Catalina Coffee — Restaurant in Houston

If you care about coffee -- I mean REALLY care -- you'll come to Catalina. It's not the place to get a frozen berry-flavored "macchiato" and a Fiji water, it's not the place to spend hours working on the next great American novel, and it's not the place to see and be seen. Catalina is the place to come for flavorful, classic coffee drinks made from quality beans by knowledgeable people.

My favorite drink to order here is a regular latte that I can linger over with a pastry. The foamed milk is the perfect consistency: not overly foamy and suggestive of a cappuccino, not so milky as to water the drink down -- just the right thickness and touch of sweetness. The complexity of the espresso shines through quite nicely, and the latte art executed on every single one is a wonderful touch.

And let's not forget the pastries: their rustic apple tarts and almond croissants make my mouth water just thinking about them. I very nearly dream about that almond paste. Whether they make them in house or order them in, I applaud their choices.

Catalina opted to not provide wifi or outlets for customer use, which is another choice I applaud. It means you're not confronted with every table being taken up by people on laptops who have been nursing the same cup of coffee for hours. But at the same time it doesn't have the rushed atmosphere of the other shops in Houston that also boast both fantastic coffee and admirable technique: Blacksmith and Southside Espresso. In those shops, the abundance of stool seating and tight quarters seem to promote a "sip your espresso and go" vibe, whereas Catalina's atmosphere invites you to sit on the couch or gather at a community table and take the time to have a conversation and enjoy your drink.

As if all of that wasn't enough, the art shows they curate and the music they play are both top notch and add a lot to the experience, while a mixed clientele and friendly barristas put you at ease. There's simply no better coffee...

Most of the baristas are excellent and pull some of the best espresso shots in the city. Baristas are friendly and know the regulars by name. Catalina's owner, Max, owns Amaya Coffee, which Catalina exclusively serves, and is some of the best locally roasted coffee. Why the 1 star you ask? (Puts on Karen wig and aggressively adjusts it). After over a year of going almost everyday in support of the business amid Covid, I had yet to meet the owner. Last week I went in, parked in the back, walked around to the front, put my dog in a Sit\stay and went in to order. After I waited in line and paid for my order the owner, who did not identify himself (one of the baristas told me after the fact), came up to me and very matter of factly told me that I was not allowed to have my dog in front of the coffee shop. He stated that a customer had re routed themselves to the back door because they were afraid of the dog. A fairly reasonable request, had it not been for the fact that I had been taking him there for months on almost a daily basis and had gotten pior permission from multiple employees to do so. Dumbfounded and a bit bewildered I paused for a moment to compose a response, but before I could get a word out, Max quickly asserted that the dog was near the front door and then abruptly walked off. Thank you, Max. I had no idea where the door was, much less the front door. Thanks for the masterclass in condescension! Honestly, no problem with needing to make a change about the dog. It is a business and Max owns it. However, there are good and proper ways of dealing with paying customers, especially regulars. I will not be back as a matter of principle. I hope this was an anomaly and not the way that the owner of a business acts and particularly in front of his employees. Be kind...

TLDR: If you are catching up with friends or getting some quick work done, this is a good spot for you.

Parking - Parking is located behind the shop. I stopped by on a weekday around noonish, and they were about 60-70 percent full. I can’t imagine what it will look like during the weekend. Also, they are still running at a reduced seating capacity.

Comfort - There is NO WiFi service! The chairs are hard and uncomfortable. This is why this coffee shop is not good to look for a place to get some work done. However, I did stay for a couple of hours using my hotspot. As you see customers coming in and out, you can tell many of them have a good relationship with the baristas. Most customers there were in a group. Either working on something together or just catching up. There are also local flyers posted inside. If you live around the area, this might be a perk for you. The shop is also super cleaned and neat.

Coffee - I order a Cortado. Nothing special, and I have no complaints either.

Design - Love the fact that they have art all over the wall. They all have information on how to purchase them, who the artist is, and the price. One thing I would love to know is how often they rotate those arts out. On

I really love the design and atmosphere. Like I mentioned before, if you are by yourself and trying to get some work done, this is not the spot. If you are grabbing a cup of coffee with a friend, check...