My family had the BEST worst time at Gruene Coffee Haus! Yours can, too!
Perhaps I should elaborate on my Gruene Coffee Haus experience. Allow me to set the stage for you.
We had prepped Orson and Nova that this was our planned Saturday morning adventure. We were going to go to Gruene Coffee Haus to get “treats”. They were down to party at the mention of the T-word. Even Coen was willing to go to bed an hour early so that he could wake up earlier to go get goodies with the fam.
At this point, we were all excited at the prospect of consuming delicious baked goods. And Mama and Papa were looking forward to that Saturday-morning, good caffeine fix.
Gruene Coffee Ouch!
We pulled into the convenient parking lot and started heading in right around 9 AM. Orson was practically skipping in his dapper Ten Little sandals to get at those promised “trea-ts!” (he has been working on his hard, final consonants). He stumbled. Oh, but he’s back up! He’s okay! All good!
Then, he bounds ahead, and BOOM! He goes down hard on his poor, soft, little knees. He comes back up, slower this time, and guys, it’s a bad owie. Maybe the worst one he’s had in his whole 2.5 years of life. Blood pooling at the broken skin site. A solid abrasion. One that hurts if you even look at it. One that stings like hellfire if a gentle breeze whispers against it.
Of course he’s going to cry and scream. He’s in pain. But my little man is also a champ, so after taking a beat to brush off the “Oh, here we go, of course this would happen now” discompassion that a seasoned RN-turned Mama could easily default to, we picked him up and consoled him with a loving embrace and carried him the rest of the way to the Gruene Coffee Haus entrance.
Calm Crowding
A friendly, fellow patron opened the door for us with a warm smile. As we walked over the Gruene Coffee Haus threshold, we were struck by just how many fellow patrons there happened to be here. This. place. was. packed.
I say that, but not even 15 minutes later, as we were receiving our order, a higher volume of people started pouring through the door, and any hint of an organized queue was merely a fantasy. I mentioned to Nathan that it seemed as though we had gotten up to Gruene Coffee Haus just in time.
In spite of the crowd, the environment still felt peaceful. The other patrons were friendly. The barista was kind and sincere. She didn’t act frazzled and didn’t rush us at all. Standing in line didn’t take too terribly long, and it provided enough time for us to decide what we wanted to order from the wide selection of beverages offered. Not to mention, time to just take in the chic decorating and appealing aesthetic.
Orson, in spite of his “knee hurt”, had been relatively calm and patient, only occasionally letting his wounded agony seep through with cries and whines. It was easy enough to redirect him to the appetizing display of pastries and baked goods, though. The soothing promise of sugar cures all.
Our Order
We ordered three 16-oz beverages and three treats. Nathan and I selected an iced americano and a latte double macchiato with a cinnamon roll and cinnamon crunch muffin to split with the babies. Coen chose a chai latte and a cream cheese brownie. It was a pleasant surprise that (before gratuity), it only cost $25 for all 5 of us to enjoy this special Gruene Coffee Haus outing.
The barista politely offered to warm up our baked goods, but Orson started fussing again. We opted against it to quickly move to the open seating outside, assuming that the treats would be room temperature. We didn’t realize that the cinnamon rolls are kept chilled. Despite the coldness of the roll, it was tasty. Bet it would be that much better hot, but that was our fault. The muffin was baked well. Not dry and crumbly, but not overly moist or dense like a cupcake would be. Just light, airy, satisfying, and flavorful.
Gruene Coffee Haus is another small business that admirably supports other local small businesses. Cooperation vs competition. The sweet treats on offer come from Sweet Dreams Bakery and Mrs. Bush’s Pie Co. As for Gruene Coffee Haus’s coffee beans, they’re freshly roasted on an as needed basis. The coffee is strong, the espresso hits, the flavor is fresh and enticing. Coen commented that he could “really taste the chai” in his latte.
Needless to say, we enjoyed all of the flavors. The baked goods were delicious, but nothing I’d say that really jumped out at me in particular. The coffee, however, is ON. POINT.
Outstanding
What did stand out to us, besides the coffee itself, was the awesome service, the relaxing atmosphere (in spite of “owie” chaos and crowding), and the ample, adorable, outdoor, café seating.
Even though Orson fell and hurt himself, which could have left us with a negative memory association and feeling of overwhelm, Nathan and I were talking about how we can’t wait to go back. Practically from the moment we got back in the car to head home. We particularly adore that we now have an affordable one-stop-shop for caffeine and goodies that we can enjoy as a whole family outing.
The crowding is understandable for a multitude of reasons. The coffee is superb, for one. Gruene Coffee Haus is small inside, so not a lot of standing room when it gets to be “standing-room only”. And, primarily, it’s the busy season in a tourist town. Of course, it’s going to be PACKED. Not to mention, we went on a Saturday morning at 9 AM. Had we gotten there by, maybe 8 AM, on a weekday, I’d hazard a guess that it wouldn’t be that bad.
And the outdoor café seating. What a godsend when you have a suffering toddler needing to shed some tears. It’s spacious, and there was a pleasant breeze (to carry away Orson’s cries as he had his big feelings). There’s even a dog watering station so that your canine compadres can keep you company while you consume caffeine.
All About That Atmosphere
If you want to enjoy some delectably superior coffee and make the best out of a stressful situation, I cannot think of a better place to do it. I’ve previously written about some out my favorite coffee spots/bakeries in New Braunfels, but Gruene Coffee Haus is definitely in the running now, vying for first place.
We’re looking forward to a return visit in the very near future. Busy season or not. Once Orson has convalesced, of course.
Gruene Coffee Haus: Order Up!
Pros:
Peaceful environment (even when you wouldn’t expect it to be). Cute, modern, chic décor. Selection of gifts and bagged coffee beans for caffeine-lovers. Indoor and ample, comfortable outdoor seating. Friendly, patient service. Unbeatable prices. Deliciously fresh coffee. Great variety in beverages. Including mimosa floats! Some good baked treat selections. Supportive of other local small businesses. Convenient parking. Pet-friendly (can even provide baked treats for your puppy dog pals). God-fearing.
Cons:
Small interior. Susceptible to over-crowding, especially during peak busy season. Nathan and I really wish Gruene Coffee Haus was open later. It would definitely make the list of go-to date places. Since it’s 7 AM-7 PM, we’ll only get to enjoy this sweet caffeine sanctuary with our toddlers in tow.