Kamron, the friendly server at newly-opened Cafeza in the First Ward, greeted us with a smile and an unusually thorough – and spirited – explanation of the menu and what the new coffee shop has to offer. Our first visit to Cafeza was off to a great start.
According to Cafeza’s website, the concept pulls influence from “cafés of Barcelona and Buenos Aires, as well as the neighborhood cervecerias and refresquerias that are ubiquitous in the diverse Hispanic communities in and around downtown Houston.” The shop’s vibe is eclectic yet industrial, energetic yet serene – it will make you want to unpack your things and stay all day.
Let’s talk coffee. Cafeza sources its beans from local purveyors Boomtown Coffee and Geva Premium Coffee. The menu features the expected espresso drinks, drip coffee and specialty drinks like the Dos Leches ($4.50, a cortada floating atop condensed milk, photo below). Boomtown’s single origin coffees, along with the selection of loose-leaf teas, can be brewed using the shop’s fancy Steampunk brewer. It’s an innovative craft coffee and tea brewing machine made to produce consistent cups of caffeine.
As for food, there’s a morning menu (breakfast tacos, pastries, quiche, fruit bowl), an afternoon menu (soups, salads, bocadillos, tacos) and a few items that can be ordered all day, including the empanadas. We ordered one plump black bean and potato empanada ($3.75) with cilantro dipping sauce, which would be a great on-the-go breakfast or light lunch.
When we first heard about the Cafeza concept at the beginning of the year, we knew it would feature two things: coffee and churros. So if stopping in for your first time, it’s a must that you order the churros, available all day. For $5.50, you’ll get three U-shaped churros (photo below) with either a chocolate or guava dipping sauce. The proportion of fried exterior to soft, chewy interior was spot on, and the chocolate sauce was rich and just sweet enough.
We switched back and forth between bites of churros and the savory menu items we ordered. The trio of mini shrimp tacos ($9, photo below), available in the afternoon, is topped with cabbage, a bright cilantro-lime vinaigrette and queso fresco. There are a few Spanish-style bocadillos (rustic, simple sandwiches using baguette-like bread) to choose from. The chiva dillo bocadillo ($7.50) features a thin layer of Serrano ham, light smear of goat cheese and a few fried sage leaves.
There’s also beer and wine on the menu, as well as Latin and European wine cocktails like sangrias, mojitos and calimochos. Sip your sangria in the evening while listening to local musicians, as music is as much a part of the concept as are the chocolate-dipped churros. Music, wine, coffee, churros … Houston’s First Ward district has gained a good one.
Cafeza, 1720 Houston Ave. at Crockett, 816-304-7919, cafeza.com
Hours: Mon.-Thurs. 6 am to 11 pm; Fri.-Sat. 6 am to midnight; Sun. 6 am to 10 pm