things to do in dallas - coffee shops, pt 4.

The first 3 parts of this series can be found here, here, and here.

Murray Street Coffee Shop (Deep Ellum)
This small coffee shop is tucked away in a side street of the Deep Ellum neighborhood. The 2-story building is cozy and welcoming and the staff are knowledgeable about coffee and very friendly. Murray Street, like Mokah, has a decidedly eclectic and "Deep Ellum" feel about it. My roommate, Jamie, and I parked ourselves upstairs to read, chat, and use their free wi-fi (to work on this post!) and were comfortable sitting for a few hours. They also had some sandwiches, with vegetarian options, that looked tasty. Will definitely be back here!

Union Coffee House (Upper Greenville)
Union Coffee is located very near SMU's campus and caters mostly to students. Of course, if you're not a student, you'll fit in just fine, but the long tables set for group discussions and the ____ give it a distinctly college vibe.  Lots of seating, about half of it cushy, invites the patron to sit for a while and enjoy themselves. I had some tasty coffee, a good sandwich, and mostly uninterrupted quiet to read. The barista was very friendly and the posters on the walls remind you that, while you're enjoying that cuppa, you're also giving to those in need.

White Rock Coffee (Lake Highlands)
This coffee shop is small enough that you will probably miss your turn as you're looking for it on the side of Northwest Hwy. It's by far the least pretentious shop I've ever been to and had lots of drink options other than coffee. The coffee was okay but scalding which sometimes indicates either a desire to hide bad-tasting coffee or a barista who's not that great at their job. I enjoyed the light atmosphere and calm vibe, though. Lots of students were trickling in from a nearby high school to study and they were just as at home as the 60 year-old reading his daily newspaper.

Legal Grounds (Lakewood)
Legal Grounds is a small coffee shop with a library vibe, it's walls stacked with old law textbooks and leather-bound tomes. I'm interested to know what it's like during the week because around 10:30 on a Saturday morning, it was packed and I waited in line much longer than I am used to. Service was still good, but everyone seemed a bit frazzled. The coffee was good and people from all walks of life were there. It's impossible to feel out of place. They concept is cute, if kitschy, but it's worth checking out.

-e.