Savor the flavor of fall this season.
Beyond the Starbucks and Dunkin’ Donuts of the world, awaits a cornucopia of local bakeries, restaurants, and coffee shops that know how to enrich your autumn experience in Houston with all the season’s best flavors. (Trick or) treat yourself to 10 of our favorite spots to get fall treats in the city! [Featured image: @kraftsmen_baking]
1. Sycamore Grounds Coffee
Sycamore Grounds Coffee House in Houston offers lattes topped off with foamy masterpieces that you’d rather frame than imbibe. Their stand-in hot beverages include Lattes, Chai Tea Lattes, and Cappuccinos, with seasonal lattes on the rotation — including their pumpkin spice latte this time of year. Additionally, you can nosh on pumpkin spice cones, muffins, brownies, and rolls. Every month they feature a new drink, bakery item, and pie of the month. You can choose your own glass from their wall of mugs. Plus, Sycamore has a neighborhood coffeeshop vibe with a rustic style that makes you feel warm and toasty inside.
2. Sinfull Bakery
If loving pastries is wrong, then we don’t want to be right. Sinfull Bakery, “Houston’s first 100% vegan bakery,” whips up a rich assortment of tasty treats. You might not be able to cop a PSL from Sinfull, but you can hit the pumpkin jackpot with their pumpkin cheesecake, cinnamon roll, pop tart, muffins, monkey bread, and kolaches. Furthermore, the bakery incorporates fall’s lesser-talked-about flavors in their eats and drinks, including: brown sugar cinnamon pop tarts, apple pie, oatmeal raisin cookies, cinnamon roll lattes, and cinnamon roll-infused hot chocolate topped with marshmallows.
3. Siphon Coffee
Do you ever wonder what would of happened in Breaking Bad if Walter White left his meth-making behind and devoted his genius into becoming a barista? Siphon lives in that timeline. In addition to their siphon-made coffee, the cafe features a crafted assortment of other brewed and espresso-based beverages. Their decadent Chai Latte and Honey Cinnamon Lattes are available year round, while the Gingerbread Latte – fixed with freshly sliced ginger, cinnamon sticks, molasses, cloves, and house made syrup – waits just around the corner.
4. Revival Market
Billed as traditionally sensible, yet stylistically contemporary, Revival Market is a craft butcher shop and bistro in The Heights. Specializing in breakfast and lunch, the cafe turns out some awesome autumn libations when the season comes around. Sip on their Fall Spice Latte – brewed with house-made fall spice syrup, amaya espresso, and milk, or warm up your taste buds with their coveted Campfire Latte with espresso, chocolate, milk, and house-made toasted marshmallow syrup.
5. Pondicheri
Three words: Chai. Spiced. Pie. Pondicheri restaurant, bar, and bake lab on the southwest corner of Kirby and Westheimer is an absolute must when your sweet tooth is hangry: luscious layered Carrot Cake, yummy Gulab Jamun Doughnuts, their aforementioned Chai Spiced Pie (+ pumpkin option) – and with their Fall Sangria there to wash it all down – Pondicheri is hard to beat.
6. Southside Espresso
The small and cozy Montrose coffeehouse, wine bar, and patio is known for their fresh and locally roasted coffee beans. During the fall season, South Espresso pulls out their splendidly unique Sweet Potato Latte. The coffeehouse also hosts a crafty selection of local beers, with seasonal brews in the mix for a different kind of pick-me-up.
7. Dessert Gallery Bakery
If the pumpkin foam art atop their Pumpkin Spice Latte weren’t enough, Dessert Gallery Bakery at 3600 Kirby Drive will also set you up with a plate of rich butter cookies hand-decorated to match your latte. But that’s not all, the picturesque cafe also serves pecan pie bars, oatmeal raisin walnut cookies, and a homey Apple Brown Betty A La Mode with cinnamon-baked apples with a buttery-crumb topping!
8. Brain Freeze Sno-Cones And Snacks
When it comes to spooky presentation, Brain Freeze Sno-Cones and Snacks has a few tricks (and treats) up its sleeves. While this writer could go on into detail about the photogenic-ness of the shakes, you’re probably better off checking out the pictures yourself. Brain Freeze has a rotating and seasonal menu. This time of the year, the shop shakes up Halloween-inspired concoctions including their sweet and spooky Creepy MangoSwim and Piñalada.
9. Kraftsmen Baking
Pumpkin chocolate chip muffins, hand-decorated Halloween cookies, merengue-dolloped pumpkin pie, and a signature Jack-O-Lantern Latte – get the loot at Kraftsmen Baking in The Heights.
10. Slowpokes
Self-described as a community shop built by locals, Slowpokes comes through with coffee, beer, grub, and a choice selection of wines. Fall features include their pumpkin chai latte, churro donuts with apple butter, as well as baked goodies courtesy of Angela’s Oven, Kraftsmen Baking, Michael’s Cookie Jar, and more!
See also: 15 Thrilling Things To Do For Spooky Season In Houston This Year