Siphon Coffee

Our Saturday adventure that started with our visit to the Houston Arboretum continued on the road to a coffee shop and beyond. I (of course) have been searching out new and interesting coffee shops in Houston.

The problem is... Texas is BIG. HUGE. Massive. Full of roads and traffic and people. So our adventure led us towards the Heights neighborhood of Houston, with a few more people than we prefer and ALOT more driving than we intended.

The Heights neighborhood feels really artsy to me. And hipster-y. Full of people my own age with way too much disposable income, meaning they are willing to pay the more-than-ideal prices at interesting restaurants and coffee shops.
#Devereauxyawns

Don't get me wrong, I appreciate a good cup of coffee. I am truly impressed when a barista gives me a real mug with real latte art. I like the drink that maybe takes a few more minutes, because it is fresh and delicious and just plain good.

But I don't really like crowds. I guess you could say, I'm just conflicted.

We walked into Siphon Coffee and there were people everywhere. Brandon jumped in the line and I noticed a spot on a leather couch in the corner that was open, so Devereaux and I went to claim it. Since the couch was right across from another couch currently occupied by another young couple and a their 8-week-old baby, we struck up a conversation about babies, baby carriers and naptime. There was a little joking about this being an unplanned playdate! Maybe it'll be a new thing---playdates in coffee shops. :D

I devoured this crumbly, buttery blueberry muffin in mere minutes, because I was starving (I shared a little with Brandon). Though we didn't see a sandwich menu, I eventually saw people with paninis and felt slightly deprived, however the muffin was enough to be more than satisfactory.


The real claim to fame of Siphon Coffee is their siphon-made coffee. During the brewing process, the water is pushed upwards instead of downward like traditional drip coffee. It's a super-cool, scientific-looking way to make coffee that makes the coffee taste.... about the same (if we're honest), or slightly lighter and less acidic (if we're playing the coffee snob card). The appeal is mostly that the process just looks so darn cool! Brandon was fascinated, but I was too busy bouncing the baby to take photos. You can see the process here if you're interested.

The coffee is served in a cool glass pot with a (non-glass) cup for drinking. You can order a siphon-coffee for one or for two. We ordered for one (since I dig lattes and mochas), and I just sipped Brandon's.
After our first couple-friends left, another couple sat down across from us and struck up a conversation. And we proceeded to chat for another twenty minutes about jobs and industry and Fairfax, Virginia (I know?!) and where to get the best coffee.

It was a limited-picture coffee stop, but we enjoyed being social and seeing the siphon coffee and people-watching. Sometimes talking to people is more important than taking pretty pictures (the photographer in me gasps!). And steaming coffee in glasses looks cool.