Brooklyn in Dallas

Coffee is the least important part of your neighborhood coffee shop.

BY BROOKLYN RODGERS | JUNE 18TH, 2025 | 3:00 PM  

Since moving to Knox Park in April, I’ve been meaning to do the god-fearing work of trying out and reporting on all the coffee shops in my new neighborhood. Finally, the work is done. Much like the epic I chronicled during my time in Lower Greenville– published somewhere between the death and resurrection of Foxtrot- this is the definitive lowdown on the caffeine landscape of Knox Park.

My ideal coffee shop hits three things: solid WFH vibes (quiet-ish, lots of seating), good people watching, and- least importantly- decent coffee. I considered all of these factors (and more✨) in the following scientific analysis. My control drink: the lavender iced oat milk latte. While I’ve recently moved toward cortados, they’re hard to mess up and not exactly polarizing- which makes them bad for comparison. Instead, I judged on the most ordered drink by the average mid-20s coffee shop layperson: a syrupy alternative milk iced latte. Someone had to do it.

Disclaimer: This is not really an article about coffee. This is a vibe check of Knox’s many and varied coffee shops, through the eyes of a full-time WFH-er who can only last an hour in any given shop before getting antsy. And yes, it’s a Buzzfeed-style ranked list, because I can.

Included: All coffee shops in Knox proper: Berkeley’s, Foxtrot, Le Bloom, Georgie Butcher Shop, Fairgrounds, Rose Café, and Village Baking Co.

Not included: Starbucks (need I elaborate?).

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7. Fairgrounds – 4514 Cole Ave

Fairgrounds is, regrettably, a hell I can never return to. It sits across from Trader Joe’s, where parking is a nightmare. I shelled out $4 to park in the attached garage and was immediately punished for it. The interior looks as if you’d asked AI to generate a “cool coffee shop”: concrete floors, antique wood furniture with pops of color, and enough Edison bulbs to light a small planet.

My seating situation: wedged between a man in a literal paperboy hat sipping a latte and a duo drinking both LaCroix and Poppi while talking about closing a deal (thanks, Dad!). It smelled like sausage biscuits and blasted Top 100 pop hits- maybe someone’s vibe, but not mine. The coffee? Surprisingly decent. Rich espresso, though the lavender syrup didn’t really come through.

6. Rose Café – 4205 Buena Vista St

The masochist in me keeps returning to Rose Café off the Katy Trail, though I can’t in good conscience recommend you do the same. I’ve been countless times, always to the dismay of my tastebuds and wallet. The location? Incredible. The design? Gorgeous. The coffee? So bad it’s borderline performance art.

Since launching in Fall 2024, Rose Cafe has quietly pivoted away from coffee (probably for the best) toward the lunch crowd. I recently visited for lunch, and while the food was passable, the service was chaotic for a 15-seat counter with five people behind it. The café looks like a grab-and-go spot from the trail, but actually features a poorly designed U-shaped counter with baffling people flow.

The coffee setup- once front and center- has faded into the background, both physically and metaphorically. My theory: this is one of those vanity concepts propped up by a larger hospitality group, made possible by deep pockets, with questionable ROI. Their sibling spot (#3 on this list) executes way better. As for Rose Cafe’s lavender iced oat milk latte? Burnt espresso, watery oat milk, and syrup that may or may not exist. The pastries look good though- ideal if you’re in the mood to cancel out your Katy Trail steps.

5. Village Baking Co. – 3219 Knox St

I’ve been a lukewarm fan of Village Baking Co. for a while, mostly for their pastry game (immaculate). I’ve visited their other locations- Bishop Arts, Oak Lawn, Lower Greenville- and have never felt inclined to sit and stay awhile. The Knox spot is no different.

They have a few reserved parking spots out front and the same amazing pastries inside, but the seating feels accidental and the coffee is a snooze. It’s not a WFH kind of place- more a quick stop-in for a kouign amann before heading elsewhere.

4. Le Bloom – 4152 Travis St

I’ve been trying to make it to Le Bloom forever, but their hours (7 a.m. to 1 p.m.), lack of seating, and tucked-away location kept me away. I finally made it and… pretty fucking good coffee. But, that’s about it.

If you’re after a grab-and-go spot with Instagram-worthy interiors (blue and white minimalist vibes, possibly a custom-wrapped La Marzocco?), you’ll love it. A couple shaded tables outside, some puzzling pottery and merch inside, and a crowd straight out of La La Land (same demographic, different hex code for their branding). They use Fronks alt milks, which is fun, and I spotted what looked like event supplies in their back room — could be a cool pop-up space. Great herbal lavender latte. See you next blue moon.

3. Georgie Butcher Shop – 4514 Travis St

A butcher shop / café / grab-and-go hybrid just down the street from me- and one I feel lucky to have nearby. Yes, the nearby construction is annoying, and no, I’ve never tried parking (I can walk, sorry). But the coffee’s great, the pastries are solid, and the shelves are stocked with housemade salads, jams, sandwiches, and emergency wine.

Bonus: There’s a window into the Georgie restaurant kitchen, which is so fun. In the same vein as Rose Cafe, (and under the same ownership) I’ve yet to figure out how this café concept makes money for Travis Street Hospitality, but I’d like to work the idea into my own hospitality group manifesto. It just works.

2. Berkeley’s Market – 3300 Knox St

Berkeley’s might be the perfect WFH coffee shop in the area. There’s always parking in the adjacent lot, seating is plentiful, and the vibes are clean, calm, and quiet. It’s not overly crowded on weekdays, and the people-watching is solid.

The lavender iced latte is reliably good — sweet but not cloying, with a balanced herbal kick. Only downside? The vibe is a little gray, a little sterile. Think: more corporate than cozy.

Bonus tip: Go on a Saturday morning after the 214 Run Club hits the Katy Trail. The pheromones are palpable.

1. Foxtrot Market – 3130 Knox St

Okay, I’m biased. I spent an unreasonable amount of time and money at the Snider Plaza Foxtrot when I lived nearby in 2023. But the Knox location holds its own. It’s a bit smaller with limited seating, but street parking is easy and there are extra spots in the back lot.

Foxtrot strikes a sweet spot between sterile WFH and social hang. The people watching is livelier than Berkeley’s, and the market selection is more interesting too- filled with snacks that look incredible and probably bankrupted them in 2024.

Somehow, the crowd here is always a little more annoying than other spots, but I forgive it. The lavender iced latte is my favorite: sweet, consistent, and exactly what I want every time. It’s also the coffee shop I’d take an out-of-towner to for a taste of the neighborhood. I kept returning to Foxtrot even when I had other coffee spots left to try for this article- because of the coffee, the energy, and the warm, easy atmosphere. And yes, I love browsing the branded snacks that seemingly no one ever touches.

The bottom line?

You can find me at Foxtrot, Berkeley’s, or Georgie on any given day. And if you happen to be strolling the Katy Trail, peek inside Rose Café — I might be mid-walk, punishing myself with yet another one of their lattes. Some habits die hard.