Fellini Caffè — Restaurant in Houston

I frequent this cafe in the Rice Village several times a week and come across different employees. This morning was the one of the worse two I’ve experienced. I’ve seen these two before. Today is 6/24/2022. The two young ladies that were working the counter this morning (especially the one making the coffee) we’re not friendly at all, they never are. First of all, when I walked in neither of them spoke (no good morning, no hello, or thank you or goodbye when I left). I placed my order and the one making the coffee hands me my cup with the coffee all the way to the top. No fault of hers, I should have told her leave room for cream. Even though I knew the coffee would taste watery I went ahead and added my cream and tasted it anyway. It was watery. I asked her if she could remake it and she offered to pour out some of the coffee, and I explained that wouldn’t affect the flavor of the coffee and if she could remake it. I asked, not demanded because I knew I should have said something before she made it. I guess I’m spoiled by the other crew. So she remade it, reluctantly, and filled the cup halfway (really?) so I added my cream and left. The coffee was awful. To add to it, she was very friendly and chatty with a gentleman who came in and talked about going to night clubs. The guy stood there a cursed a couple of times (f-bombs), which was so rude. But she still carried on her conversation with him.

I wrote this because I was upset with the level of customer service, not to get anyone fired. I go to Felini because of the gentle and soothing atmosphere, which I’m sure the owner prides herself. I’ve met the owner a couple of times and I’m sure would not appreciate this behavior.

UPDATE *On 6/29/2022 I received a call from the cafe manager who advised that he read my review and wanted to apologize. I appreciated his phone call and for even taking time to read my review. For that alone I take back the two stars and give a 5. Generally the staff is very nice but I don’t know what was going on that day. I’ve calmed down since...

Many years ago, pre-retirement, back in my engineering days, we got every other Friday off.

I would bicycle to the gym and then go spend time with friends at one of my favorite specialty coffee shops. Every so often the large wholesaler, Sunbelt, that provided equipment for coffee shops, machines, Italianspecialties, etc., would offer a two day weekend barista course. And my friend at the coffee shop treated me one time to this course, and through Sunbelt, I got to know the owner of Fellini, (his retail coffee shop and pastry outlet; created to share his love and passion for all things Italian, including coffee and pastries).

remember when it first opened those years ago, walking in on a Saturday morning and hearing nothing but Italian being spoken. For an hour, I was transported to Rome. In the early days, if memory serves me, he actually had brought over a pastry chef from Italy to help create the pastries.

Jump forward to 2025 and I pop in for a Lavazza Americano and a Ciocolatina Torte.

Just excellent. This chocolate mousse cake that I just mentioned was, as we say in the South, so delicious that it makes you want to slap your mama.

I’m already dreaming about coming back for another one…it’s that good

But as you will see from the videos, there are many pastry options, and I hope that you will have an opportunity to come here soon and sample.. highly...

This café is a joke. Things that I really disliked: The waitress "cleaned up" a table, which meant taking away the mugs but leaving so many crumbs behind. The music offering is confused, going back and forth between clubbing/dancing music (e.g. Rihanna) to relaxing study music. All the while bringing the music from excessively loud to medium to loud again. There is a weird interaction between the male cashier and the waitress that is somewhat unprofessional (whispering our drink names into her ear in sultry Spanish instead of telling her in a normal professional way). The waitress bringing us the wrong drinks. Who knows? Maybe the whole whispering-in-her-ear thing isn't a great way to communicate. Dimming the lights when people are clearly studying. The waitress trying to take away our drinks even though we haven't finished them yet. It was freezing inside!!

So... No, I won't be back. The only other parties that stayed for a long time: A guy taking a million selfies of himself and was chatting with the male cashier as if they knew each other from outside of the typical patron-customer relationship. A small group of people that were chatting outside, who weren't subject to the music, lighting, and service. Some dude that was taking up the...