One Step Forward

Austin coffee shop progresses beyond city limits with 2nd brick-and-mortar

Folks down south will soon get a taste of one of Austin’s iconic cafes when Progress Coffee + Beer brings its signature brews to a new space in the growing town of Buda on August 25. This new hangout space aims to attract lovers of coffee, food, and even cocktails, charming with its two decades of experience as a cult favorite farther north.

Progress Coffee + Beer opened its doors in 2004 as a small cafe located in East Austin, specializing in small-batch coffee and cocktails. After all that time (and some years of not having a public physical space), this will be the coffee shop’s first location out of town, and only its second brick-and-mortar anywhere.

Progress co-founder James Benson said that after many friends and family members moved south it made sense for them to follow, and that everyone is excited to be part of the new community.

“We hoped we would be well received and the positive response has already exceeded our expectations since word got out. Some of our staff live, or have family, in the area so they're excited to bring something like this closer, which makes us happy to be a part of,” says Benson in correspondence with CultureMap.

The new location will continue with Progress Coffee and Beer’s commitment to fostering community with a large, family- and dog-friendly patio, indoor space with large TVs, and a walk-up window with grab-and-go items.

Besides the signature coffee, locally roasted in Progress’ flagship store in Austin, there will be a full bar with local beer, wine, and cocktails their patrons know and love, plus new drinks specifically crafted for the Buda location.

The fun doesn’t stop there, because what is an Austin coffee shop without its partnering food trucks? On the spacious patio, Gebby’s BBQ and taco truck Pueblo Viejo will offer breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Progress will also serve all-day menu items from beloved local bakery Easy Tiger.

“The Buda location will have more of a ‘home’ feel that begins with the cabin-like exterior and flows through the furniture and decor,” says Benson. “We will still have a similar rounded stone and wood bar, but will also have couches and comfortable booths.”

Events at the Buda location will include “Geeks Who Drink” trivia nights every Wednesday and live music every Thursday to Sunday, with more programming to come. There’s also an outdoor playscape for kids, for even more family-friendly fun.

“Our new location is east of IH-35, which is still an underserved area, so we’re happy to bring great food and drink options for everyone in Buda to enjoy!” said Benson in a release.

So far, there are no plans to keep expanding to other cities (imagine another 20 years), but Benson says he is open to it if an opportunity arises.

Progress Coffee + Beer will open to the public on Friday, August 25th, at 750 FM 2001 in Buda. Hours of operation are Sunday to Wednesday from 7 am to midnight, and Thursday to Saturday from 7am to 2 am. Progress is also still looking to hire some staff for the new location. Inquire via email to budamanager@progresscoffee.com.

Rendering courtesy of Progress Coffee + Beer

The new location in Buda is more homey than the industrial renovation in Austin.

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Near and Deer

Vespaio-trained chef serves venison from trailer at Austin's Sign Bar

Photo courtesy of Sign Bar.

Born and Braised, specializing in native ingredients and braised meats, is now open at Sign Bar.

Born and Braised, a food trailer specializing in native ingredients and braised meats, has just opened for business at Sign Bar. Chef and owner William Woodland, a.k.a. Woody, says so far things are going great.

"They're doing a great job promoting us at Sign Bar. I feel really special," says Woodland.

This is a big change from several years ago when sign bar first opened and Woodland says he "pestered" the folks behind the cool new space.

"I think at that time they wanted to see a couple of years of good experience," says Woodland. "And now my reviews are insanely good — so I think that helped!"

Born and Braised started out at Lustre Pearl back in 2022, and then quickly moved over to Sage Brush where it stayed for more than a year. More recently, Woodland has been operating out of Bastrop and is happy to be closer to town again at Sign Bar, which is located in East Austin. It's still a bit of a drive for many, but not as far south.

Some of the menu items include birria tacos, homemade birria ramen, and multiple venison-based dishes: chili, a smash burger, and bratwurst. There's also grilled cheese, street corn, and other sides.

"I think it's one of only a couple of places in town where you can get venison any time," says Woodland. He adds that the main focus of any foods he prepares is minimal waste and using good, quality, native ingredients. "I'm kind of an ingredient hippie," he laughs.

These cooking roots can be traced back to Woodland's days at his grandparents' out in the country, where his uncles butchering deer in the garage was the norm, and venison was always on the table. As an adult, Woodland got his "formal" education in the kitchen at Vespaio under the tutelage of Ryan Samson.

"He gave me his culinary book from when he went to school and quizzed me everyday; basically took me to culinary school through that job," says Woodland. "I cry thinking about him all the time. Great guy; a really good mentor."

Born and Braised is open Tuesdays through Fridays from 4 pm to 2 am, and Saturdays from 11 am to 2 am, at Sign Bar Austin (9909 FM 969, Bldg. 3). The bar, decorated with more than 75 retired signs from legendary local businesses, offers a variety of beers, wines, and cocktails.

Sign Bar Holiday Tree This miniature Zilker Tree is the newest permanent installation at Sign Bar. Photo courtesy of Sign Bar

As of early December, guests can enjoy all Sign Bar has to offer next to the Sign Bar Holiday Tree. This 64-foot tall tree is an homage to the Zilker Tree, and unlike most holiday displays, this tree will be up year-round. Guests can even spin under this mini-Zilker Tree — but may want to give it a minute after a bowl of venison chili.

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