David Norman Is Now at Annie's

David Norman

While I was in Austin last week, I stumbled over to Congress Avenue in the early morning murk looking for breakfast. Las Manitas wasn’t where I left it. But there was a new place called Annie’s Cafe. And there I spotted my old friend David Norman baking bread. I tapped on the glass and got him to let me in although the place hadn’t opened yet. Norman is a veteran boulanger who has worked at such famous bakeries as Upper Crust in Seattle and the legendary Bouley Bakery in New York. He started at Annie’s around a month ago, he said.

Annie’s Cafe is owned by the folks who used to own Apple Annie’s, which was a great little lunch spot where my friend the late Pat Knight used to work. Annie’s Cafe is a much more ambitious venture. I like the layout of the new place. Who can resist a bakery cafe with a full bar? Norman got my day going with a cup of strong coffee and a fresh-out-of-the-oven cinnamon roll. He also told me to make sure to put some rye flour in my next sourdough starter to get the right kind of bacteria going.

I look forward to going back to Annie’s and eating a sandwich of some of Norman’s amazing bread.