Medici Roasting

Medici Roasting opened in Austin in 2006 with a clear sense of purpose: to bring specialty coffee to a city that was ready for it. The founders met as students at the University of Texas, and in 2008 they brought their Guadalupe location to life in a space on The Drag that had previously housed Metro — the coffee shop where they first crossed paths. That personal history gives the café a backstory that goes beyond the usual founding narrative, and it set the tone for a brand that has stayed tightly woven into Austin's university corridor ever since.

The Guadalupe café sits at 2222B Guadalupe Street, directly across from the West Campus of UT Austin. High ceilings, open sightlines, and an abundance of natural light make it one of the more visually generous coffee spaces on The Drag. There is seating inside, in a common area, and outdoors — accommodating students deep in coursework, faculty passing through, and visitors looking for a place to stay awhile. The energy is youthful and easy, shaped by its proximity to one of the largest public universities in the country.

Medici has grown into a multi-location Austin presence over nearly two decades, including a roasting facility in East Austin and a café at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. Through that expansion, the brand has held onto its founding identity: Austin-made, in-house roasted specialty coffee with a community orientation that runs through every location. Reviewers note that the coffee program is taken seriously — single-origin pourovers draw particular praise, and the barista team has a reputation for genuine hospitality.

At the Guadalupe location, that combination of specialty roasting, neighborhood familiarity, and a space designed for staying has made Medici a fixture rather than a destination. For anyone spending time near the UT campus and looking for coffee with substance and a sense of place, it remains one of the most reliable stops in Austin.