Merit Coffee

Originally hailing from San Antonio, Merit Coffee has spent the last 15(ish) years expanding to three different cities in Texas, including Austin. And in that time the operation amassed a large, dedicated following—it’s rare to walk into a Merit and not find a short wait. Beans are sustainably sourced and roasted locally enough an hour south, and this is the only place we’ve been to that offers both washed and natural cold brew on tap. What’s the difference between the two? We’re pretty sure that one’s a little fruitier than the other, but that’s probably more of a question for the experts behind the counter.