Cup of Joe
Austin industry vets brew new craft coffee and food trailer downtown
There's a new place to get your caffeine fix: My Name is Joe Coffee Co. opens in downtown Austin on Thursday, February 2.
This craft coffee and food trailer is the latest concept from two local industry veterans: William Ball, owner of Garage Cocktail Bar downtown, and chef Philip Speer. Success in Austin's restaurant and beverage scene has come at cost to the duo, as both have "struggled mightily with alcohol and drug dependency."
As a result, My Name is Joe is donating 1.2 percent of its proceeds to Comfort Cafe, a restaurant in Smithville that employs residents of the nonprofit treatment center, Serenity Star Recovery.
"Coffee is how we address addiction in the service industry and beyond," said Ball in a release. "We're creating a workplace for people in recovery where sobriety and a love for food and coffee cannot only coexist, but thrive."
The converted Airstream travel trailer, located at 501 Colorado St., offers a diverse lineup of coffee drinks and "stick-to-the-ribs" food, as Speer puts it. Dishes include savory porridge and oats; sweet granola and oatmeal; and three hearty toast options, from almond butter to avocado.
For the caffeine lineup, the team consulted Los Angeles' Nice Coffee founder, Tyler Wells, who came by way of Progress Coffee and Frank in Austin. Expect a diverse mix of coffee classics and unique concoctions.
"We are beginning small with a coffee and culinary trailer," said Speer. "As serious as we are about supporting recovery from this disease, we’re equally passionate about the coffee and food that we're serving every day out of our Airstream."
Hours are Monday through Friday, 7 am to 3 pm.