Geronimo Villalobos, owner of Etro Lounge – the ’80s dance club right at the Westheimer curve – has finally opened his second Montrose concept, Campesino Coffee House, after months of planning and, alas, permitting delays. It’s taken over the single-story home that was previously The Way We Wore on Waugh Drive and is now a space to experience “a Latin perspective on Montrose coffee culture.”
With Blacksmith – arguably Montrose’s best coffee shop – just around the block – Campesino needed to offer an atmosphere that’s a bit different. And it does. It’s a specific kind of coffee shop – one that’s perfect for intimate conversations with long-time friends or posting up for hours to work in a space that’s calm and peaceful. It’s a different, more studious atmosphere than the hustle and bustle of Blacksmith. Happily, both have their place in the neighborhood.
All of Campesino’s coffee beans originate in Mexico, Central America and South America. The management features Latin American beans from two different local roasters every two months. It’s Lomi Coffee and Katz Coffee during the months of February and March.
In addition to the traditional coffee beverages, there’s a menu of specialty coffee drinks that include a horchata iced latte (horchata is a cold drink that varies in ingredients, but Campesino’s is made with sugar, rice, vanilla and cinnamon), cafe de olla, cafe con leche, cafe cubano and cortadito. (Not a coffee connoisseur? See what differentiates these beverages here.) We ordered the horchata iced latte ($4) – they were out of chocolate syrup when we dropped in, so no Maya mocha latte. The horchata latte is pretty milky and sweet, with a serious (almost overpowering) dusting of cinnamon.
Also available are specialty non-coffee drinks like the vampiro juice ($5, photo at left), made with beet, carrot and orange juices. It’s a good-looking (and tasting) juice with a nice amount of pulp, but be very steady as you carry the filled-to-the-rim beer mug to your table. This deep red beverage will stain your clothes (and your white sneakers).
There’s food at Campesino, too, but as Campesino states on its website, “We never want to be thought of as a restaurant or even a cafe; however, we’re pleased to offer some select items from a few countries south of the border.”
There are four sandwiches (each $10 to $12) and a couple small snacks like empanadas. According to Facebook, the Salvadoran pan con pollo sandwich follows Villalobos’ mom’s family recipe, so we’ll be sure to try that next time.
The puerco pibil torta ($11.25, photo above) is a combination of two familiar Mexican dishes – puerco/cochinito pibil (slow-roasted pork) and a torta sandwich. It’s made on traditional telera bread and comes simply dressed with lettuce and tomato. All of the ingredients were fresh, but it could have used a good dash of salt or salsa.
Another selection is the Cuban sandwich ($9.75, photo below), made with ham, roasted pork, Swiss cheese, pickles and mustard. Had this classic pressed sandwich been a bit warmer (the cheese wasn’t quite melted), we would have taken the other half to go. All of the sandwiches are served with a side of plantain chips and, the real stunner, a garlicky, acidic chimichurri dip.
We may not be back for the horchata latte, but the next time we’re on deadline, we’ll hunker down in one of Campesino’s quiet, cozy corners.
The coffee shop opens at 7 am Monday through Saturday (9 am on Sunday); it stays open until 9 pm Sunday through Thursday and until midnight Friday and Saturday.
Campesino Coffe House, 2602 Waugh, 832-831-6486, campesinocoffeehouse.com