That is according to owner Dawid Bednarek, who said the idea of owning his own coffee shop struck as he was spending time at a coffee shop near his former home in North Austin.
“It was just a thought back then, but I ran into a similar business in Austin and fell in love with the concept,” Bednarek said.
As he spent more time in that shop, he learned more about the different kinds of coffee beverages and executed a plan to open his own.
Dwell House brought several Austin roasters, such as Sightseer Coffee Roasters and Greater Goods Coffee Co., to Hutto in December 2021. In the 18 months since they opened, Bednarek said the shop has evolved and now offers latte art classes, and hosts a latte art competition and vendor markets.
“There’s no major story behind the name,” he said. “We just wanted people to have a sense of community, dwelling here, hanging out and feeling homey.”
Dwell House offers coffee beverages ranging from specialty lattes with housemade brown sugar syrup to pour-overs, espressos and cold brews. The shop also sells wine, mimosas and a rotating selection of local beers on tap.
In addition to beverages, Dwell House sells breads, pastries, pretzels, bagel sandwiches and breakfast tacos.
In his time operating a coffee shop in the suburbs, Bednarek said he has observed a shift in how customers interact with coffee houses.
“It used to be harder to catch on in the suburbs,” he said. “Before, people cared more about convenience and were looking for drive-thrus. But as remote work gets more common, people want to come in and work in their neighborhood coffee shop.”
Bednarek expanded his business with a second location in Florence, 30 miles north, in January. He said in early June he started roasting his own coffee in the Florence location under the name Mad House Coffee. He said the eventual goal is to incorporate the house-roasted coffee into beverages at both shops and sell it directly to customers.
Eventually, he said he hopes to hold tasting events for Mad House, in addition to offering more frequent after-hours latte art courses and expanding the local vendor market.
“We just want people to support their local businesses,” he said.
Perfecting latte art
Dwell House Coffee and Tap owner Dawid Bednarek said there are a few essential tips to creating latte art.
- When steaming milk for latte art, be careful not to burn or over-steam it, as that will change its consistency.
- Creating a vortex in the milk pitcher when frothing can help with the consistency.
- Knocking the bottom of the pitcher against the counter can help eliminate excess air bubbles.
- Thicker milk means more control over the pour.
- Pouring at a 45-degree angle can help achieve more crisp results.
Dwell House Coffee and Tap
2100 Muirfield Bend Drive, Ste. 125, Hutto
512-713-3404
Hours: Sun.-Wed. 7 a.m.-2 p.m., Thu.-Sat. 7 a.m.-7 p.m.
