Catalina Coffee

Category:	Coffee Shop
Address:	2201 Washington Ave, Houston, TX 77007, USA
Phone:	+1 713-861-8448
Site:	catalinacoffeeshop.com
Rating:	4.5
Working:	6:30AM–7PM 6:30AM–7PM 6:30AM–7PM 6:30AM–7PM 6:30AM–7PM 7:30AM–7PM 7:30AM–7PM

Location

Photos 100

Reviews 6

T.L. Hamilton

If you care about coffee -- I mean REALLY care -- youll come to Catalina. Its not the place to get a frozen berry-flavored "macchiato" and a Fiji water, its not the place to spend hours working on the next great American novel, and its 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 lets 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 youre 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 doesnt 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 Catalinas 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 wasnt 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. Theres simply no better coffee experience in Houston.

Seher Dholakia

CUBANO. CORTADO. CAPPUCINO. MACCHIATO. LATTE. AND NO, NOT THE STARBUCKS KIND GUYS. THIS IS THE REAL STUFF. Delicious, strong, aromatic, flavorful coffee and espresso drinks. I am craving it even as I type this. Catalina Coffee knows their espresso drinks and makes them the right way - not overloaded with sugary syrups (even though Im guilty for loving white chocolate mochas here and there). You can actually taste the espresso and its delicious. Each sip takes me back to an unrivaled espresso in Spain or Portugal. The drinks are definitely delicious and I would recommend any coffee or espresso drink on the menu - Ive had everything from a regular coffee to a cortado and Ive never been disappointed. The baristas are artisans at what they do and each drink is so beautiful and perfectly crafted. Ive also had a few of their pastries and they are also pretty good. My personal favorite is the almond tart. Every so often they also have small cups of ice cream from local coffee roasters that are beyond melt in your mouth delicious. The coffee and pastries are undoubtedly five stars. Unfortunately, its not a place that you can stay around and linger for a while, and definitely not conducive to doing any kind of work. Sure, you can bring a book and read for a while or talk to a friend as you enjoy your coffee, but I feel like the staff frowns upon squatting for a long while. There are also no outlets and no wi-fi. SAY WHATT?! Since when are we back in the 90s again? No free wi-fi? Thats almost atrocious. So if youre looking to do work, I suggest picking another place (Black Hole Coffee House is a great alternative). But if what youre looking for is a delicious coffee drink in a cute and quaint place, this is your spot. A good place to meet friends for a little while or read a book, but if youre looking to pull out your GMAT study guide, I suggest going somewhere else.

Brian LaBarbera

After reading the reviews I had high expectations of Catalina Coffee, unfortunately the experience was just a let down. I really like the atmosphere and the location is great but the coffee is lacking. First I spoke to a lady who looked at me like I was crazy when I asked if they offered pour over coffee, then she handed me off to another guy who said yes we do, its done by machine. Well alright, not exactly what I was looking for but Ill give it a try. Ordered that and a cap. The "pour over" had almost no taste, and as it cooled tasted more burnt. It seemed watered down and bland. I dont know what ratio they use, but it needs to be revisited. The cap was pretty but the milk texture was poor, and the espresso tasted bitter and burnt. After all of that, I decided to give it one more shot and ordered an espresso by itself. It was bitter, no trace of sweetness or acidity and the after taste was burnt. I would love to give Catalina another try when I am back in town but this experience was enough to keep me away for a while. Maybe it was because they were very busy? Either way, the quality of the coffee could be much better based on the quality of coffee beans I saw and the machine being used. It is still better than starbucks, but I think for a specialty coffee shop they can do better.

Christine Nicole Herrera

If you like VANILLA the way I like VANILLA then you have found Catalina Coffee because of their Vanilla Latte. This is the BEST, I repeat BEST VANILLA LATTE Ive had. You can just taste the difference between this and corporate coffee. If you cant then you need to try it again. You can really taste the flavor of the bean in this coffee and the vanilla is just creamy perfection. Please, I repeat, Please dont add anything to it. The line in the morning stays long to the back door and if youre luck you might snag one of their cute patio tables along the brick side of the building. Its a great place to have a nice chat but dont look to come here for work because there is no wifi. Just a simple, nice mom and pop coffee shop and they have an AWESOME slow dripper coffee machine which is quite the piece of art. Speaking of art they display local art on their walls which is pretty sweet and neat.

Jay Francis

Catalina Coffee was one of the first of the artisan roasters in Houston and in my opinion, is still one of the best. Coffee roasting is an art. Time versus temperature versus bean profile. Even beans from the same single estate, if harvested in the spring versus the fall, may require adjustments of time or temperature. By roasting to the flavor profile of the coffee bean instead of to the color, Catalina produces world class coffee. Attention to detail in the weighing of the coffee, x grams per x milliliters of water, water temperature, grind, time. Flavors that one wouldnt know were possible in a cup of coffee. If you are new to artisan roasted coffee, start off with some Ethiopian as the taste of blueberries is profound and will give you an idea of how different coffees can be from each other and how a good roaster can make the difference in your coffee experience.

Greg Buchold

Catalina is my neighborhood coffee roaster so I have the luxury of being able to stroll there past the oaks in Washington Cemetary. From its opening Max has been instrumental in bringing a high-quality roast of single varietal coffee beings carefully sourced from around the world. The little touches make the joint. For example, customers receive a complimentary coffee or espresso when they buy a pound of beans and an espresso is served with sparkling water to ensure drinkers early morning hydration. Savory and sweet pastries are sourced from a local baker and served slightly heated with knife and fork. The atmosphere inside is lively with many patrons stopping off Saturday morning post cycling or yoga in the sixth ward. Tables among the agaves outside offer more solitude for those that wish to read in peace.