Right now, we need these “On a Budget” stories just as much as our morning coffee.

Yes, the cheapest option in this economy may be brewing your own coffee at home. But sometimes, it’s nice to treat yourself.

Especially for those who work at home– get out of the house! Go work in a community at a local coffeehouse. And while you’re at it, take advantage of the current patio weather.

Per readers’ requests, I visited the Fort Worth location of the Ascension coffeehouse for this column.

This eatery is located in the West Bend shopping center on the Trinity River. Ascension has a huge patio that is perfect for working outside, with a pretty darn good view.

There is coffee galore with all the fancy flavors. Ascension also serves bagels, pastries, muffins and brunch. It is open everyday from 6:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. There are also half-off wine bottles on Sundays through Thursdays starting at 3 p.m.

I’d definitely go for the half-off wine bottles if this weren’t a budget story. Normally $30–$40, the deal brings them down to $15–$20 — but that would wipe out most of our $25 budget (still a great deal, though!).

Fort Worth Ascension’s menu

At Ascension you can also grab a full brunch meal within budget, with sandwiches priced from $10 to $12 and all-day breakfast from $12 to $15.

Coffee is their specialty, with a beverage menu as extensive as its food menu.

A few highlights that caught my eye:

Salted Vanilla Cream Cold Brew, $5.57 for regular, $6.25 for large.
Slow Bar– A handcrafted pour over experience for $8 to $10.
Kyoto Style Cold Brew – Get a taste of the earliest known process for producing cold brew dating back to the 1600s for $5 to $6.
Cereal Milk Latte– A strawberry, hazelnut, oat milk and espresso drink. $6 for regular, $6.50 for large.
High-C Summer Fizz– A strawberry, amaretto, espresso and sparkling water drink. $5.50 for regular, $6 for large.
Espresso Martini flight– A traditional martini, white chocolate and strawberries and cream for $15.
Spring flight– A cereal milk latte, very berry matcha and strawberries and cream cold brew for $12.

I went ahead and got the Doki Sunrise, which is a Kyoto style cold brew with orange juice, cardamon and sparkling water for $6. I’ve never had anything like this before and was so pleasantly surprised with the freshness of the juice and carbonation offset by the rich coffee.

For my treat, I chose from their assortment of small and light starts that are all under $12.50. In fact, all their small starts are under $5.

Small Starts:

French croissant, $3.75, add butter and jam for $1 (their raspberry jam is amazing)
Chocolate or almond croissants from Black Rooster for $4.75
Banana bread or blueberry muffins for $4
Plain, everything or cinnamon raised bagels from Starship for $2.75, add cream cheese for $3.25, add flavored cream cheese for $3.75

Light starts also include a coconut-almond yogurt and granola bowl for $10, Sunrise yogurt bowl and chia seed pudding for $11 and overnight oats and avocado toast for $12.50.

What I got for under $25 at Ascension Fort Worth

I got a french croissant with butter and jam as well as the yogurt and granola bowl, putting our total at $20.75.

With tax and tip:

$6 Kyoto style cold brew– Doki Sunrise
$4.75 for the French croissant with butter and jam
$10 for the coconut-almond yogurt and granola bowl
Sales tax was $1.30
Tip was $2.95
Total with tax and tip: $25.00

All in all, Ascension was worth my $25 because not only did I get a full meal, but I also got to spend two hours along the Trinity River in 85 degree weather.

on-a-budget

I found brisket, sausage and a side for $25 at this Fort Worth barbecue spot

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