Iced coffee drinks and frappe-style Drip-a-ccinos are this Downtown shop’s forte. Dip into the sleek shop for a taste of oat milk coffee concoctions flavored with combinations of brown sugar, honey, vanilla, and/or cinnamon, and watch as the coffee is freshly dripped in front of you before it’s poured over or blended with ice. Though the Brown Sugar Oat Milk coffee is the most popular, the shop also offers seasonal flavors, such as its Gingerbread Oat coffee, which has been selling quickly, and an assortment of breakfast tacos, pastries, and teas. In a hurry? Slow Drip also features its coffee drinks in premade, grab-and-go bottles for your convenience.

Open daily from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Consider this pristine Japanese-style coffee house in Sugar Land a destination. From 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Kohiko offers an array of doughnuts, cookies, bundt cakes, and other pastries by local Filipino bakery Jambeto’s to pair with its coffee drinks. Top-sellers include the Moshi Moshi, an iced combination of banana, brown sugar, espresso, and a dash of match for bitterness, and its savory and sweet Okinawa latte made with black sesame and an earthy, smokey Okinawan brown sugar. Matcha here also comes in various ways, including tradition, Americano, or as a latte made with one of its homemade syrups.

This charming Rice Village bakery can spruce up any average coffee experience thanks to its variety of pastries, breads, cakes, and baked goods infused with flavors from around the world. Accompany a croissant or a shakshuka pastry with an espresso drink like a latte or cortado, or opt for the Granita Shake, a 16-ounce frozen coffee perfect for cooling down.

Aiming to be the new “Cheers” of coffee shops, this come-as-you-are coffee spot is perfect for meeting a new face, finishing some work, or grabbing a serious cup of coffee. The owner, Soonkack Kook, is a coffee connoisseur and roaster who imports beans from around the world and roasts them in-house. The iced citrus Americano latte, inspired by his trip to the Korean island of Jeju-si, has become a recognizable signature not only for its citrus slush but also for the frozen bear made of coffee that sits on top, making sure the drink stays cold but not diluted.

This beloved Montrose coffee house is open daily until 2 a.m. and offers a cozy European atmosphere, complete with wine, beer, and Greek snacks. There are plenty of corners in its two levels to get comfortable while enjoying the old-world ambiance, excellent coffee, and a nice booze selection.

The stylish new Australian-style cafe in Montrose shines as a coffee shop. Fan favorites include its Flat White, the earthy Wellness Velvet latte made with beetroot powder, and 99-cent espresso martinis, available on weekdays from 3 to 6 p.m.

Open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays (and 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekends), this East End shop boasts excellent coffee and comfortable seating in a warehouse-like setting, making it a perfect place for working or unwinding. Try its variety of specialty coffees, including its monthly featured drinks. Need a brain break? Grab your drink to-go and browse the nearby shops.

This Montrose cult-favorite churns out some seriously perfect roasts from Greenway Coffee’s David Buehrer and his merry band of skilled baristas. Sit down with a creamy flat white while devouring a plate of Vietnamese steak and eggs, plus warm, flaky biscuits.

Evolved from a roaster, this straightforward, funky Second Ward coffee shop stays on the grind. Through its walk-up window, it offers warm and iced beverages, plus bottled cold teas and coffee mixes. When the weather is nice, stay a while —savor a cortado in its outdoor seating area.

This James Beard Award semifinalist is best known for its first-come, first-serve rotating lineup of pastries, which often includes chef Vanarin Kuch’s iconic beef pho kolache, meringue tarts made with salty preserved lemons, and on special occasions, Kuch’s viral Hot Cheetos croissant. Its coffee offerings are also top-notch. The Salty Cambodian latte, best served hot, is a warming mix of sweetened condensed milk and housemade sourdough butter, with a sprinkling of Maldon salt on top. Other drinks include its Tiger Uppercut, a “caffeinated knockout” comprised of Thai Iced Tea and espresso, and its cocoa nib cold brew, which is combined with sweet coconut ube cream, peanut syrup, oat milk, and a pinch of salt to create the refreshing and summery Make Ya Halo drink.

With a sprawling outdoor oasis, this EaDo cafe reels in crowds for coffee by day and cocktails by night. Its all-day menu of $3 breakfast tacos, loaded salads, Cubans, banh mi sandwiches, and sweet and savory crepes pair well with either vice. 

Nestled at the base of the Thompson Hotel, Maven doubles as a coffee house and a cocktail lounge, meaning you can take the experience from morning to night. During the day, expect the classics, like espressos, lattes, cortados, teas, and its potent signature cold brew, which can be sweetened with homemade caramel, vanilla, chocolate, lavender, and honey syrups. Its morning menu, available until 3 p.m. Monday through Saturday and all day Sunday, also brings breakfast tacos, an assortment of croissants from Love Croissants, and for something super decadent, the Reggie Bar Brownie, a warm chocolate brownie loaded with caramel and milk chocolate-covered peanuts. Visit after 4:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday when Maven turns into a lounge with signature cocktails, including the crowd-pleasing carajillo, and a menu of munchies, including its Truffled Grilled Cheese, made with croissants.

This vibrant coffee shop is located next to the University of Houston's Downtown campus and offers students a respite from the hustle and bustle. Its bright exterior, large windows, and airy interior make it an inviting spot to settle in with a laptop or a book. Order one of the house special coffees, such as the Texas Blossom, a cardamon and honey latte, or the Bonito, a vanilla, cinnamon, and sweet milk latte.

This cozy spot is a popular destination for laptop warriors, so getting there early to snag a seat is a must. Once settled in, enjoy a raisin roll or rosemary scone and sip a perfectly decorated latte. Need an after-work pick-me-up? Catalina is open daily until 7 p.m.

Housed in a church west of Downtown, this recently opened coffee shop is a restaurant industry favorite. Open daily from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., Paper Co. offers a hit list of coffee drinks like lattes, cortados, cold brew, teas, and chai, all of which can be tweaked with homemade syrups and alternative milks like pistachio and oat to create the perfect cup. Food items include croissants, empanadas, sandwiches, breakfast plates filled with French toast, and a selection of to-go snacks created by Top Chef: Houston finalist Evelyn Garcia, including grilled chicken quinoa salads with soy marinade and chile-marinated grilled steak served with farrow salad. Paper Co. also offers fun events weekly, including coffee-fueled car meetups, plant workshops, chess club meet

Looking for a change of scenery or a working space with a view? This beautiful, bustling coffee shop, housed in a former church, offers three floors of seating and a charming rooftop. The drink offerings also won’t disappoint, with traditional espresso options, drip coffee, teas, and specialty coffee and tea combos.

This quintessential Heights coffee shop is the archetype for fellow craft coffee shops in Houston when it comes to roasting artisanal beans in small batches. Drinks can be as simple and fanciful as you like. The Milk and Honey latte, sweetened with honey and spiced with cinnamon, is a diner favorite here. Still, other crowd-pleasers include the refreshing Shakerato, a shaken cold mix of espresso, agave, citrus zest, and bitters, and the Mayan mocha latte, made with dark chocolate, vanilla, and cayenne. Catering to the morning crowd, Boomtown’s breakfast is a staple, including its “kinda messy” Boomtown taco, a corn tortilla topped with fried egg, black beans, avocado, and cheddar, and its mushroom and sweet potato taco topped with chimichurri and cotija cheese.

Espresso-based beverages and breakfast fare like buildable omelets and bagels are surefire staples here, yes, but don’t sleep on the Greek frappes served alongside falafel and hummus, gyro sandwiches, meatballs with tzatziki, and glass cases stocked with spanakopita. Beyond the morning fare, there's a daily happy hour from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., with $2 off wines by the glass and 20 percent off bottles on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. 

At Tenfold Coffee, the roastery isn’t just for show — this bar roasts its own brew and offers a fine atmosphere in which to enjoy it. The industrial-style space is softened with the addition of tall, leafy plants. Likewise, floor-to-ceiling windows that illuminate the interior with morning light make it a hot spot for the work-from-home crowd.