The atmosphere is cool, eclectic and casual...sounds of Louie Armstrong in the background. The perfect setting for a casual business lunch. By the way, Texas Pecan coffee is a must and the coffee cups are humongous!! Â Oh and a special treat was the Ghost Mocha Espresso..not on the menu though...have to ask for this special concoction.
Review Source:After one night The Foundry has made a wonderful impression on me. It was an evening originally planned to see my favorite brother & sister acoustic duo known as "Lorita Drive". I walked into the Foundry and immediately felt comfortable. Tables and couches are set before you with nice looking decorations all around the coffee shop.
I loved the service. The staff was so nice and helpful in choosing what beverage of choice I would be consuming. Their mango smoothie was delicious and for a man not really known as a coffee drinker, their Texas Pecan was top notch.
The Foundry is a place I will definitely return to. With an establishment entirely run by volunteers, having great coffee, and offering me a free cup of coffee close to closing time, how could I not?!
This is my favorite place to sit and work. It's not a completely whisper-quiet coffee shop, but it's also not so bustling that you become disturbed and unable to concentrate.
I don't even care that my favorite drink (strawberry/banana smoothie) is a simple mix, it tastes great. I'll usually buy a second one as I leave. They even serve salads and sandwiches if you need something to sustain you. I've never had them, though, since I'm usually only there a few hours. I have had some of the pastries and they're good, albeit a little pricey (at least I think most of their drinks and food are at least more expensive than I would imagine).
There are a few important amenities I need to work well and The Foundry has them all. They have free (and WORKING) Wi-Fi (just ask for the password), a bunch of power strips in the working areas and different-sized tables if you need them for solitude or group work. There are also comfy couches and chairs if you want to sit and read.
The employees (who are all volunteers) are usually pretty cheery, even in situations when you could allow them to lapse. On my last visit, they had some issues in the kitchen that delayed somebody's food. While the customer was understandably frustrated and had raised his voice, the employee who had to bear the brunt never fought back or lashed out. He kept his cool while being pretty apologetic and tried multiple ways to make their customer happy.
I have two issues with The Foundry that make this a 4-star review instead of a 5-star. One is something they can control while the other isn't. Maybe I'm just cheap, but everything seems a little pricier than other places. This could be because The Foundry is a nonprofit. Regardless, I do give a little extra in my tip b/c of the free Wi-Fi.
Since it's so popular, it can be tough to find parking. There are about 7-8 spaces on the other side of the building and some street parking on Huisache, but it's still kind of tight maneuvering. You might have to park a little farther than you'd prefer to get inside.
You should still definitely have The Foundry on your list of public working spaces, though. Once you get inside and get to work, it's a relaxing place.
They also have musical performances, but I've never been around for any of them.
Edit (12:28 p.m., 6-13): Fixing a bit of copy.
The Foundry is my new favorite cafe in SA. It's a comfortable and peaceful place to study or have a conversation with friends with cup of coffee in hand and perhaps a crispy panini. I love the $1 coffee with free refills. The decor and hanging mugs make it feel so homey. Tuesdays and Thursdays are open mic nights. These days are fun, and the cafe is filled with friendly, cool people who have something to share - a heartfelt poem, song, acoustic piece...
Review Source:I had some time to kill before an appointment, and figured I would stop in to get some work done. Â It was a bit difficult to find parking, but if you drive around the side street there are more spots. Â When I walked in it felt really cozy, a bit like Candlelight. Â There are couches and tables scattered throughout, and it's not difficult to find a place to set up shop. Â You walk up to the bar to order, and they have a huge chalkboard with all of the choices. Â I just had a hot chai, so I cannot comment on the food. Â My tea was spicy hot with the perfect amount of milk, and all of the coffee is fair trade/organic. Â They have free wi-fi, just ask for the code when you order. Â This will definitely be on my list of spots to stop in when I'm working downtown.
Review Source:Amazing concept. This place is run 100% by volunteers and donations benefiting a local Christian church. But when you're in there it's almost just another coffee shop. Almost.
So cozy. So comfy. So warm and inviting. The staff takes friendly to a whole new level. They're so helpful. And seem so happy. It's just great.
I loved my $1 cup of coffee that could be refilled as often as I pleased. I wanted to try the raved-about Texas Pecan, but alas they were out. No worries though, Foundry. I'll be back. And soon. I had a great afternoon with you today!
I have heard so much about this coffee shop so I deceided to give it a try. It is fairly easy to find, however, parking seems to be a bit limited. You can also park on the side streets.
I immediately like the environment when I first walk in. It's fairly quiet, staff are very friendly. They have a decent tea selection (I'm not quite a coffee drinker). So I got myself a nice cup of tea and sink into one of the couches. Wifi connection seems to be good and stable also.
I will certainly come back! Next time I will try their menu.
Great place. Â Nice people, comfy couches, ample seating, friendly patrons and staff.
The $1.50 breakfast tacos are nothing to write home about but definitely will quench that hunger pang you're feeling. Â The pannini lunches are delicious. Â I wanted to order a second... Mostly because I'm a glutton.
$1 coffee in a mug and free refills. Free wifi as well.
I am a big fan! Â On Saturdays they offer a waffle extravaganza. Â
For $3 you get a waffle and then the choices begin! Â Chocolate or plain, Strawberries or bananas, Nuts or Nutless, Whipped cream or not, Syrup or none. Â What a bargain and oh how delicious!
My favorite is chocolate with strawberries and whipped cream. Â It's like dessert for breakfast and only $3 what a deal!
They also have my kids all time favorite hot chocolate. Â It tastes like warmed chocolate milk...MMMM-Good...Rich and delicious!
Literally around the corner from me. One would think it a perfect spot to make it my place, but if coffee is to be the focal point of this place, then I'm moving on down the road.
I wish as much consideration was taken into their coffee as was the overall aesthetics of The Foundry. The layout, interior, and use of a historic place is commendable. The profit of their sales goes for missionary work around the globe. I'm sure they do nice things abroad, but I'm there for the coffee and the coffee speaks ill to me.
The Foundry lacks consistency, this is due to the lack of properly skilled baristas, whom are often teens volunteering time for a church youth group. Orders often are messed up, the drip coffee urns are mostly empty or cold from sitting out for hours.
The Coffee is cheap, but...
Anyhow, my neighborhood could use a really good nonreligious affiliated coffee shop that's consistent. Would anyone like to open Secular Coffee with me? It's in the dream stages so far.
My fav coffee shop is The Foundry.  Its unlike any coffee shop that I have ever been to.  Always feels homey and welcoming and just plain down to earth. The coffee is fantastic!  Much better than those other coffee shops! <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thefoundry-sa.org%2F&s=2a1ed59f9a4e8a8bcd9df688c1f742aee5ed358b966196ffcae82e36aa12506d" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.thefoundry-sa…</a>
Review Source:The Foundry is quite the find for those who seek coffee house atmosphere that is heavy on the low-key, relaxed vibe and does away the hustle and bustle flow of many a coffee joint.
Visually, the best I can describe this place would be to think of Central Perk (a la Friends sitcom set). Â But like I said, it just looks that way, comfy seating areas, mixed with some table and chair set-ups as well as come cozy booths and nooks.
What is amazing about this place is that it is run entirely by volunteers! Â No, that's not to say there aren't others in town that follow the same method (i.e 4th Street Inn, Guadalupe Coffee House) but this place just has a welcoming feel that makes you feel like you never want to leave.
I'm ashamed to have taken so long to visit The Foundry but it was difficult since up until recently their hours were few as they used to close at 1:30pm in the afternoon. Â Nowadays peeps can take advantage of their drinks and goodies since they are open until 5pm weekdays with live music night on Thursdays, when they stay open until 9:30pm. Â
I'm not a coffee drinker so I'm sorry to say I can't report on that front but with regard to everything else--they are aces! Â They offer smoothies (and frappes)---I like the Orange Creamsicle, yum! Â Oh and chai tea either hot or iced is great but I highly recommend their hot truffle chocolate. Â Yes, it's good even when winter hasn't hit yet--I dunno why everyone thinks hot coco is just for cold months, I mean seems like hot coffee is a year 'round drink of choice for some.
Oh and, yes, the eats I mentioned. Â Is appears that most if not everything is homemade. Â The cakes and lemon bars are second to none. Â Oh, OH! Â And if you are hip to morning breakfast tacos you can't go wrong with picking some up at the Foundry. Â They bring them over from the local favorite restaurant Taco Taco up the street. Â I'd pop in to pick up tacos at the Foundry any day than to wait in line to get the same tasty taco treats at Taco Taco. Â Although, don't get me wrong, I'll never turn down an invite to Taco Taco either. Â ; )
I'm babbling a bit. Â Moving on...The Foundry is a primo spot to sip some beverages, collect your thoughts, tap into some free wi-fi and make friends with some stellar staff. Â And did I mention that monies collected go towards charities?
All in all I feel this place is definitely worth a glance and a stop. Â It'll make you smile. : )
A quirky little community cafe, and one that's hard to criticize when you know that it's not-for-profit and run partially by volunteers. I love the relaxed atmosphere, the couches, the huge windows, and the fact that I can walk to it conveniently from home.
That said, I have never been able to get my internet to work there, sometimes when I really needed it to and only went in FOR the internet. I don't know if it is the connection or my computer, a Mac which sometimes does have trouble connecting to certain public networks, but it's been a total no-go every time. I also have to admit that I rarely drink coffee and usually get tea, which is fine, though they don't offer loose-leaf.
It's probably not the best coffee place in San Antonio, but it is what it is: a relaxed, chill place to spend the afternoon working on a laptop (sans internet), chatting with a friend, or staring out the window into space.
I wrote a rather tepid review last year of this cafe. I have definitely warmed up to it. They have extended their hours, which is a big plus. They seem a bit more professional behind the counter. The coffee is good and the space airy and light. My only suggestion for management would be to devote at least one of the angled parking spots on Huisache for pick-up only customers. If I pick up a coffee on the way to work, I invariably am forced to park illegally.
Review Source:The BEST local coffee shop in San Antonio!! (New extended hours M-F 7am-5pm, Thursday night from 5pm-9pm (live music), and Saturday from 8:30am-11:00am.)
If you're reading my review, you probably also plan to read several below that are very negative of this coffee shop. Let me set things straight...
The Foundry is awesome. It's in an older historic building filled with lots of character. Their are couches and a variety of tables throughout. It is the largest locally owned coffee shop I've ever been in. There is plenty of room for a group of 10-15 to gather here comfortably and still have lots of room left over for the regulars and first timers.
As for the prices...this is as cheap as it gets. I love coffee and there aren't many places where you can get a bottomless cup for $1. Yes $1, i didn't make a typo. There are 5 flavors/roasts for your tasting pleasure ranging from pecan to french to light. On Wednesdays they even have .75 cent bagels and muffins. They also have an extensive lunch menu of various types of panini's and other light treats.
Oh and did I mention, there bottomless coffee profits go to support mission work around the world?
The Foundry also has free wifi and great customer service. The barista's are mostly volunteers from a local church and are very friendly. Don't worry, you aren't going to get preached at, this place is for everyone!
Check it out when you have a chance. You won't be sorry!
I want to support the small coffee shops. I really do. But it's difficult for me to do so when the reason why I go--internet access--is unreliable or not working. First visit was an exercise in frustration, mitigated by the dirt-cheap coffee and free refills. Second visit, second chance--service still out and no decaf. Me + caffeine late in the day = trouble for the insomniac ahead!
Still, on a positive note, everyone here has been beyond belief friendly. If only they got the internet up and running I'd have a regular spot here when they're open late Thursdays. Can't beat the prices and the welcoming atmosphere.
I gave The Foundry a chance on the advice of a friend who felt Local Coffee in Stone Oak was too sterile for her taste, which I don't agree with, btw. But I was in downtown for the day and needed a place to camp while I worked. I found the atmosphere exactly as my friend described. Homey and cozy with their antique or antique-looking furniture. There's a piano and paintings that appear to have been created by local artists. It has atmosphere, but that's where the positives end.
I have to agree with Nick S. and Leanne H. in that the quality of the coffee was WAY sub-par. It's like that beer commercial where the bartender asks the guy if he cares about taste and he doesn't, so she just hands him some generic coffee.
And the barrista who served me, a middle-aged kilted bald fellow with his beard on the wrong side of his head had that look-at-my-hipness attitude which is less and less attractive the older one gets, I find. Treating him like anyone else seemed to urk him a bit. I'm confident we could get used to one another, but who needs a chest-pounder when what I came in for was coffee and quiet?
Then I sat down to work. No connection. Not out of the ordinary. I mentioned it to the barrista and he said, "Sometimes you just have to let it make friends with you." Funny and hopeful, I thought, but never once did he offer to go to any further steps to right the situation. Eventually I finished my coffee-water, collected my things and left.
Other coffee shops wisely recognize that their business is no longer an old school coffee shop. They now have the dual responsibility to provide at least adequate coffee AND a solid predictable connection. At least show me that you listened and are trying.
Go if you have to. I didn't try the food. Maybe I'm missing the best whatever it is they serve, but if the coffee is as poor as it is, I don't hold out much hope. Certainly skip the place if you need a reliable connection or an advocate to establish one. I won't go back by myself and will make other suggestions if I'm with friends.
My boyfriend and I really gave this place a chance. Â We've spent about half of our lives in coffee shops and the Foundry was just a FAIL. Â The barista took one look at me and said I would love a medium mocha latte. Â He must have been trying to mask the awfulness of their coffee beans. Â I got guilt-tripped into trying a latte, and ordered my usual when I order lattes. Â After just one sip I knew it was going to be bad, but I tried to give it a shot. Â I ended up having to return the latte - it just tasted FUNKY. Â
They gave me a cup of coffee as an apology, which is also what my boyfriend got. Â Half of the pots were empty, and the other pots served up brown hot water. Â My boyfriend kept saying his coffee kind of smelled like fish - FISH!
Also, the internet did not work. Â I guess the Foundry would get a star because the guy was nice, and the place had good seating. Â But the essentials of a COFFEESHOP were not here.
Hate to be a jerk about this, but there need to be more honest reviews about this place. Â I'll start with the pros: the place is VERY nice inside. Â The tables seem nice and cozy and the place has a good feel. Â The people at the counter were friendly and nice. Â However, it all went downhill from there.
The coffee was really bad. Â It was very watery and weak. Â It looked like tea. Â Also, my cup had a really funky "fishy" smell the whole time that I couldn't shake. Â My girlfriend ordered a latte which was so bad that she couldn't drink it. Â This is really saying something, since she's typically easy to please. Â Also, the internet doesn't work. Â
All in all, a coffee shop with bad coffee, bad espresso drinks and no internet is about as useful as an armless pitcher in a game of baseball.
There is no coffee shop in San Antonio better than The Foundry. Students, come study here. Adults, come read the paper here. Kids, come quietly sit on a couch here (please). :) I went to grad school in San Antonio and cannot count the number of times I frequented The Foundry. Whenever my parents came to visit, they loved starting the mornings here. It's hands down the best coffee shop ever.
Sit in house for $1 all-you-can-drink coffee or bring your own mug and take it away for the same price, otherwise it's $1.50. Bagels and pastries are super affordable also. You can get your morning coffee and a bagel with cream cheese for $3--and that includes throwing in some change for a tip. When you want something sweet, try the chocolate cake or a muffin. And how could I forget the breakfast tacos?--$1.50 for Taco Taco breakfast tacos. I'm sorry I never got the chance to go back and try the lunch after they expanded the menu. Now that I've moved out of San Antonio, The Foundry is definitely one of the places I miss the most.
Parking tip: There is parking out front for a handful of cars, a side lot shared with the bakery next door with less than 10 spots, and surrounding residential parking--some even park across McCullough and walk across.
I recently moved to San Antonio and I've been having a really hard time finding a good coffee house until I stumbled upon The Foundry coming home from a haircut. This place is the gem in this city that I have been looking for. The atmosphere is warm and inviting. It's a well groomed coffee house with plenty of comfy couches to sit on and awesome hard wood classy chairs and tables if you stay to eat. And yes they have food and good cafe food for a great price. The best part is they serve organic free trade coffee. They are a non profit organization and donate their coffee sales to Haiti or something. They have free Wifi and singer songwriters on Thursday nights. Â They also have local artists display their works on the walls. What's not to love. It is a breath of fresh air in a city devoid of coffee shops and eco-consciousness. A step in the right direction San Antonio. Definitely!
This is coming from a coffee addict singer/songwriter whose been to a lot of coffee shops. This one is the goods!
I wasn't really planning to stop in; I probably wouldn't have shown up at a Christian coffee shop rocking an ever classy memento t-shirt from my bachelorette ("Save the horse, ride the bride," if you must know) but I'm glad I paused when I was driving by. Â The staff was helpful, I scored a Taco Taco breakfast taco without waiting on line (not quite as delicious as when it's dripping grease fresh from the stovetop, though) and there were plenty of cozy places to sit with outlets nearby. Â For those of you who have been to La Taza and Olmos Perk for coffee, I think The Foundry is what it would look like if those two had a baby. Â
I will be back, although the hours and the parking situation will probably keep it from becoming my go-to locale.
This place is great.
They have 5-6 coffees to choose from, many of which are organic or fair trade. You don't have to ask some barrista to keep refilling your cup, it's self-serve. They have free wi-fi. Live music and art showings on Thursday nights. Somehow there's a Christian feel to the place, but it's not in-your-face or forced on anyone.
The owner is very nice and welcoming.
I love this place!
Great idea, great coffee!! Â The Foundry is an awesome coffee shop that is actually run by volunteers. Â Proceeds go back into the community. Â Nice, relaxing Christian atmosphere with free wifi and comfy couches. Â The Texas Pecan Coffee is fantastic and highly recommended. Â I have to take one star away for the hours which are not consistent with other coffee shops.
Review Source:This place is AWESOME. I am back in town for the summer, and let me tell you I really wish that we had something like this back in College Station.
I usually get the $1 drip coffee (Decaf, Texas Pecan, French Roast, or Foundry Blend) which has unlimited refills?!?! All of the people working there are volunteers and are all very nice. They also get tacos from Taco Taco every morning, but if you want some you should get there early.
The WiFi is free but they have been having some issues I gather. Usually it takes my computer about 2 minutes for anything to start working even though I'm connected, and sometimes it will drop in and out. I have heard the employees/volunteers talking about how they have been on the phone with AT&T a few times so I guess they are actively trying to fix it to be more reliable.
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