Codependent Cocktails + Coffee

Codependent sits on the ground floor of The Independent — Austin's iconic twisting residential skyscraper — in the Power Plant District, and it operates on a genuinely different premise than most downtown cocktail bars: the room is designed to be used all day, from 8am espresso through late-night pours, and the Zero Proof section of the menu is treated as a proper program rather than an afterthought. The three NA cocktails are built with the same layered logic as the alcoholic side of the menu, using verjus, coconut water, and house teas in place of spirits rather than defaulting to juice and soda.

The two standout zero-proof options are the Well-Mannered Monk — NA tequila, cucumber, mint, verjus, pineapple, and sparkling water — and Tell Me Somethin' Good, which pairs an NA aperitif with prickly pear, coconut water, verjus, and tonic. A third option, the Clean Bill of Health, is a more tea-forward build of black tea, ginger, lemon, honey, tonic, and pineapple juice. The bar program is the work of Urbanspace founders Kevin Burns and Merrill Alley, who conceived the concept around Italian aperitivo culture; bar director Gabe, frequently praised in guest reviews, is credited with translating that aesthetic into a menu that holds up on both sides of the alcohol divide.

Codependent is walk-in friendly — reservations aren't required — but the room fills quickly on weekend evenings and during happy hour. Noise levels rise with the crowd, so if you want to actually have a conversation, a weekday afternoon or early evening visit is the move. Laptops are unwelcome after 4pm, which keeps the evening energy social rather than co-working. The Italian-furnished interior, wraparound bar, and outdoor patio with umbrella seating make it a natural fit for visitors who want a stylish downtown setting without being locked into a fully alcoholic night — a practical and genuinely considered option in a city that doesn't always make that easy.