All eyes rest on the two baristas behind the espresso machine as they carefully pour the perfect design. A crowd of coffee enthusiasts buzz with anticipation while they wait for the judges to announce the winner of the Thursday Night Throwdown — a latte art competition with rising popularity in Austin’s coffee community. 

Austin Coffee Collective, an organization of coffee professionals, hosts a throwdown once a month, where baristas from all over Austin compete in a bracket-style competition. Judges assess the latte art designs — which normally consist of rosettas, hearts and tulips — based on precision and symmetry. The collective holds the contest at a different coffee shop in Austin, where local vendors feature their products. The upcoming throwdown, set for Feb. 13 at Epoch Coffee on West Anderson Lane, will showcase a night of friendly rivalry, artistry and plenty of caffeine. 

“We take it for granted,” said Michelle Diaz, an Austin Coffee Collective board member. “Coffee is just something that we need … for fuel. We’re not appreciating the fact that there’s an art behind it.” 

Intelligentsia Coffee, located at 607 W. 3rd St., hosted the latest throwdown in January. Tora Gonzalez, the store manager, said her staff felt adamant about hosting a throwdown to show their involvement in the Austin coffee community. 

“It was a way to get all kinds of awesome coffee and Austin baristas together in one place,” Gonzalez said. “They were really passionate about competing against each other, showing off and showing out for their coffee shop that they’re representing.” 

The best artist of the night takes home a cash prize, which has gone up to $1,500 in the past, according to an Instagram post from the Coffee Collective. Along with the cash prize, the barista can hold the Thursday Night Throwdown trophy in their shop until the next contest. 

“Whenever new people come in, if they like coffee … they know what it means,” said Ashlynn Arzola, a barista at Intelligentsia Coffee. “They come in, and they see the trophy with all the stickers on it. They know that your shop has somebody who’s really good at (latte art).”

Diaz said the Austin Coffee Collective strives to build community by bringing together local coffee shops, vendors and baristas. A throwdown showcases the talents of locals while bringing shops and baristas into the coffee community in Austin. Diaz said most of all, the event allows people to have fun and connect with those who share similar interests. 

“If you want to have a good time in Austin and you enjoy coffee, you need to come,” Diaz said. “To see the way that these professionals can throw down latte art, it’s so impressive.”