Austin is known for its indie culture, from local record shops to mom ‘n pop pharmacies to endless non-golden arched burger joints. It’s what gives the city its unique charm and character that gets lost in those bigger cities you usually think of when you hear “Texas”. Well in this land of local pride famous for their barbecue and friendly to their food trucks you’ll find an unexpected shining star emerging: high-quality, anti-establishment coffee shops.

One of the up-and-coming outfits making a name for themselves is Elixer Coffee. First and foremost the standout feature of Elixer is the old school truck. Like a cross between the Batmobile and a 1950’s Studebaker, it’s unlike any food truck you’ve seen. The walls flip up like a Gullwing Mercedes exposing a full service espresso bar. In just a few minutes this truck transforms from pretty cool, antique looking truck to badass mobile coffee shop.

Everyday they offer a rotating special, from buy-one-get-one-Tuesdays to keyword-Fridays*. It was on one of these Fridays that simply whispering “fumbles” to the barista saved 50 cents off my order, so I thought I’d treat myself to a cappuccino –something I rarely never order. My usual order is “Regular coffee. Black”, hot or iced depending on the weather (which recently means lots and lots of iced). But on this day, my birthday, I figured I’d branch out.

Invariably you’ll be greeted with an over-the-top, 100% genuine “good morning” from the man in charge. He happily asked about my upcoming long weekend as I weighed each menu option until I came back to the cappuccino that brought me there in the first place. He masterfully pulled two espresso shots without the tiniest break in conversation. Moments later the milk was steamed and poured overtop. Finishing it off with a little foam he asked if I wanted a scone or muffin from Quack’s Bakery, to which I ultimately declined. I paid the man and tapped a few sprinkles of cinnamon onto the foam before lidding up and heading to work.

The coffee was fantastic. Even with 1% milk (gotta watch my figure) it was rich and satisfying. I had originally added the cinnamon just because it was there but it definitely boosted every sip. If you get a chance to visit Elixer, take it, and be sure to grab a muffin or scone too. It’ll make your day.

*just follow them on Twitter to catch the next secret keyword.