Coffee in Uptown (Lawn: homes, tax, prices)

[DMBUGA34]

www.crookedtreecoffeehouse.com

On Routh St

[SmartGXL]

Originally Posted by rosscountry

Hi SmartGXL is used to live in lakeview east off of hawthorne place and broadway. I wouldn't call uptown comparable by a long shot to lakeview in Chicago but it is the closest possible thing to it. I am sure more coffee shops and things like that will start to pop up around uptown it is just not there yet. It is a walkable area- very clean, neat and shiny.
I really hope you visit before you completely move in- Dallas is a great city I just hope you are not expecting it to be like the chicago neighorhoods though.

Think of of walking on broadway from Hawthorne place to belmont- Thats about the length of a walk you will have to be in and out of uptown in Dallas-its pretty small. Good luck

Hi RossCountry,

Thank you for your comments on this. I actually have been to Uptown, maybe 4 or 5 times now, each time, spending one or two days per visit, exploring Uptown (mostly checking out apartments). You are right - it is new and shiny, and does not compare directly to Lakeview, if anything, it compares more to Lincoln Park, at least demographically. Actually, I am not expecting Uptown to be comparable to any other place; it is its own, unique neighborhood and like Lakeview/Lincoln Park, cannot be duplicated. I got the sense that it has its own particular vibe, but I am worried that if I leave Chicago, that I will miss a lot of the things that are available here.

Here are the reasons I am thinking about moving:

1. Most of my family has moved from Ohio to Austin, so if I moved to Dallas, I would be able to live in a neighborhood that is *similar* to what I have in Chicago, but still be able to drive a couple hours fown to austin once a month and see my family.
2. I want to be somewhere that is (relatively) warm and sunny in the winter, and Dallas offers that.
3. Uptown Dallas offers apartments that, compared to Chicago, are AWESOME. I can live in Uptown, and rent an amazing apartment that is larger, newer, and nicer than what I can get in Chicago. Also, by transferring with my company to the Dallas office, I will be bringing my Chicago-area salary, with Dallas' lower cost of living and no State income taxes, it is like getting a huge raise.

So having said all of this, I know there are trade-offs; I will have to give up some things. But I am still torn as to whether or not I will regret the trade-offs!!

Did you have any regrets leacing Chicago? Are you enjoying living in Dallas, compared to living in Lakeview?

Thanks for your input!!

[SmartGXL]

Originally Posted by Macbeth2003

Well In the Lakewood/ Old East Dallas area there is Legal Grounds.
Lower Greenville has a Cafe Brazil (A chain but a local one with a handful of locations in Dallas).
In Knox Henderson Espresso options may be thin, but for a good cup of coffee, stop in at the Highland park Pharmacy. Good Strong Coffee, and a great old Lunch Counter/ Soda Fountain.
In Oak Lawn there is a Cafe Brazil, and Urban Dog Coffee should be reopening soon

These are off the top of my head, I'm sure others could provide many more. NONE of these areas are really walkable from Uptown. It sounds as if you might be happier in Old East Dallas, Or Oak Lawn (if you have no hangups about gay neighbors) or another neighborhood. Uptown is about trendy corporate places. Nothing wrong with that, and it has been very successful and a real plus for Dallas, The Magnolia Movie theatre is a great facility and the Village Burger Bar is great, but if you want a place that favours local independent businesses, and the types who make an effort to frequent those, it might not be a good fit for you.

Hi Macbeth, thanks for this, this is great stuff. I think for me, I dont mind going to corporate type chains stores/restaurants, because the quality is usually consistent, and because I know I will usually get what I need, but when it comes to coffee shops, it is hard for chains to create that hip, quaint vibe that can be found in certain types of coffee shops. I know this sounds like a strange thing to be concerned about.

[biglew53]

The best place is crooked tree coffee. Look it up you will not be disappointed

[Renfrow]

Originally Posted by DMBUGA34

Crooked Tree CoffeeHouse

On Routh St

Thanks, this is exactly what I was looking for.

[rosscountry]

Originally Posted by SmartGXL

Hi RossCountry,

Thank you for your comments on this. I actually have been to Uptown, maybe 4 or 5 times now, each time, spending one or two days per visit, exploring Uptown (mostly checking out apartments). You are right - it is new and shiny, and does not compare directly to Lakeview, if anything, it compares more to Lincoln Park, at least demographically. Actually, I am not expecting Uptown to be comparable to any other place; it is its own, unique neighborhood and like Lakeview/Lincoln Park, cannot be duplicated. I got the sense that it has its own particular vibe, but I am worried that if I leave Chicago, that I will miss a lot of the things that are available here.

Here are the reasons I am thinking about moving:

1. Most of my family has moved from Ohio to Austin, so if I moved to Dallas, I would be able to live in a neighborhood that is *similar* to what I have in Chicago, but still be able to drive a couple hours fown to austin once a month and see my family.
2. I want to be somewhere that is (relatively) warm and sunny in the winter, and Dallas offers that.
3. Uptown Dallas offers apartments that, compared to Chicago, are AWESOME. I can live in Uptown, and rent an amazing apartment that is larger, newer, and nicer than what I can get in Chicago. Also, by transferring with my company to the Dallas office, I will be bringing my Chicago-area salary, with Dallas' lower cost of living and no State income taxes, it is like getting a huge raise.

So having said all of this, I know there are trade-offs; I will have to give up some things. But I am still torn as to whether or not I will regret the trade-offs!!

Did you have any regrets leacing Chicago? Are you enjoying living in Dallas, compared to living in Lakeview?

Thanks for your input!!

No regrets as I share some of your same reasons for leaving- I will never move back. I love warm weather. Things will be fine for you here in Dallas. I recommend getting a car. Its not completely necessary but it will make things more fun for you to explore the entire metroplex. - It's like Disney World if you like to drive around with its variety of areas.

You will miss the ability to walk to a cubs game, bar, Lake Michigan, a quick cab ride to the mag mile, taste of chicago, all of the people watching you could do in chicago BUT those are just reasons to go visit Chicago. I miss walking down from my place to a noodle shop on broadway and eating on their outside terrace under a tree with a view of the restaurant on one side and an alley on the other with a dumpster--- Ah Character!!

I don't know if you plan on buying but you will get WAY more amenity etc in a condo here than in Chicago for the money.

[Edward_from_Dallas]

Originally Posted by DMBUGA34

Crooked Tree CoffeeHouse

On Routh St

Wow, exactly what the OP was looking for. I don't live in Uptown but I may have to check it out myself.

[TrueDat]

You also should check out Buli on Cedar Springs (www.bulicafe.com ), right in the middle of the "gayborhood" in Oak Lawn. It's independent and in a walkable area. Down the street is the Crossroads Market which, I believe, also serves coffee. I'm not a coffee drinker so I can't vouch for the quality but their location meets your other criteria (unless those also include meeting lots of straight men. On a serious tip, as the area continues to get more gentrified, straights are moving into Oak Lawn.) Oak Lawn still has a slightly funkier feel than Uptown so it might be a viable option.

[TrueDat]

Another plus for Oak Lawn: Looks like Buzzbrews Kitchen (BUZZBREWS Kitchen), the 24-hour cafe now on the other side of 75 at Central and Fitzhugh, is opening a location on Lemmon.

[PlanoGirl]

Originally Posted by Edward_from_Dallas

Wow, exactly what the OP was looking for. I don't live in Uptown but I may have to check it out myself.

me too!