Photo by Kate Morris
Photo by Kate Morris
Photo by Kate Morris
Photo by Kate MorrisArea restaurant offers casual experience
Lauren deVries said she wanted to create a restaurant space to allow customers to feel at home. She opened Blue Window Cafe, a small, casual restaurant, in January with an emphasis on dining comfortably, she said.
I like to think its kind of a Keep Austin Weird vibe, deVries said. Its a nice place to hang out; [its] very relaxed.
The Tennessee native, who moved to Georgetown 15 years ago, decided to pull inspiration from Austin for her cafe, she said. Rather than filling the rooms with only tables, she said she added a large couch to give the cafe a homelike feeling.
DeVries opened the restaurant after making the switch from working in retail. With 15 years of food industry experience and at least 10 years of business experience, she said she felt the timing was right.
To go on to Target or Wal-Mart or something like that would have been like getting the same job, she said. I had been thinking about doing my own thing. I dont know that I saw this particular business necessarily, but I did see myself being self-employed at some point. This is a great town to do it in.
The restaurant is gaining popularity, she said, and her menu is continually growing; her prices, however, are not.
Nothing on my menu is over $5, and its all top-notch, quality ingredients, she said. Its very good food and very good coffee at a very reasonable price.
The drink menu features a large list of espresso latte combinations that come iced or hot, with flavors such as salted caramel, Reeses peanut butter, cherry and banana split as well as traditional flavors such as caramel and vanilla.
Regular coffee is also available and is offered at a 10 percent discount for active and veteran military members.
Diners can choose from options such as soft tacos or cheese tortellini and pesto parmesan, but it is the gluten-free pecan cranberry chicken salad sandwich that has people hooked, deVries said.
Chicken salad is my niche product, she said. A few people have come in several times a day to get it.
Though one may not see any blue windows on the outside of the cafe, the inside is full of them. The name, however, goes beyond the literal meaning for deVries.
I just thought of it out of the blue, so to speak, she said. To me it represented opportunity and optimism. By the grace of God, he led me to this spot, and it worked out really well. Im very, very happy here.
DeVries said she hopes to bring the local culture into the cafe through the art that decorates the light blue walls.
Im doing [a] local artist program, she said. Im requesting local artists in Georgetown bring in art at no cost to them. ... [The program] brings some art culture.
DeVries said she is weighing expansion options and is considering a second location near her home in Jarrell. Until then she plans to start hosting events at the cafe.
I really want to get the locals involved, she said. Im hoping eventually to have bands play. Along with that, we may do some type of ... art gallery with free wine and food samples.
Blue Window Cafe
1911 N. Austin Ave., Ste. 302
512-954-9567
Hours: Mon. 7 a.m.6 p.m., Tue.Fri. 7 a.m.8 p.m., Sat. 7 a.m.6 p.m.
