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For most of us, our day hasn't started until we take our first sip of coffee in the morning. America seriously runs on this stuff. No wonder people call it "liquid gold." Gone are the days where Starbucks is the end-all-be-all place to grab a cup of Joe, especially in Houston. This city is beyond b ... More >>
Catalina Coffee is an excellent place to relax, sip on your choice drink and nibble on a pastry. The calming environment of hipster baristas throwing together lattes, espressos and cappuccinos like it is second nature makes your visits to Catalina on Washington worthwhile. While the folks behind the ... More >>
You could get your Frappuccino fix at Starbucks this summer, but you can also satisfy that sweet tooth while cooling off with the frappes at Bite Macarons, and they are much better. For the rest of the summer, the French patisserie is offering summer drink specials, such as New Orleans iced coffee, ... More >>
Bosta Coffee & Wine opened its doors a couple of weeks ago in the quiet Museum District. By day, it's a coffee shop, but by night it serves up wine, beer and sophisticated bar snacks. The coffee beans are provided by Greenway Coffee & Tea (so you know what's being served is top notch); the food offe ... More >>
It didn't take long for me to become a fan of Siphon Coffee, the new coffee shop on West Alabama, just east of Montrose. It didn't matter that there were no seats when I arrived on a sweltering Sunday afternoon. I didn't even have to order their signature siphon coffee for it to become my new "it" c ... More >>
It's no secret that I love coffee. The second a new coffee shop (or coffee truck) opens, I'm all over it. Although Houston has many many places to grab a traditional espresso-based drink, or a creative concoction with a variety of syrups, no two are the same. Each shop has its own atmosphere, vibe, ... More >>
It's no secret that Houston has an ample number of food trucks serving lunch and dinner. But lately, the expansion of food trucks seems to lean more toward breakfast options and caffeinated beverages. Espresso Rescue joined the food truck scene just a few months ago and often sets up shop with Katm ... More >>
Remember Waldo's Coffee House on Heights Boulevard? The casual coffee house with an outdoor patio and casual indoor seating perfect for lounging, studying or chatting with friends closed last summer, but if you regularly pass by the intersection of East 11th Street and Heights Boulevard, you might h ... More >>
There's something special about enjoying a cup of coffee made from house-roasted beans sourced from small farms or plantations around the world. Matt Toomey, owner and roaster at Boomtown Coffee, cares deeply about all the work and labor it takes to produce a single serving of coffee. He values the ... More >>
In Houston, we have experienced our fair share of pub crawls, but there's one drink we haven't gotten to crawl for, and that's coffee. Missouri-based boutique marketing company The LAB created Caffeine Crawl in 2011. The event spread through the country, reaching a variety of cities (Kansas City, D ... More >>
When I go to a coffee shop, nine times out of ten I order a cappuccino. To me, it reflects the true talent of a barista -- getting the foam-to-espresso ratio just right; making sure the java is strong enough to ensure a caffeine boost; and guaranteeing every sip is warm, smooth and comforting. It's ... More >>
Every college campus needs its own special coffee shop -- something other than Starbucks, at least. For me, it was Common Grounds at Baylor University. Just on the outskirts of the campus you could find a crowd of students sipping on the signature Cowboy Coffee made with the Daily Joe, half-and-half ... More >>
Recently, I wrote about the pumpkin spice lattes at Starbucks and McDonald's, and a few of you wanted to know about seasonal beverages available at local coffee shops. While some places are serving their versions of pumpkin spice lattes, such as Dirk's Coffee and Bite Macarons, others have seasonal ... More >>
8th Annual Katy Wine Festival @ The Tuscany Villa Friday, 7-11 p.m. 3330 FM 1463, Katy Cinco Ranch Rotary hosts this year's Katy Wine Festival, which features Italian wines from the Tuscany, Piedmont, Campania, Sicily, Veneto, Puglia and Umbria regions. Purchase an advanced general admission ticket ... More >>
I have always been a fan of the Pumpkin Spice Latte, or PSL, from Starbucks. It's the first seasonal beverage to arrive after a summer of iced coffees and frappuccinos, and it always gets me in the spirit of fall. However, this fall, another contender might be giving Starbucks a run for its money w ... More >>
Vietnamese iced coffee done the right way is a treat and is usually reserved for weekends when you can either set up the small metal drip filter or phin, and read a newspaper as you wait for each thick caffeinated drop to settle over the layer of condensed milk at the bottom of the glass, or head to ... More >>
Houston's love affair with coffee shops doesn't seem to be in any danger of dying out. And this time of year, with classes at colleges and high schools starting up again and students looking for places to study (or not), coffee shops are swinging back into high gear -- especially those open into the ... More >>
Now that I've been shopping at House of Coffee Beans for a few years, I have noticed something interesting about the clientele. Not only is everyone smiling when they leave the store, they are smiling before they even walk in. Perhaps they are just grinning at the smell of fresh, roasted coffee that ... More >>
A recent Zagat survey revealed that we still consume coffee even if the price of a cup of Joe continues to increase while our economy struggles to get back on its feet. In fact, the average American consumes 2.2 cups of coffee each day, according to the Zagat statistics. Although we need to cut bac ... More >>
The last time we compiled a list of Houston's best coffee houses was in February 2011, and things have certainly changed since then. In just the last several months, Houston's caffeine scene has benefited from several new entrants, all of which are determined to raise the city's coffee profile just ... More >>
When I go to the grocery store, I always stop by the coffee creamer section to see what new flavors I can try in my coffee the next day. I usually rotate between hazelnut, vanilla, creme brulee and holiday flavors like peppermint mocha; it's fun to change things up. I love getting to make a Starbuc ... More >>
With all the hoopla about Starbucks' shortage of Pumpkin Spice Lattes, I searched the Internet for a copycat recipe so you can make this wonderful fall drink at home. That was before I found out that Houston is in the clear of having to suffer from the loss of Pumpkin Spice Lattes. But, just in ca ... More >>
Houston's ten best iced coffee crinks
August is nearly here, and the summer ain't getting any cooler. But at least your coffee can. I'm not the type of person who can make it through a morning without getting caffeinated, but it requires a special kind of fortitude to grimly chug a few cups of hot coffee when beads of sweat are already ... More >>
Espresso is more than just a beverage -- it's the base ingredient used to create an array of specialty drinks: cocktails, frappes, cappuccinos and other classic coffee beverages. Master barista Giorgio Milos arrived at Ciao Bello Friday, after being stuck in an airport for six hours due to the mas ... More >>
Photo by Kevin O'MaraA reminder of what our No. 3 pick used to look like.For the next 20 weeks, we'll be rounding up the runners-up to our 2011 Best of Houston® winners. In many categories, picking each year's winner is no easy task. We'll be spotlighting 20 of those categories, in which the ... More >>
You look like...a grande mocha, no sugar, no whip, extra dry, half skim, half whole milk with caramel. Sugar-free caramel. Jerk.This weekend, I stopped into Inversion for a caffeine infusion in my preferred format: a cortado, which is a shot of espresso cut with an equal amount of steamed mil ... More >>
National Coffee Day is September 29. Most of us can't function without our morning cup, whether it's black, loaded with sugar and cream, or one of those $10 fancy-pants 20-ouncejobs. It's part of our morning routine, it's a ritual, it warms our souls and gets us moving. It's a social custom and a h ... More >>
Today's most interesting comments were actually by Eating Our Words bloggers, and they were on a Where Are We Eating? post. I know. Weird. Anyway, Christine Ha's comment concerned the frustrating service she received at Catalina Coffee, while Nick Hall wrote in with a heartwarming tale about ... More >>
The Top Ten Coffeehouses in Houston
Last week, Katharine Shilcutt ranked the top 10 coffee shops in town. Suggestions and opinions varied in the comments section, but one in particular caught my eye. Coffee Bean Junkie wrote, "I would also add Crave Cupcakes. I go there often just for the pour-over-style, rich-tasting coffee ... More >>
Photo by Gary R. WiseGreenway Coffee, one of Houston's leading coffee houses.Last week's First Look at Black Hole Cafe prompted some interesting discussions in the comments section, namely a lively debate about the merits of weighing a just-opened coffee house against other, more established ... More >>
I rank the invention of the Keurig somewhere between electricity and the Internet. Don't agree? With coffee being the second largest traded commodity on the planet, I can certainly justify why Keurig will one day rule the world. For those of you in the dark, the Keurig is a single-cup coffee ... More >>
I adore pumpkin. It's orange (my favorite color), healthful (fiber! Vitamin A!), and associated with two lovely, food-centric holidays (Halloween and Thanksgiving). Starting around October, I always find myself on the hunt for pumpkin-flavored foods, and this autumn is no exception. So, betwe ... More >>
Photos by Troy FieldsEnjoy your coffee on Bohemeo's tranquil patio (when it's not raining, that is...)While I'm currently hooked on Bohemeo's mochachino -- a frozen concoction of espresso, chocolate, cream and ice that far surpasses a Frappucino in quality and taste -- during the summer month ... More >>
Tuscany Italian Bakery and Coffee (11150 Westheimer) has only been open for about a week. The little coffee shop at the corner of Wilcrest and Westheimer hasn't even had its grand opening celebration yet. But stopping in there yesterday for a reviving midafternoon latte, it seemed as if it ha ... More >>
She's thinking about punching you in the chest, straight through your stupid apron.Last week, I interviewed three of my barista friends -- two of whom remained anonymous -- about behaviors that make them want to throttle the next person in line at their java joint. Of course, as many commente ... More >>
Don't piss her off.Last week, we explained why you might be getting sorry service when you dine out: treating the hostess like a subhuman creature, whether as a sewer-dwelling mutant with no education or as a hot piece of ass there purely for your carnal desires. This week, we interviewed se ... More >>
If you're lucky, you work at one of those offices with a fancy coffee machine that brews individual little coffee pods for you -- or tea pods! -- and the toughest decision you make every morning is whether or not you'll chose the chai tea latte or the mocha macchiato from the attractively dis ... More >>
This is still my all-time favorite, when I can find it.It's only the very beginning of May, yet it's already becoming oppressively hot by 10 a.m. each day. And although no good morning can start without a cup of coffee, the hot black stuff just doesn't appeal on days when my legs are sticking ... More >>
Feeling like hopping out of town? A quick trip to Austin may be in order. Café Medici is a great destination for coffee there. With two unique locations offering quality espresso made by professional baristas - in the Clarksville neighborhood (1101 West Lynn) and on the notoriously busy Univ ... More >>
With the holidays coming up and family and friends coming home and visiting, it's time to pull out your old coffee maker. Or is it? There are some great ways to coffee by hand-brewing it with different devices. The apparatus you choose can alter the way even a single-origin coffee can taste. ... More >>
Yes, we mean the best. Brown Coffee Company off West King's Highway, San Antonio, Texas is the complete coffee experience. Part roasting facility, part training center, and part slow bar, this is a learning environment like no other in the Lone Star State. Head roaster (and head barista) Aaro ... More >>
Is Houston about to become America's coffee capital?
Photos by Katharine ShilcuttSilence Huang points out good and bad characteristics on a calibration cup of latte.Judging a latte art competition is deceptively difficult, as we found out on Friday night. Silence Huang, one of our fellow judges and a master barista from Taiwan, drew careful diagram ... More >>
Katz Coffee Company just bought a new "Transit" van and outfitted it with flashing safety lights and a wacky paint job. They call this high-profile delivery vehicle "the coffee ambulance." Katz custom-roasts proprietary blends for some of Houston's top restaurants, including t'afia, benjy's ... More >>
Photo by Robb WalshI stopped into a Cuban restaurant called Conga and ordered a café cortadita and a glass of ice water yesterday afternoon. Conga is located on Richmond in a shopping center with a bunch of Columbian restaurants including the very popular rotisserie chicken stand called Dodo ... More >>
Photos by Robb WalshDavid BuehrerThere were a couple of coffee connoisseurs sampling the espresso blends at Tuscany Coffee in the Greenway Plaza food court when I stopped by to check it out. "We come by to sample the espresso every day," they told me. And they aren't the only ones. Barista David Bue ... More >>