Austin’s Thirsty Planet is an environmentally conscious brewery with a spacious bar area, making it must-see spot for area beer aficionados and eco-friendly residents alike.

Each visit begins with a tour of the impressive brewery, which includes an incredibly detailed description of each step in the green brewing process. Visitors get a glimpse of all of the large tanks and machines used to brew Thirsty Planet’s tasty beers, and after the tour is over you get to taste them as well. Just $7 gets you three drink tickets to drink any of the brewery’s beers in the bar area, and there’s even a spacious outdoor patio to enjoy on cooler Texas days.

To schedule a tour of the Thirsty Planet brewery, visit Thirsty Planet's website.

Thirsty Planet
11160 Circle Drive
Austin, TX 78736
www.thirstyplanet.net
www.yelp.com/biz/thirsty-planet-austin

CC-BY-SA-2.0/Flickr/jchapiewski

Two Saints Baking Co. & Cafe is located in a popular plaza in the Bee Cave area of Austin. This classic bakery and cafe serves breakfast, lunch, and a wide variety of baked goods to eat in or take out. The full-service espresso bar makes traditional espresso drinks such as lattes and cappuccinos, freshly brewed coffee, and more adventurous specialty drinks like white chocolate mochas.

Breakfast here is very popular, and it includes a breakfast taco that is one of the cafe’s most popular items. Quiches, omelets, and biscuits come in a variety of different styles, and the glass display case full of French-inspired baked goods will tempt your sweet tooth for breakfast, as well. Lunch items include homemade soups, salads, and croissant sandwiches baked fresh on site.

Once you decide on a delicious treat or hearty lunch, Two Saints offers comfortable indoor cafe tables and a verdant outdoor patio for those who prefer to dine al fresco.

Two Saints Baking Co. & Cafe
13011 Shops Parkway
Bee Cave, TX 78738
(512) 263-1166
www.twosaintsbakingcompany.com
www.yelp.com/biz/two-saints-baking-co-and-cafe-bee-cave

CC-BY-2.0/Flickr/Anna Loverus

From barbecued burgers to fresh corn on the cob, summer's savory recipes steal the spotlight all season long. But those with a penchant for sweets know that the best part of the meal happens off the grill. We're talking about summertime desserts, of course, and this trio of mouthwatering recipes can keep a sweet tooth satisfied all the way through September:

Strawberry Shortcake [AllRecipes]
The quintessential summertime dessert, strawberry shortcake is a tried-and-true crowd pleaser. You'll need to fire up the oven to bake the two cake layers for this recipe, but that's the extent of the cooking process. After the cakes have cooled, they're used to create a tantalizing tower of sugar-coated strawberries and fresh whipped cream.

Cucumber, Meyer Lemon and Lavender Granita [Cooking Channel]
This frozen dessert couldn't be much easier to make, requiring only a blender, saucepan—and a sweet tooth! However, the complex flavors involved make the granita taste quite involved. If you've never tried lavender in a dessert before, this is a delicious place to start.

Peach Crisp [Real Simple]
Who doesn't love peach crisp? The classic recipe is one of the best ways to use up a surplus of the summertime stone fruit. Slices of fresh peaches are buried beneath a crispy oat crust, then the whole thing is popped in the oven for 45 minutes. Eat it for breakfast, or serve it warm with a scoop of ice cream—just like Mom used to make!

CC-BY-2.0/Flickr/Edd Prince