generous dose -- and the kalamata olives were in a nice amount as well. There were some bread slices for dipping into oil and I don't know what kind of bread it was but it seemed like it was fresh out of a very nice bakery. There were nice slices of fresh tomato and mixed greens, a few slices of purple onion. Very nice (though a bit high-calorie).
The trees in the outside patio area are MARVELOUS, giving lots of shade and where, if you are facing south from your table, you can gaze upon an amazing block-long mural that has been painted on the building across the street. It has a black background for 90% of its length and atop are pleasingly colorful and fascinating late 20th and early 21st century Graffiti Art. I'm not normally all that much into graffiti art, but this mural made me wish I had a digital camera with me. Would have gotten a lot of really cool pictures!
But back to Cafe Mundi. I was there on a Sunday at lunchtime and there was a band playing (for the hat). GREAT band -- including a fiddle, great lead vocalist and might good lyrics to some mighty nice songs, though I would REALLY prefer the music had been louder. Until I moved to a table quite near the band I would not make out many of the words. I hope no new sound ordinance was behind that problem. I have no idea how often the band members play there, but if they are any indication of the type of music to expect there I give it an unqualified two thumbs up for "Authentic Austin Homegrown Music."
What a wonderful way to spend some time, eating good and generally healthy food (not cheap, but not expensive either) and just digging the atmosphere.
Inside there are tables too, and there are connections in several places for people that need to hook up their laptops for the Internet. About 4-5 tables inside were clearly inhabited by seriously-studying students, as well as 2-3 of the tables outside.
I needed a phone book to look up the address of a movie theater while I was there, and the very friendly wait staff pointed out to me the bookshelf area with the telephone books. Safe, friendly, pleasant, scenic for the trees and tables outside as well as the mural, and what's to complain about? I like it, I like it! Oh, and if you are someone like me who goes almost everywhere by bus -- they are on the 21/22 bus line. You can get off at 6th and walk down to 5th, take a west-hand (right-hand) turn onto 5th and it's about a block or so down the railroad tracks. (Yes, railroad tracks too!) Note: they are probably near other bus lines too -- I only know the one that works for me!
Found Cafe Mundi through a friend. It was in the perfect spot (right down the road from my favorite hair place..Karma Salon) and I loved the patio area. We sat up on a little raised platform that seemed made for a stage.
I had a Hibiscus Hurricane made with unsweet tea and it was perfect. Very refreshing. Had a bite of my friend's peanut butter cookie and it was very good.
This place is unpretentious. It doesn't try to be anything other than a little out -of-the-way coffee bar. I also loved the tree-surrounded patio. Add the colony of wild Quakers across the street and who could ask for more! :)
The outdoor patio is one of my favorite places in all of Austin. Perfectly shaded and somewhat isolated without being too far removed. And the furniture is comfortable. Ideal book-lounging atmosphere.
I love that this place is never crowded, even on weekends. They have a good variety of drinks. I usually go for the iced mate and their coffee is excellent. The sandwiches all look delicious, but ever since I tried the empanadas I can't bring myself to order anything else.
People bring their dogs here and I've been witness to at least a few pup skirmishes. So if you're afraid of dogs stay away. Also, the tortilla factory across the rail tracks emits some weird noises from time to time. Other than that, this place is amazing.
I love Cafe Mundi! Gorgeous patio, nice baristas, yummy coffee...
what's not to love?
So one of my coolest friends took me to this place. Hence one of the 5,001 reasons why she is one of my coolest friends.
Weird, artsy and funky dive! Coffee is yum and the food is pretty good. The peeps are super friendly. You can let your ass hang out here.
Does anyone else feel this way?: The building reminds me of some old fort where Davy Crockett must have washed his drawers (and such) before losing them at the Alamo.
Some of us haven't been living in Austin for very long, and there has been something that we in particular have been missing ... waffles! We have searched near and far for a Belgian waffle with maple syrup and a gigantic slab of butter, but we can't seem to find anything more than them small store-bought-style waffles. Then one day we happened to be at Cafe Mundi and noticed that they have big ass waffles on their weekend menu! We couldn't wait...it was Monday and we where 96 hours away from what we where hoping would be our answer to the big waffle famine of 2008.
When Saturday morning arrived, we ordered a couple of waffles with REAL maple syrup! Not the kind that comes in a plastic container ... oh, and the best part ... they where shaped like stars! Fast forward about three minutes into the future and we were done with them. We wanted so desperately to love them, but they were a little crispier then we would have liked but what can we say ... I guess we are waffle snobs. They were good enough to eat every last bite, but not good enough to lick the crumbs off the plate ... there is a big difference. We will be back to Cafe Mundi for their waffles and for their delightful atmosphere. Honestly, I think we will grow to love their waffles as if they where our very own.
from our post on our blog at http://eastaustinite.c...
I go to this place all the time to enjoy the garden area. Even on a hot day, this place is nice and shady outside. The staff has always been very nice and patient and I ilke the vibe of the place. I happened ot meet the owner, and she was very hospitable, down to earth and likeable.
I hope this place continues to thrive. I do wish they had more salads on their menu because I keep ordering the Chef's salad over and over. I'm not too fond of their foccacia bread as it seems a little too thick for the sandwiches. Other than that small complaint, I really like this place!
nice place, nice people, but the acoustics are terrible. concrete ceilings and floors means everything sounds like a sonic boom.
probably just fine though if you're sitting outside and if it weren't 194 degrees, i would sit out in their lovely garden...*sigh*...
(oops. cafe mundi just shook from the acoustic tremors of my sigh. it's the floor to ceiling concrete!)
Great coffee house right off 5th Street and the railroad tracks in East Austin. The area seems to be gentrifying at a scary pace, so get there while the place still has some nice dive-y threadbare character.
Coffee is excellent - both the "regular joe" and the specialty drinks. If you really need a jolt, try the Diablo - 4 shots of espresso made into a mocha sort of drink. Not too sweet, really eye-opening. Good breakfast sandwiches and migas. The salsa that comes with is quite good and fresh - surprising for a coffee house.
The only sad part of my last visit was that the wild parakeets weren't hanging out in the cell phone tower across the street. Apparently they fly south for the winter.
Stopped in for the first time today, the coffee was good, however, I'm not sure about having it served in a glass tumbler...
If I lived closer I would definitely stop here more often...
What I like about Cafe Mundi is that it is somewhat secluded, so its very ideal for meeting with someone for a conversation, or reading a book. The outdoor table area is very cute and relaxing, and on Monday nights they have free movie night which is nice once in a while(it's almost like a drive in because they show it in the parking lot).
What I have come to despise about the place is the price increase! To get their waffle plate now it's close to $8, and for some reason you are getting less food than before? Also whenever you order a waffle on a Saturday the baristas kind of sigh and say "oh well we can only make one at a time" making you feel like you have inconvenienced them.
So it started out as my favorite Saturday chill out place but latelky I have been really turned off.
good coffee, decent menu, nice atmosphere, . i do love when my latte comes in a tall glass, essentially a beer mug. though sitting outside is popular, i feel like "vibe" of the inside could use a little update. but that's just my opinion. everything else is just mundi.
Where else but Austin Tx would you get a nearly 6 foot tall Pippi Longstockings with tattoos to deliver your food? Two weeks ago I sought Cafe Mundi out because my friend kept raving about the soup. I was not disappointed! I ordered a layered drink, the fibonacci (?) and it knocked my socks off! Espresso, honey, cayenne (just to name a few) Then the soup came...warm toasted bread and plenty of it. Along side, a delectable steaming bowl of Salmon Dill soup, incredible! I went back the next day and enjoyed the Chilled Plum soup with a Roasted Red Pepper Sandwich...outstanding! Everyone was friendly and the atmosphere was quite charming.
Very much a unique and true representation of East Austin. I will frequent and tell my friends.
I'm in love.
I went here this afternoon to study and this is going to be my new study spot. I had a delicious raspberry chipotle jam and it was amazing, all raspberry, bbq, and spice. I loved it! I didn't try any of the other food items, but they all looked equally delicious. Next time.
The atmosphere is wonderful, especially the outside that has these beautiful tall trees. Even though there are a bunch of tables outside and it was pretty consistently crowded, because of all the trees, being at a table feels like you're in your own little world.
Down to the essentials:
Excellent WiFi connection
Super friendly staff
Ample seating
Ample parking (bike and car)
Dogs are welcome in the outside area!
Best mate drink award!
Mate is hard to get right and it doesn't get righter than Cafe Mundi's mint mate late.
This place is so amazing - an actual review of it, that they have framed on the wall describes it as "Hard to find, easy to love." That can not be more true, I consistently get lost EVERY SINGLE TIME I try to come.
The crowd can get pretty granola-y, and Cafe Mundi is kind enough to denote vegan options on their menu.
I've never had anything here that I didn't like and that ranges from salads to drinks to one particular sandwich that wasn't necessarily exciting, but healthy and good enough.
The interior and exterior, it's all so run-down in that hauntingly beautiful, in that untouched (so far) East Austin way that I must say - it's worth walking/driving aimlessly for 20 minutes to find... each time.
By the way, YES, there are parrots.
This is my favorite coffee shop to date. I keep coming back. It's the Yoga of coffee!
2nd Ruta Maya
3rd Progress
4th Epoch Coffee
So I went there for coffee and a sandwich- I had a cappuccino and the turkey provolone sandwich. All in all, I was impressed with Cafe Mundi. It was very charming, unique and fun. The cappuccino was very good, good espresso and plenty of foam. I was thoroughly impressed with the sandwich, as it easily exceeded my expectations and was extremely delicious.
The inside furniture was mostly patio furniture, which gave it a hard or harsh quality, but that's not unheard of at coffee places. The music was good (when I was there, it was the Beatles) but it wasn't too loud, thus rendering conversation impossible. I only saw the outside seating but it looked very nice, lots of plants and bushes that would make sitting outside very unique and fun, though maybe not so much on a summer day in Texas. Also, the fact that is is a little off the beaten track, hard to find and in a secluded area, gives it a great degree of charm as well.
As much as I liked it, I couldn't find a reason to give it 5 stars. Now I couldn't find a reason to not give it 5 stars either. I would definitely go back, but not on an extremely regular basis. It's very tough, because I can't think of anything that I really didn't like about it, but I can't find myself giving it 5 stars. It's a good place for a change of pace, as far as coffee shops go, but it's not the cream of the crop, in my book at least. Still, Cafe Mundi is worth the adventure to go check it out.
I just finished writing a bad review about Kenny Hill VW and i need to write a good one to even the world out. you know, ying and yang.
I'm been an eastsider for the past couple of years and really enjoy this place on a nice day. the crepe myrtles are lovely. growing since about 1985, so I was told. good people watching. stop by and have a cup of Joe or a beer if you like. I'm the dorky guy with no bedhead or tattoos.
shhh... don't tell anyone. best kept secret in Austin
There is absolutely nothing around this out of the way coffee/sandwich shop but that is part of the charm. Super cute outdoor space that will be much nicer when the leaves come back to the trees. And it is dog friendly :)
Turkey provolone sandwich on focaccia bread was a little spicy but then I am a spice wimp. So you'll probably love it.
Looks like you need to be a super cool artist to enter this east side coffee house but the staff and patrons are very friendly.
Austin is blessed with many unique coffee houses and Cafe Mundi is on the top of the list. The coffee is excellent and the food is well prepared.
I always forget about this place until I am with friends from out of town. It's small and gets busy, but the service is wonderful and the people are super lovely. From what I heard, everyone enjoyed what they ate this morning. Two of us had a bagel with PB, honey and granola and it was the best combination ever. I can't even describe what their granola was like- it was too yummy.
I would love to live in this part of town, and a coffee shop within walking distance of a potential loft, apt. or house in this area is - I think - be too good to be true.
Cafe Mundi is located on E. 5th St. between Comal and Chicon. You may want to schedule getting lost into your agenda. It's actually not that hard to find, but the location totally throws you off. I think someone already mentioned it....you'll think you're in the wrong place, but you're actually not. (Here's a hint about Austin: any street that has "E." in front of the street name is probably east of IH-35.) E. 5th St. runs parallel to a set of railroad tracks. The road to get there is not paved.
Anyway, the location is pretty cool. I guess a hidden coffee shop with actual plant life is even more romantic than a boring old java joint with a parking lot and some planted geraniums from Home Depot.
Cafe Mundi is small, but they make good use of what they have with nicely spaced out tables (yeah!). They have a bit of a background music/people chatting imbalance, but a friend and I both thought this could be solved by hanging a tapestry or more art on the walls to absorb some of the sound. The cafe has an extensive menu and decent prices, but I wasn't overly impressed by the food (although apparently I should have tried the waffles and the beer....nearly everyone in the place had a beer on a Sunday morning!) They do have Wednesday evening poetry readings and Monday night movies as well as many other events. Check out their website for a listing.
I would say Cafe Mundi is much more of a social coffee house than it is a work one. No one on laptops here...just plain jane conversation and old-fashioned laughter. Remember those days?
Cafe Mundi is worth a visit.
Real Foliage? Check.
Real Mate`? Check.
Fantastic Service? Check!
They don't mess around with any of their kitchen items, as evidenced by the enormous waffle I enjoyed this past Saturday morning. The fact that I can get day-old stick buns for a buck is a big plus, not to mention their very decent beer selection and free wifi. They also make a mean cup of espresso and the baristas will remember your name!
Stop messing around and adventure over to this east side gem.
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