But First, Coffee: The Corpus Christi Moms’ Guide to Coffee

But first, coffee. May your coffee be stronger than your toddler. Life begins after coffee. 

You have seen the catchy coffee phrases on mugs, t-shirts, and posters. There is a special relationship between a mom and coffee. It is our #momjuice and sometimes the few sips that keep us standing upright throughout the day. Even before I had children, drinking a cup of coffee was one of my favorite moments of the day. Now with two little boys who aren’t always the best sleepers, coffee helps me function and keep my eyes open. However, most days I don’t end up drinking my coffee until it’s been reheated three times. 

As a coffee lover, I love to have “my” coffee place, my own Central Perk. Since we have lived in five cities in ten years (and eight homes/neighborhoods in those ten years,) one of my first goals when moving to a new city is to find a new coffee home. I look for somewhere that has amazing drip and/or pour over coffee, as well as espresso drinks with tasty baked goods. A coffee shop gets bonus points if it has an Instagram-worthy décor and latte art. 

So as a new Corpus Christi resident, I had to know: where do Corpus Christi moms get their coffee?

I may love going to coffee shops as much as I love drinking coffee. Before children, I loved the quiet space of a coffeehouse with time to read, journal, and people watch. Now, I love the space to enjoy coffee while allowing my kids a little treat and break from the house. As a stay-at-home mom, sometimes I just need to get out of the house, and a coffee shop is always a good idea. 

Here are a few of my favorite Corpus Christi places to get coffee:

1. Coffee Waves– They have three locations: Alameda, Flour Bluff and Port Aransas (recently reopened.) I frequent the Flour Bluff location pretty regularly and love the large space for the kids to play. I also conducted several care.com babysitter interviews here, and it is quiet enough for professional conversations. 
   

   

   
2.  Eleanor’s Coffee Bar + Market – Located on S. Alameda, Eleanor’s is one of my absolutely favorites. Intimate and beautiful with delicious baked goods and thoughtful gifts. If it wasn’t so far from my home, I would probably go there daily. 
   

   

   

   
3. Island Joe’s Coffee and Gallery– I live on the island so this is my obvious go-to coffee shop. I love their homemade syrups, comfy couch, and coloring books for the kids. They also added Island Art and Story Time for preschoolers on Thursdays at 10 am. I haven’t been yet, but it is on my to-do list for this month! 
   

   
4. Eclectix Coffee Bar & Gallery– Corpus Christi’s newest coffee addition, Eclectix is on the Southside of town and has an extensive coffee menu. The baked goods are delicious, and even better, it is located across the parking lot from PLAY, the indoor play space. They also have a large event/meeting space attached to the coffee shop.
5. Starbucks– Obviously Starbucks is not locally-owned, but between their drive-thru locations and presence in Target, you cannot leave them off a Corpus Christi moms’ local coffee list. Starbucks is quite simply how I survive a Target run with both kids. Their drive-thru is also a sweet treat for myself if both kids fall asleep in the car as we drive home to the island, and I can enjoy a quiet moment in the car with my coffee while they sleep. I also have used the drive-thru and Starbucks’ cake pops as a reward for the kids as we drive around town running errands.
6. Hester’s Café– With three locations, Hester’s is a Corpus Christi institution. The food is obviously amazing, but so is the coffee. When I’m in “town,” I love to make a quick coffee run at Hester’s. Even better, the Six Points location is attached to Bleu Frog gift shop so you can browse while enjoying your #momjuice. 
7. Barnes and Noble Café– Not a typical coffeehouse, but the built-in entertainment for children creates a winning combination of coffee and kid-friendly fun! They serve Starbucks coffee, and then you can take your cup to the kids’ section to browse the books and let your kids play on the stage.
8. Stingers Coffee– Located on Airline, Stingers offers a large variety of specialty drinks and best of all, has a drive-thru! 

Who did I miss? What is your local favorite coffee shop in the Corpus Christi area?