My CAFÉ Brand: PART 1
The French term, “café,” means “coffee” in English and is very important in the everyday lives of people around the world. Cafés are establishments where patrons can enjoy coffee, light snacks and pastries, reading, studying, and just some good ole quiet time. Commercial cafés and coffee shops, such as Starbucks, have successfully stretched their limits in the coffee industry and continue to do so daily. However, aren’t y’all tired of Starbucks? I know I am! Starbucks is literally on every corner in most sizable cities, and unfortunately, they are early signs of gentrification in many cities across the world. “What about the smaller mom-and-pop cafés or even the black-owned cafés?” You may ask. Don’t worry for I’ve got you covered.
My CAFÉ Brand is a series that highlights black-owned and minority-owned cafés and coffee shops around Houston. Bring your ear buds, laptops, chargers, and books! Let me take you on a journey to these intimate shops…
Kaffeine Coffee Internet & Office Café
Owned by Ms. Orgena and her son, Chris, Kaffeine is probably my favorite café in Houston; in fact, I’m a regular customer. The café is located on Almeda Road in the Museum District/Third Ward area among several black-owned businesses like Alfreda’s Soul Food Cafeteria, Turkey Leg Hut, and Reggae Hut. The cozy and inviting ambiance is just right, and the rustic-style decor is very soulful and showcases African American art, culture, and history. It’s almost like stepping into an African American art museum. On the wall, there are several art pictures from local black artists and signed autographs from celebrities, such as Erykah Badu; the bathroom is very artsy and historic, too. The space is very intimate and offers adequate comfortable seating in the form of benches, dining room chairs, and love seats. There are even stained wooden cubicles with highchairs, along the left wall, that have their own outlets and that offer great privacy for customers looking for peace while they study, read, and conduct business. If the inside is busy or if you want to just enjoy fresh air, then there’s a spacious wooden deck in the front of the café that offers tables and chairs. Additionally, parking is limited in the plaza, but street parking is sufficient; there’s also an empty parking lot with plenty of space south of the café.
Next, I’m a sucker for places where the owners and employees know your name and hold conversations with you. Kaffeine is one of those places. Ms. Orgena, her son, and her cousin are very accommodating and friendly; they take the time out to get to know their customers. Not only are they friendly, they offer great WiFi service that’s offered with the purchase of food and/or a drink. Because of this, away from the world, I spend a few days a week working on my website.
Furthermore, Kaffeine offers a variety of homemade foods, coffees, and teas. The breakfast, such as the breakfast croissant, is very popular, but I’m not a breakfast type of person. As a result, I opt for my usual baked good: vanilla pound cake. The warm and moist slice of cake, which is $3.75, is a large chunk that is topped with powdered sugar and is accompanied by a dollop of whipped cream and a sliced strawberry. I love that the cake is thick but not dry; it is very fulfilling, if you want a light snack to help cure your appetite until a larger meal. Now, y’all, I’m not a coffee drinker, but I had to try the “Lazy Daze” latte ($3.99), which is made of espresso, cinnamon, hazelnut, and pumpkin spice. The hot coffee drink, which was prepared in a red Texas imprinted mug, was very Fall-like and tasted like a mix between a snickerdoodle cookie and a ginger snap; it’s a must try!
Lastly, Kaffeine is top-notch. If I have to say anything against the grain, then it would be the choice of music, which is minor; I’d prefer them to play more R&B, Old Skool, and soul, instead of the constant songs from the Doobie Brothers and Michael McDonald. LOL. Regardless, I give the café 5 stars (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️). Y’all should definitely patronize this place!
The Library Coffee & Wine House
Y’all, The Library is so Houston. LOL. I don’t know what it is, but I feel the city’s vibe in this space. Maybe, it’s the employees’ humbly authentic personalities and accents. Maybe, it’s the location in the raw and real area of Third Ward, or it could be the fact that the café serves as a multipurpose venue: a coffee shop, a wine house, a wedding/reception venue, a cigar lounge, a hookah lounge that features live music, and a poetry destination. Whatever it may be, the friendly owner and Louisiana-native, Brittany, has created a dynamic space for Texas Southern University (TSU) and University of Houston (U of H) students and Third Ward residents to wine down or to turn up; however, today, I’m going to speak on the café appeal.
The Library, which re-birthed the former Kaffeine Coffee Internet & Office Café’s location, is a huge café that is set up like an actual college library at an HBCU; there are several bookshelves that include books from the African diaspora. It also reminds me of those nostalgic cafés that were on the 1990’s and the 2000’s sitcoms like Moesha and The Parkers. The café offers a lot of seating, such as couches, highchairs, and leather chairs. During the day, the space doesn’t get too busy, which is very attractive for peace. The Library softly plays music from 90.9, TSU’s radio station, and Majic 102.1, which I love coming from a black-owned café. Painted inside and outside are portraits of pioneers in black history, such as Maya Angelou and Martin Luther King, Jr.; this shop is very in tuned with its roots, and I thoroughly appreciate that. Furthermore, parking is very limited on the side street, since the café sits up against Scott Street. There is an empty parking lot with some parking south of the building, nonetheless.
Additionally, The Library has an extensive menu compared to your typical cafés. Aside from the usual regular café coffee options and foods like sandwiches and small breakfast items, The Library offers wine, beer, and mimosas; however, since I’m not a coffee drinker, I only opted for a green apple smoothie, which $3.95; it was very different and kind of sour but satisfying. It was blended to perfection, was topped with whipped cream, and was drizzled with caramel. I was literally drinking a green candy apple. Unfortunately, I was a little disappointed with the baked goods and pastries options, as there were only muffins, brownies, carrot cake, pecan pies, and lemon bars. I’m sure, in the future, there will be more dessert options on the menu.
In conclusion, I give The Library 5 stars (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️), despite their having a limited supply of baked goods. Besides that, I’m a fan of the café and love that it’s a beacon for the immediate area. I will continue to patronize it.
As you can tell, I’m becoming a big café fan. I was compelled to create My CAFÉ Brand, and I will continue to share with y’all my favorite cafés from across the Greater Houston area. If you have any recommendations, then please comment below! In the meantime, stay tuned for Part 2!