Vintage Arts Coffeehouse & Bistro, Granger, Tx - Coffee, lunch, and cool finds
- takinthebackroads
- May 6
- 3 min read
Sandra Stoll, along with her husband Duane, has owned Vintage Arts Coffeehouse & Bistro in Granger, Texas, since September 2024. Sandra had always dreamed of owning her own restaurant and cooking for others. She had eaten at the Vintage Arts Coffeehouse & Bistro many times with her husband and daughters, enjoying a relaxing breakfast or lunch together, and browsing the eclectic vendors in the retail section.
Sandra had worked for HEB for 28 years, most of that spent as a floral department manager, when she decided that it was time to move on. One day, she saw that Vintage Arts Coffeehouse & Bistro was for sale, and she inquired about it. And that’s where it began.
Now, she, Duane, and their daughters spend their days brewing creative coffees, serving fresh breakfasts and lunches, and maintaining a large retail selection.
Walking into this quaint little cafe is a welcoming reprieve from the hustle of big cities. The smiles are welcoming, the smell of robust coffee floats in the air, and people are laughing and chatting. The cafe is at the front of a historic building in downtown, at the corner of Hwy 95 and Davilla St, and with less than 1,200 people, Granger definitely isn’t known for its hustle.
That afternoon, as Boog and I sat and enjoyed our lunch, customers came and went with coffees in hand, sat and stayed for a while after eating, and browsed the clothes, soaps, antiques, and more. All the while, Sandra, Duane, and their daughter, Camryn, chatted with, laughed with, and welcomed every customer into their beautiful space.
While the food and coffee are amazing, the retail section adds to the charm of this stop on a
drive through Texas country. Vendor booths are filled with hometown school support t-shirts, antique dolls, handmade earrings and lotions, and coffee by the bag. There's a little something for everyone.
After wandering through the retail area and finding some must-have things, we sat down for lunch. All of it homemade, fresh, and delicious.
The Rueben was two slices of toasted marbled rye bread, slathered with a layer of house-made sauce, topped with fresh-sliced pastrami, and a good helping of sauerkraut. I’m kind of a sauerkraut snob, and this was perfection. It was crisp to bite into and had a perfect amount of tang. The dressing was creamy and zesty with just a hint of spice. Served with
potato chips and crisp baby pickles.
Boog’s favorite of the day was the Club Sandwich. Three slices of toasted white bread layered with freshly sliced turkey and ham, crisp bacon, cheddar cheese, and mayo. Crisp lettuce and tomato, and a layer of smashed avocado, lightened all the flavors and brought everything together.
The Cheeseburger Salad is a lunch that I would order over and over again. It was crisp romaine lettuce topped with juicy, ripe tomatoes, red onions, bacon crumbles, freshly made croutons, dill pickles, shredded cheddar cheese, and burger-seasoned crumbled ground beef. Served with a house-made BBQ ranch.
All of the sweet treats are also made fresh daily, in-house. The Texas Sheet Cake Cookie was a chocolate lover's dream; soft and gooey, rich and decadent. One of my childhood favorites, the Rice Krispies Square, was as advertised: gigantic, about three inches tall, crispy, and chewy.
The Boss Lady was Boog’s favorite. It was a Red Bull-based drink with coconut, lime, and cranberry syrups in it. It was light, fruity, refreshing, and the lightness lent itself to a summer afternoon pick-me-up.
The Iced Creme Brûlée coffee was a rich and creamy espresso-based drink. With a balance of robust espresso and sweetness, this was a drink that was easy to fall in love with.
As good as the Creme Brûlée was, the Tres Leches was my best bite…. Errr, drink of the day.
A breve style, espresso-based drink; it was less sweet than the crème brûlée. Breve style means that it had steamed half-and-half, instead of steamed milk, giving it a decadent, silky texture and a deeper flavor and sweetness from the cream. Tres Leches is definitely not one of my favorite desserts, but I can say with confidence that it’s now one of my favorite lattes.
If you’re looking for the perfect lunch for browsing vintage items and strolling downtown, then take the backroads on over to Granger, Texas, and visit Vintage Arts Coffeehouse & Bistro. Tell Sandra, Duane, Camryn, and the crew that I said hi and order me a coffee to-go. I’ll be glad you did!
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101 E Davilla St Granger, TX, United States, Texas 76530
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