Austin is about to have as many Merit Coffee Company locations as the brewer's hometown of San Antonio. The fourth Austin location, at 1900 Aldrich St. in the Mueller neighborhood, is slated to open Saturday, February 14.

Merit Coffee first opened in San Antonio in 2009, and now has 14 shops in Texas, including some in Dallas. One more is on the way for Houston. Despite the close relationship between the capital and Alamo cities, San Antonio and Dallas each have five locations and Austin is playing catch-up.

The new shop at 1900 Aldrich is on a booming street that in the past year added a Pilates studio, a mezcal bar by the locally famous Veracruz All Natural Team, and a new vegan restaurant by way of Nashville to replace Rebel Cheese, which saddened many locals by closing in December 2025.

In a press release, Merit nods to its "barista-led experience" and an interior design that should broadly appeal to "families, professionals, and community-focused organizations."

Merit offers all the classic coffee concoctions, plus fun seasonal flavors and specialty brews. Right now, Austinites can try a bourbon cream cold foam, a Cereal Milk Cold Brew with Fruity Pebbles-infused oat milk, or a Dulce Spice Latte with spiced dulce de leche syrups to step out of their usual routines.

The shop also serves a variety of matcha drinks and both breakfast and dessert pastries: cinnamon rolls, kolaches, croissants, and more. Visitors can also take home house roasts or order them online. A subscription that renews every two, three, or four weeks keeps the coffee coming while reducing trips to the shop.

"Austin has embraced the Merit café experience from day one," said Bill Ellis, CEO of Merit Coffee. "Our South Lamar, Seaholm, and Triangle cafés continue to thrive in their respective neighborhoods, and now we're excited to share our hospitality on the east side of the city for the very first time."

Austinites will be invited to stop by for a grand opening celebration in Mueller, but a date has not been announced yet. They can expect drink specials and giveaways to mark the occasion.

Merit Coffee has not listed hours for the Mueller location yet.