Amanda Rockman
Pastry chef and owner, Rockman Coffee + Bakeshop
Amanda Rockman is a classically trained pastry chef who makes pastries and operates Rockman Coffee + Bakeshop, and she also consults at Ripefruit.
Originally from Texas, she moved back in 2015 because she has always loved Austin and finds there is something about the city that makes you want to come back. Opening her own business is the thing she is proudest of, a step she never thought she would be able to take until family and friends who believed in her helped make it happen.
Next year she is looking to expand Rockman into another neighborhood and the airport.
Amanda answered these questions in writing, in August 2026.
What do you make or do, in plain words?
I am a classically trained pastry chef, so I make pastries and operate Rockman Coffee and Bakeshop and consult at Ripefruit.
How did you land in Austin, and why did you stay?
I am originally from Texas and decided to move back in 2015. I have always loved Austin. There is something about this city that makes you want to come back.
What is the thing you have made or done here that you are proudest of?
Opening my own business. I never thought I would be able to do that, but I had a lot of family and friends who believed in me.
What is one opinion you hold about Austin that most people here would argue with?
Traffic is bad but it’s not that bad, compared to LA or Chicago, and Barton Springs is indeed too cold.
Where do you actually eat, drink, or hang out? Name real places.
Fukumoto, Kiin Di, Saffron, and Ezov to eat. I love to hang out at Leona and outdoor spaces with friends. If I drink I usually make it at home, since we built a bar in my house in 2020.
What would you tell someone who moved here last week?
Wear sunscreen. Always.
What are you working on next?
We are looking to expand Rockman into another neighborhood and the airport next year.
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