This vibrant Hyde Park cafe-bookshop hybrid buzzes with energy, offering a delightful mix of curated reads, tasty drinks, and community events in a lively setting.
"The Hyde Park contemporary bookstore includes a cafe serving up coffee; wines; snacks like cheeses and meats; and sandwiches. Orders can be placed in person; there are indoor and outdoor dine-in areas." - Nadia Chaudhury
"We love the very European-looking patio at Bureau de Poste—it’s set on a terrain of jagged bricks in a residential part of Hyde Park, shaded by small trees and canopies with climbing vines. If the rest of this French restaurant took after this patio, you’d probably find us hanging out at the bar on any given night, swirling a glass of wine over a plate of moules frites. But that bar overlooks a small grocery store that Bureau de Poste shares its space with. And while the concept sounds cute (and maybe a bit Parisian?), the reality is a confusing experience that pairs upscale bistro prices with a casual setting and some very underwhelming food. Head here when the weather is nice to enjoy a glass of wine on their patio, then go somewhere else for dinner. photo credit: Richard Casteel photo credit: Richard Casteel photo credit: Richard Casteel Food Rundown photo credit: Richard Casteel Escargot The preparation is pretty classic—six large snails set in an indented ceramic escargot plate filled with butter and broiled until they’re bubbling. But all that butter without enough salt to bring out much flavor ends up just tasting like wasted potential. photo credit: Nicolai McCrary Steak Frites The crust is great, but the inside reminds us of steak that was sous vided or slow-cooked for too long and lost all its texture. Unless you’re just trying to get 14 oz. of protein, skip this. photo credit: Richard Casteel Duck Leg Cassoulet The duck confit is tender and falls off the bone with the soft tug of a fork. We just wish it had a little more salt—a sentiment we felt about most of the dishes here." - Nicolai McCrary
"Browse for books while sipping on wine and coffee doesn’t sound like a bad way to spend the day. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in areas." - Nadia Chaudhury
"In a former USPS office in Hyde Park, First Light is a bookstore and cafe with food and drinks sourced from Austin businesses. That includes pastries from , coffee from , plus local beer and cider. The bookstore side of things includes a curated selection of fiction and nonfiction novels, plus cookbooks and magazines." - Nicolai McCrary
