Mundi Coffee Truck

The only decent thing is the ambience. The food was whack, my blueberry pancake was worse than an eggo and ther salsa omlette was morbid special. Staff wasn’t very friendly and asked us to bus our own table. They were too busy absorbed in their own conversation about their favorite band.

Sun tea and egg sandwiches under the pecan tree with ample shade and a generous cool breeze along the creek /​spillway.
I’m happy I live close by and look forward to more mellow mornings.

Café Mundi lives! They are serving a limited selection of drinks and foods at Big Red Sun at:
1102 East Cesar Chavez Street, Austin
They are currently open only from 8 AM — 1 PM M-​F. If more people show up, Jessica may consider lengthening the hours.
The front door may be locked. Facing the front, walk to the left of the building along Medina, then turn right into the garden.

Last Saturday the ladyfriend and I participated in the first Austin Idiotarod. For those of you who are unfamiliar, the Idiotarod is basically a pub run in your best costume. People went all out. There was one team that dressed up like the Clockwork Orange guys. There was another team that was just a bunch of dudes in dresses. That one was disturbing.
I digress. The reason why I mention this is because Café Mundi was kind enough to let our weird pack of idiots congregate at their establishment prior to the race.
The staff at Café Mundi was very friendly. They definitely got a chuckle out of our ridiculous costumes.
The Café had a pretty good selection of beers — suprising actually. I have tasted quite a few beers in my day and there was a bunch that they have in stock that I had never tried. At the beginning of the race I tried «Dale’s Ale». It was not very good.
They seemed to have some decent food options and some good non-​alcoholic beverages for you lamo’s, haha.
The seating was adequate inside and outside they had quite a few tables and the likes. I could defintiely see myself becoming a regular here if I only lived a little closer.
Unfortunately for me, it appears that I found out about this fine establishment too late as they are closing up shop relatively soon. Apparently the landlord jacked up the rent or something. Hopefully it’s not permanent.

Very cool place, very Austin-​y and hipster-​like. On a beautiful day, It’s nice to sit outside and enjoy your coffee/​tea. Everyone appears to be easy-​going and the baristas are very low-​key and unpretentious. a plus since some coffee people think they are all that and a bag a chips. heLLO you’re serving me my coffee! This is just my personal tick… i like my baristas friendly and helpful.
I ordered the Thai iced coffee. which was a bad choice. It doesn’t taste like thai tea AT ALL… so for the Asian-​y drinks, I would avoid.
Negatives: Lighting is pretty dim so if you’re trying to study hardcore, not the best place. Tables range from smallish to medium large… so can’t lug tons of stuff with you. I wouldn’t necessarily come here to study or get work done… doesn’t seem like that kind of a coffee place.
Positives: Very nice patio area, easy-​going atmosphere, good place to talk and catch up with friends.

Dear, dear Café Mundi… how deeply saddened I am to hear of your March 21 end date /​self-​proclaimed new beginning… all because your greedy landlord doubled the rent.
Your hip, friendly servers, your huge & amazing beer selection, your phenomenal playlists, your warm and welcoming atmosphere both inside and out, your delicious migas, breakfast sandwiches and waffles, your fun movie nights… no more.
For anyone who hasn’t experienced this unique, tucked-​away gem on E. 5^th, do yourself a huge soul-​satisfying favor and go before March 21… you won’t be disappointed.
Thanks CM… keep your chin up and hope to see you very soon.

Well I hate to take the «based on 69» away from the world, but here’s review number 70 for Café Mundi…
Let me begin by stating that I am not, by many definitions, a hippy. I like to shower, use some chemicals around the house, and even occasionally trim the hairs of my armpits (really?!), even if only in a healthy, socially prescribed way.
That being said, I tend to like things that are local, naturally grown (whatever that means), and that have a feeling of uniqueness and untouchedness by dollars. Café Mundi is definitely all of these things.
Went looking for a unique brunch experience this most recent saturday and came across café mundi on Unilocal.Saw they had migas and made an executive yes decision.
The coffee is great and is oh-​so-​locally grown without pesticides, and blah blah blah. The migas were good, not great, but everyone else was really happy with their waffle fruit and egg plates. The menu is not terribly large, and is highly lacking in carcass options, but that’s to be expected with hippies.
The only problem with this place is that it is order at the counter and get the number (or rather, portrait of BandW movie star) and they deliver it to you. Now this is fine, except the line for ordering gets really long, and the gal stops taking orders to carefully prepare the espresso drinks (which is appreciated, but not the timing.) Maybe they just need more employees, or a better system, or maybe this is how they keep out people with little patience. Either way, I still really like this place, I’m just gonna stay outside with the dog next time and let friend go inside and order…
Beauregardless

My favorite Austin finds are the ones that appear out of nowhere when I take an unexpected turn on a barren-​looking gravel street. Café Mundi appeared like a lush oasis off the railroad tracks on a graffiti-​filled side street (though the graffiti is beautifully done and must be the work of professionals). This place is great, you will love it. I think they close early (like around 3pm) during the week, FYI.

The garden area gives me a feeling of peace and serenity. The bustling inside makes me feel comfortably at home. Sometimes there’s some weird hippie stuff going on in the parking lot. When I’m at Mundi, all is right in the world.

Café Mundi was one of the first café’s if not the first to open East of I-​35. They saw growth in an area that others had yet to see when 10 years ago, Mundi opened in an industrial area next to some freight rail tracks.
The café is now a pillar in the community and host to many events for all types of folks. The space indoors, while a bit dark, is spacious and has a pleasant atmosphere. The patio/​garden is where it’s at and a great place to have a cup of coffee and read — plan the day ahead or discuss the day behind.
The food, coffee, and service is as good as the person behind the counter. Sometimes it is stellar and other times it lags behind. They make much of their food in house — in asset in a town where many cafes lack the ability to make a waffle or an egg sandwich

I loved this place! Any place that can book Ocote Soul Sounds for a free show and provide beer, wine, and chai tea AND do it all on a gorgeous crêpe myrtle ensconced party lighted patio AND attract everyone from the jeans and t-​shirt crowd (myself) to the unwashed masses of Bohemia doing they solo don’t-care-who’s– watching dance, anyone who can do that has a definite place in weird Austin and in my heart. What a great welcome home!

I think I’ve died and gone to Café Mundi. I had to get away from the South Austin for a bit because it seems people that were attending ACL stopped in all the restaurants I wanted to go for breakfast. And I still wanted pancakes.
So ventured over to the East side and it seems like a rocky road because of the unpaved road and the railroad tracks. It was definitely worth it. You get here and you see this patio/​garden — it. is. heaven.
Good strong coffee and they give it to you in a tall glass. Finally I did get my blueberry pancakes with some cornbread too. I’m happy and I love it here at Café Mundi.

LOVE IT! Could someone please tell me what is in their secret hot sauce recipe?
Whenever I come here for breakfast, I quickly dart my eyes to the waffle and egg option or the fruit and yogurt parfait, or egg sandwich; then I see another hot plate of migas being carried out with their deliciously concocted salsa (with a pinch of citrus)!
So, I always order more than what I can eat and split it. What can I say? I am a tapas kind of girl even when it comes to breakfast; salty, spicy, sweet – I want it all.

Mundi has enough reviews without me going into crazy detail, so let me just say: BEST ICED MOCHA EVER. Oh my God, every sip is perfectly bittersweet. Fantastic banana crumble muffin as well.
Atmosphere = Good
Food/​Drink = A++ would eat/​drink again!
Location = weird, secret garden-​y
Baristas = fun, friendly!
Boyfriend = sufficiently supplied with alcohol to sit with me while I hipster-​coffee it up.
Thanks, Café Mundi!

I’ve been spending more and more time at this little east side haunt, and I’m starting to think its one of the best places to go in Austin. First of all, you can always get a seat (or at least I’ve never had a problem). The internet works (I’m looking at you, Progress) and the crowd is chill. I ride my bike over here and besides the uneven paving job on 5^th street, the ride over is relatively safe.
Café Mundi has a selection of oddball beers (not on draught, as far as I know) for very reasonable prices. Most of them are $ 2.50, which is a damn fine price for a beer considering how much they are at most other places. Did I mention that the food is delicious? I just tried to eggplant empanada and its fantastic! They have several vegetarian options including tofu migas, daily empanda specials and several sandwich and salad options. This place is great for studying as well as a hip spot for lunch. Also, its right next to the El Lay tortilla chip factory, so it constantly smells like fresh made tortilla chips. Yum.
Café Mundi has awesome, friendly service, great food and drinks, and is reasonably priced. A hidden treasure that gets better the more you visit it.

Café Mundi is tucked away on east East 5^th Street. It’s kind of a secret. They have a sprawling outdoor patio, and a fun indoor seating area with free wireless. The indoor area has cement floors that don’t absorb sound, so it can get a little ear-​splitting in there if there is, say, a screaming child.
The coffee is quite good, and they have an array of beer, wine, and interesting sodas. The food is also worth having. Last time I was there I had the roasted red pepper sandwich. It was on really nice focaccia bread and had a little chipotle kick. A great, unpretentious Austin spot.

This is a great place to go and if you are sitting at an outdoor table (recommended), you just may have to reflect on how very LUCKY you feel to be in Austin. At least, I sure did!
Their berry shakes are delicious (I tasted my friend’s), the tofu migas was nice (I tasted my friend’s) and came with chips and salsa — though it must be said they were pretty chinzy on the salsa, my guess is you would have no trouble if you asked for free refills.
I got the Greek Plate. That was interesting and surprising. Just about every restaurant I go to, (and I don’t go to the really expensive ones so I can’t tell you about those), if the dish has feta cheese it will usually be an infinitesimal amount. Not so here. This Greek Plate was clearly ABOUT the feta, of which I got a very surprisingly generous dose — and the kalamata olives were in a nice amount as well. There were some bread slices for dipping into oil and I don’t know what kind of bread it was but it seemed like it was fresh out of a very nice bakery. There were nice slices of fresh tomato and mixed greens, a few slices of purple onion. Very nice (though a bit high-​calorie).
The trees in the outside patio area are MARVELOUS, giving lots of shade and where, if you are facing south from your table, you can gaze upon an amazing block-​long mural that has been painted on the building across the street. It has a black background for 90% of its length and atop are pleasingly colorful and fascinating late 20^th and early 21^st century Graffiti Art. I’m not normally all that much into graffiti art, but this mural made me wish I had a digital camera with me. Would have gotten a lot of really cool pictures!
But back to Café Mundi. I was there on a Sunday at lunchtime and there was a band playing (for the hat). GREAT band — including a fiddle, great lead vocalist and might good lyrics to some mighty nice songs, though I would REALLY prefer the music had been louder. Until I moved to a table quite near the band I would not make out many of the words. I hope no new sound ordinance was behind that problem. I have no idea how often the band members play there, but if they are any indication of the type of music to expect there I give it an unqualified two thumbs up for «Authentic Austin Homegrown Music.»
What a wonderful way to spend some time, eating good and generally healthy food (not cheap, but not expensive either) and just digging the atmosphere.
Inside there are tables too, and there are connections in several places for people that need to hook up their laptops for the Internet. About 4 – 5 tables inside were clearly inhabited by seriously-​studying students, as well as 2 – 3 of the tables outside.
I needed a phone book to look up the address of a movie theater while I was there, and the very friendly wait staff pointed out to me the bookshelf area with the telephone books. Safe, friendly, pleasant, scenic for the trees and tables outside as well as the mural, and what’s to complain about? I like it, I like it! Oh, and if you are someone like me who goes almost everywhere by bus — they are on the ²¹⁄₂₂ bus line. You can get off at 6^th and walk down to 5^th, take a west-​hand (right-​hand) turn onto 5^th and it’s about a block or so down the railroad tracks. (Yes, railroad tracks too!) Note: they are probably near other bus lines too — I only know the one that works for me!

So one of my coolest friends took me to this place. Hence one of the 5,001 reasons why she is one of my coolest friends.
Weird, artsy and funky dive! Coffee is yum and the food is pretty good. The peeps are super friendly. You can let your ass hang out here.
Does anyone else feel this way?: The building reminds me of some old fort where Davy Crockett must have washed his drawers (and such) before losing them at the Alamo.

This place is so amazing — an actual review of it, that they have framed on the wall describes it as «Hard to find, easy to love.» That can not be more true, I consistently get lost EVERY SINGLE TIME I try to come.
The crowd can get pretty granola-​y, and Café Mundi is kind enough to denote vegan options on their menu.
I’ve never had anything here that I didn’t like and that ranges from salads to drinks to one particular sandwich that wasn’t necessarily exciting, but healthy and good enough.
The interior and exterior, it’s all so run-​down in that hauntingly beautiful, in that untouched (so far) East Austin way that I must say — it’s worth walking/​driving aimlessly for 20 minutes to find… each time.
By the way, YES, there are parrots.

I would love to live in this part of town, and a coffee shop within walking distance of a potential loft, apt. or house in this area is — I think — be too good to be true.
Café Mundi is located on E. 5^th St. between Comal and Chicon. You may want to schedule getting lost into your agenda. It’s actually not that hard to find, but the location totally throws you off. I think someone already mentioned it… you’ll think you’re in the wrong place, but you’re actually not. (Here’s a hint about Austin: any street that has «E.» in front of the street name is probably east of IH-​35.) E. 5^th St. runs parallel to a set of railroad tracks. The road to get there is not paved.
Anyway, the location is pretty cool. I guess a hidden coffee shop with actual plant life is even more romantic than a boring old java joint with a parking lot and some planted geraniums from Home Depot.
Café Mundi is small, but they make good use of what they have with nicely spaced out tables (yeah!). They have a bit of a background music/​people chatting imbalance, but a friend and I both thought this could be solved by hanging a tapestry or more art on the walls to absorb some of the sound. The café has an extensive menu and decent prices, but I wasn’t overly impressed by the food (although apparently I should have tried the waffles and the beer… nearly everyone in the place had a beer on a Sunday morning!) They do have Wednesday evening poetry readings and Monday night movies as well as many other events. Check out their website for a listing.
I would say Café Mundi is much more of a social coffee house than it is a work one. No one on laptops here… just plain jane conversation and old-​fashioned laughter. Remember those days?
Café Mundi is worth a visit.