Tout Suite (INDIE)
Tout Suite (INDIE)
A quick rewisit of the original Tout Suite, on Commerce St., both to replace the deleted FB and also to see the space once more before they relocate. No coffee this time because they stop their drip around 16:00, but I did confirm that they are still using the Honduras from Katz's, and both locations stick to that roast. As during my two preωious wisits, Tout Suite was packed, with a queue to order--this place stays popular!
Her Name Was Irene (INDIE)
Her Name Was Irene (INDIE)
Only three months old, this cafe caught my eye because of its unusual name, Her Name Was Irene Coffee and Internet Cafe. The eponymous Irene was the owner's grandmother, and her illustration is displayed on a poster right next to the front door. Despite the choice to use "Internet Cafe" in its name, HNWI does not actually include computers, only wifi. I cannot actually remember the last time I encountered a proper internet cafe, with computers, in this country, although I'm sure they still exist around the world, in places where laptops are not as common. Beautiful space with lots of natural lighting, eclectic decor, AND a Pac-Man game, BUT a bit awkward as a hangout for working. The only outlets are at the counter tables, but they are too high for me to stand comfortably and work (and impossible for shorter folk), but I cannot sit either, because then my arms cannot reach my laptop. Coffee-wise, Her Name Was Irene uses beans from Minneapolis wholesaler Tiny Footprint Coffee, and they only use one bean, a dark roasted Nicaragua. Moreover, they do not offer filtre coffee, so I had to take an espresso. Needless to say, this coffee is not for me.
Coral Sword (INDIE)
Seven years later, Coral Sword appears unchanged, except for the faded storefront. They still focus on board games, and they still serve Greenway because one of the owners is inωolved with that roaster. No batch brew now, but Coral Sword does offer single origin pour overs prepared on a Tone. The space is funky and rather large, to accommodate the gamers, but there are plenty of tables for the laptop folk. I recommend searching for the 2018 Sprudge article about Coral Sword--the details of how this place came to be are fascinating.
Coral Sword (INDIE)
Mercantile (INDIE)
Mercantile (INDIE)
Mercantile has been a regular hangout for me for years because they are a good hangout, quite spacious with the usual amenities, and they serve reasonably-priced single origin drip coffees from Tenfold. They are also not far from the Museum District or Rice University, and I have often killed time here before going to see a film at those cinemas. This cafe seems to be unchanged, and that's just fine with me.
Paper Co. (INDIE)
Paper Co. (INDIE)
When I originally wisited Paper Co. in 2017, they were operated by Ecclesia, the church that occupies the building, and they served a coffee from seemingly-defunct roaster Mueva that I found mediocre. Since then, the space shut down, and now that it has reopened, it is run by Tenfold Coffee and naturally serves their beans. They stop serving drip coffee around midday, but I was able to get a pretty good Kalita-brewed natural-processed Brazilian Peaberry coffee. The space seems to be the same, quite large with a clean decor and a mix of standard tables, tall tables, and comfortable couches. Additionally, they have a quiet room for meetings or privacy. Wifi, plenty of outlets, and a huge parking lot make this a great hangout.
The Yellow Cup (INDIE)
The Yellow Cup (INDIE)
It is not uncommon that an indie cafe, after many years, has switched coffee roasters, or begun roasting their own, and that is exactly the case at The Yellow Cup. When I discovered them in 2018, they were serving coffee from West Bean. A few years later they had Memli, and at some point after that they switched to Onyx. Now they have Proud Mary, an Australian-based roaster that now has a shop and roastery in Austin. Yellow Cup does have a pour over menu, but they were out of those beans, so I had to settle for a batch brew of the Ghost Rider blend, decent enough. Yellow Cup continues to be an excellent hangout, with a modest amount of space, standard and tall tables, outlets, wifi, and a good-sized parking lot.
Slowpokes - Kirby Grove (INDIE)
Slowpokes - Kirby Grove (INDIE)
The last time I went to Slowpokes, at their cafe on W. 34th, in or near the Heights, I had a cup from local roaster Geva that was okay, but not good enough to spur me to return. Today however, I needed a place to hang out in the early evening, and Slowpokes is open later than many cafes, so I decided to check out one of their newer locations, in Kirby Grove, across from Levy Park. This space is pretty large, with a mix of tables, outlets, and wifi, plus garage or street parking--great hangout! Coffee-wise, Slowpokes has started roasting, and they become only the second craft coffeehouse that I have encountered to serve filter coffee from Vietnam. It was too dark for me, but I still give Slowpokes propz for decor.
The Fix (INDIE)
The Fix (INDIE)
The Fix was a huge surprise to me because it has been in that location, on a part of Westheimer Road that I frequent, for NINE YEARS, and yet I have no recollection of ever having seen it on Google Maps, nor on any blog. Now, sure, if a cafe is basically a Starbucks imitator serving commodity cafe, it probably wouldn't be profiled by coffee blogs, but The Fix is actually a pretty cool place. For starters, they are the rare Houston multi-roaster coffeehouse with nearly half dozen roasters on display, including Amaya, Java Pura, New Heights, Fusion Beans, and Purefi. I chose a Chemex of the latter, Brazilian beans, and the cup was decent enough. The space is modest in size but a good hangout, and I dug the display of storefront illustrations by Jim Koehn. I also dug that when my coffee was served, the presentation included a small cup with some beans for me to smell.
Eden Plant Co. - Post (INDIE)
I only discovered Eden Plant Co. in March 2024, and that East End location has already closed and moved to POST Market, a spiffy food hall on the edge of Houston's city centre. Unlike many food hall coffee kiosks, the nature of POST makes Eden seem spacious. The downsides are the city centre parking sitch, the current lack of filtre coffee, and, unless I missed it, no tables near the kiosk to plug in and work. The huge upside is, of course, the food hall, in the adjacent hall, boasting over a dozen eateries and other merchants.
Tout Suite - Fannin (INDIE)
Tout Suite - Fannin (INDIE)
This cafe on Fannin is the second city centre location for Tout Suite, a coffeehouse that is unusual because they serve coffee from local staple Katz's that is ACTUALLY GOOD! I generally grimace when I walk into a cafe and see Katz's because I've had so many mediocre, overdark, cups from that ubiquitous roaster. However, when I went to the original Tout Suite two years ago, I had a decent Honduran coffee. Today I had the same coffee, and it tasted even better! As for the space, this Tout Suite location is right next to Trebly Park, making for a great place to sit outside and enjoy a cup. If you prefer indoors, this space has much more natural lighting than their Commerce cafe, and other than the usual parking difficulties in the Houston city centre, this is a great hangout with plenty of tables, outlets, and wifi
RESHOOT: Gray & Smith, Houston, Texas
RESHOOT: Louisiana & McGowen, Houston, Texas
RESHOOT: Louisiana & McGowen, Houston, Texas
This store used to have seat, and a vibrant contingent of customers who would hang out for hours, but it has been converted to Pickup.
Sneaks (INDIE)
Sneaks (INDIE)
Sneaks literally just opened and is unusual for a number of reasons. Obωiously there is the sneaker theme. The owner is a sneakerhead, and one wall displays special trainers from his personal collection. Additionally, the decor behind the counter is a collection of oddities including Funko bobbleheads, Lego renditions of Star Wars characters, and even a Travis Scott branded box of Reese's Puffs cereal! Sneaks is also a lounge that gets going in the evening, but the lounge is HIDDEN behind a door that appears to be a nondescript bookshelf, speakeasy style! No filter coffee yet, nor wifi, but the barista suggested that they are on the way.
Della Coffee (INDIE)
Della Coffee (INDIE)
Della Coffee opened earlier this year and is a beautiful, modest-sized space with ample natural lighting and a mostly clean decor peppered by art from a local gallery. Della has a combination of standard tables, tall tables, and counters, plus outlets, wifi, and some parking in the back, making this a great hangout. Additionally, there is a separate room for those who want more quiet. Coffeewise, Della is one of the few cafes I have seen in Houston to serve more than one roaster. At the moment it is just Tenfold and New Heights, but the barista suggested that others might be on the way
RESHOOT: Montrose & Hawthorne, Houston, Texas
RESHOOT: Montrose & Hawthorne, Houston, Texas
This store used to have seating, but it is now Pickup only.
RESHOOT: River Oaks - NE Corner, Houston, Texas
RESHOOT: River Oaks - NE Corner, Houston, Texas
RESHOOT: River Oaks - NE Corner, Houston, Texas
RESHOOT: River Oaks - NE Corner, Houston, Texas
This store is distinctive not only because it is right across the street from another Starbucks, the only such instance in Houston, but also because of the striking exterior design and, inside, non-standard design elements, such as the Navy-style chairs, and a fish tank embedded in the wall. And be sure to check out the wall next to the part for a photo of the dying frog adopted by the store.
RESHOOT: Washington & Schuler, Houston, Texas
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RESHOOT: Washington & Schuler, Houston, Texas
RESHOOT: I-10 & Kirkwood, Houston, Texas
RESHOOT: I-10 & Kirkwood, Houston, Texas
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Simple Coffee (INDIE)
I found Simple Coffee, only a few months old, on Google Maps, and they sit inside yet another Houston food hall that I'd not discovered, Stetsi Food Hall and Beer Garden. Simple is just a kiosk, but they do have a couple of seats right in front, as well as general food hall seating and wifi. Now, regarding the coffee situation that I alluded to earlier, Simple serves the Handlebar Espresso blend (even for their drip) from a roaster named Clutch Town Coffee. HOWEVER, when I looked at the bag, their logo looked really familiar and so did the street address. Upon googling, I realised that the address is the same as that of Barbell Roastery, used by Day 6, and the FB page for Clutch Town appears to have been rebranded to Barbell a few years ago. But there is another twist, in that Simple was displaying a bag from Creature Coffee, an Austin roaster that they might be serving in the future. I think that the Creature bag is adorbs, and I hope that Simple does start serving Creature.
Day Six Coffee Co. (INDIE)
Day Six Coffee Co. (INDIE)
Day Six was actually recommended by an acquaintance, and, as usual, I was surprised that I'd not heard of this beautiful cafe that has been around since 2020. Day 6 sits inside an older building in the Houston city centre, and their decor is ornate as befits the building and the brick walls. Additionally, Day 6 serves as a fairly expansive gallery with art peppering nearly every inch of wall, both in the main space and the hallway to the loos. Day 6 is modest in size, with couches, standard tables, counter tables, outlets, and wifi. Additionally, there is a small seating area in the back if you want some quiet. Pretty good hangout if you don't mind dealing with city centre parking. Coffeewise, I enjoyed a decent, if perhaps darker-than-preferred drip of an Ethiopian bean, but the coffee situation would become quite interesting two days later when I discovered Simple Coffee.
RESHOOT: JPMorgan Chase Tower, Houston, Texas
This replaces the kiosk that was right outside for about fifteen years before the relocation.
RESHOOT: Pennzoil Place (Downtown), Houston, Texas
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RESHOOT: Pennzoil Place (Downtown), Houston, Texas
RESHOOT: Enterprise Plaza, Houston, Texas
RESHOOT: Enterprise Plaza, Houston, Texas
RESHOOT: Hwy 59 & Cummins, Houston, Texas
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RESHOOT: Hwy 59 & Cummins, Houston, Texas
RESHOOT: Hwy 59 & Cummins, Houston, Texas
RESHOOT: Hwy 59 & Cummins, Houston, Texas
RESHOOT: Buffalo Speedway & Westpark, Houston, Texas
RESHOOT: Buffalo Speedway & Westpark, Houston, Texas
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RESHOOT: Buffalo Speedway & Westpark, Houston, Texas
RESHOOT: University and Amherst, Houston, Texas
RESHOOT: University and Amherst, Houston, Texas
This is a relocation of the extremely old Rice Village store, and naturally it boasts a posh new design, befitting the upscale nature of this retail village, but also a custom hand-painted Siren mural.
RESHOOT: Cambridge Medical Plaza - Pick, Houston, Texas
RESHOOT: Cambridge Medical Plaza - Pick, Houston, Texas
RESHOOT: Cambridge Medical Plaza - Pick, Houston, Texas
This store used to have seating but was converted to Pickup.
RESHOOT: Fannin & Dryden, Houston, Texas
RESHOOT: Fannin & Dryden, Houston, Texas
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RESHOOT: Fannin & Dryden, Houston, Texas
RESHOOT: Fannin & Dryden, Houston, Texas
RESHOOT: Main & Buffalo Speedway, Houston, Texas
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RESHOOT: Main & Buffalo Speedway, Houston, Texas
RESHOOT: 610 & Braeswood, Houston, Texas
Drive-thru/pick-up only.
RESHOOT: S. Rice & West Park Tollway, Houston, Texas
RESHOOT: S. Rice & West Park Tollway, Houston, Texas
RESHOOT: US 59 and Bellaire Blvd, Houston , Texas
Pickup store.
RESHOOT: Hillcroft & US 59, Houston, Texas
This store used to have seat, and a vibrant contingent of customers who would hang out for hours, but it has been converted to Pickup.
RESHOOT: San Felipe & Voss - SE Corner, Houston, Texas
RESHOOT: San Felipe & Voss - SE Corner, Houston, Texas
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RESHOOT: Woodway & Augusta, Houston, Texas
RESHOOT: Woodway & Augusta, Houston, Texas
RESHOOT: Wirt Rd and Westview Dr, Houston, Texas
RESHOOT: Wirt Rd and Westview Dr, Houston, Texas
Drive-thru/walk-up only.
RESHOOT: I-10 & Wirt, Spring Valley, Texas
RESHOOT: I-10 & Wirt, Spring Valley, Texas
Actual visit 11-21-2007.
RESHOOT: I-10 & Brogden Rd, Houston, Texas
RESHOOT: I-10 & Brogden Rd, Houston, Texas
Drive-thru/walk-up only.
RESHOOT: Pickup - City Centre, Houston, Texas
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RESHOOT: Pickup - City Centre, Houston, Texas
RESHOOT: Beltway 8 & Harwin, Houston, Texas
RESHOOT: Beltway 8 & Harwin, Houston, Texas
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RESHOOT: Beltway 8 & Harwin, Houston, Texas
RESHOOT: Sugar Land Town Center, Sugarland, Texas
Although somewhat attached to the hotel, this store is company-operated.
RESHOOT: Sugar Land Town Center, Sugarland, Texas
RESHOOT: Hwy 6 & Dulles Austin Pkwy, Missouri City, Texas
RESHOOT: Hwy 6 & Dulles Austin Pkwy, Missouri City, Texas
RESHOOT: Hwy 6 & Dulles Austin Pkwy, Missouri City, Texas
RESHOOT: Hwy 6 & Dulles Austin Pkwy, Missouri City, Texas
RESHOOT: Hwy 6 and Oyster Creek Place, Missouri City , Texas
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RESHOOT: Hwy 6 and Oyster Creek Place, Missouri City , Texas
RESHOOT: Murphy Rd & Hwy 6, MIssouri City, Texas
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RESHOOT: Murphy Rd & Hwy 6, MIssouri City, Texas
RESHOOT: Murphy Rd & Hwy 6, MIssouri City, Texas
RESHOOT: Hwy 90 & Promenade, Stafford, Stafford, Texas
RESHOOT: Hwy 90 & Promenade, Stafford, Stafford, Texas
RESHOOT: W Airport & Kirkwood, Meadows Place, Texas
Waygood Coffee - Upper Kirby (INDIE)
Waygood Coffee - Upper Kirby (INDIE)
Waygood Coffee is another newer entry to the Houston coffee market, beginning with a Pearland location about a year ago and now expanding to this cafe on Upper Kirby. I really dig their colourful exterior, and the inside is spacious with a healthy helping of plants, many of which are for sale. With a parking lot, wifi, and outlets, Waygood is a great hangout. In terms of coffee, they serve Greenway, one of my favourite Houston roasters, BUT they only use the Mid-Century blend, too dark for my tastes.
Bitty & Beaus - Rice Village (INDIE)
Bitty & Beaus - Rice Village (INDIE)
The name Bitty & Beau's seemed familiar, but not from Houston. I had to look up my records to realise that I had stumbled across the original in Wilmington, NC, and they are a purpose-driven cafe focused on providing jobs to deωelopmentally and intellectually disabled indiωiduals. The coffee itself, a blend, is not really for me, but I applaud their mission.
Luce Avenue Coffee Roasters - Bunker Hill (INDIE)
Luce Avenue Coffee Roasters is NOT one of my Houston faves. They tend to roast medium-to-dark, not light like I prefer, but I still hang out at their Richmond location often because it is right across the street from my go-to Regal Cinemas. By coincidence I happened to find myself near a newer location, off I-10 and Bunker Hill, and that led me to discover that Luce has grown from three to SEVEN area locations, and quickly. The reason is that they have begun franchising, and they now have a deal with H-E-B. Sadly, franchising can lead to a drop in quality, and the House Blend drip coffee I had from this location, inside H-E-B, was the worst of all my Luce experiences. And there is no seating, so this is not even a good hangout.