I guess you could call me a homer: Ever since leaving Texas, I do my damndest to find slices of it wherever I roam. I stumbled upon this gem in Bozeman, Montana while visiting old friends. Partner Coffee is a true-to-form third-wave coffee joint, helmed by a fellow Texan who goes by Waylor, serving up Austin-roasted beans out the back of a Ford Bronco.
I had met Waylor the previous night when—while sharing a fifth of whiskey with my best friend, Carlyle—we wandered over to a latte art competition we heard was taking place in some downtown back-alley. He was pulling shots in a slick pair of boots and some vintage wares that would entice any y’all-ternative enthusiasts. After an introduction, I committed to stopping by the coffee garage the next day to nurse my whiskey head and see Waylor’s home away from home.
The outside is obvious, but let me paint a picture of the inside of this standalone garage, nestled in a neighborhood not far from that back-alley throw-down. You walk in to the smell of espresso pulls and frothed milk, followed quickly by the sounds of Willie, Waylon, and the boys. If you’re there on the right day, like I was, you might treat yourself to a gen-u-wine central Texas-style kolache—essentially a pig-in-a-blanket, but the blanket is a sweet, almost brioche-like pastry that is sure to cure what ails you. Now the elephant in the room is the same Bronco backed up a little cattywampus that serves as the barista bar from which Waylor makes your beverage of choice. Its tan and cream exterior fits right into the coffee garage, which is filled with various knick-knacks that could just as easily be found at a highway-side BBQ joint or in your grandma’s living room.
After taking it all in, I gathered my coffee and snacks; traded Waylor for a T-shirt; and moseyed outside to snap this photo with my knockaround film camera. It was the perfect start to a perfect day. Whenever you’re in Bozeman, do what I did, stop by, and “put some giddyup in your cup!”
