A good coffee shop feels a tad homey — inviting, cozy and overflowing with delicious scents. A great coffee shop (at least for this coffee-shop-hopping writer) is one that has all of the above yet still manages to give you your space and spur inspiration in an artful, inexplicable way. Vintage Heart Coffee, 78702’s latest coffee haunt, does just that.

Adding to the ever-growing list of new, design-savvy, on-trend East Austin establishments, VHC officially opened just a few weeks ago at 1405 E. Seventh St. Situated in a blink-and-you-might-miss-it building, its neighbor to popular Mexican food restaurant Takoba and looks out over the shady lawn of the Texas State Cemetery across the street.

Maybe it’s the sleek unfinished wood surfaces, or the cushy couches with their Restoration Hardware-esque vibe. Or perhaps it’s the layout itself — simple, clean and focused on letting as much light into the space as allowed by the building’s modest structure. Whatever the reason, Vintage Heart is full of subtle yet bright creative energy of the best kind.

There is service with a smile, an unobtrusive (yet still toe-tapping) soundtrack drifting over the speakers and an array of seating options available for even the most fickle patron. All this and not even a mention of the goods.

Like with many a favorite Austin small business, Vintage Heart is unabashedly local and proud of it. The baristas brew Third Coast Coffee’s fair trade beans and serve pastries from Russell’s Bakery and vegan donuts from Red Rabbit Cooperative (trust me, they're incredible).

It’s the type of place that has you confused as to whether you were hanging out in someone’s actual den when you walk out the door. Befuddled or not, you’ll most certainly leave with a delicious drink in hand and a calmer approach to your day.

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Vintage Heart Coffee is open Monday – Thursday from 7 a.m. – 10 p.m., and stays open until 11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. (512) 524-0583