Café Poêtes

We went there today for the first time. As a French, I tend to be super picky about these "French" places that are popping all over Houston. This one is really awesome! The food menu is creative and really tempting, we tried two tartines (prosciutto and avocado) and they were both delicious. Pretty large portions so the price/quantity ratio is good too. We tried the brie quiche and that was special because it reminded me exactly of the taste of home food. The decoration of the place is a bit too French for me hahaha but it is pleasant and my American friend loved it. Service has to be mentioned as well: both waiters and the couple that owns the place were all very attentive and spent time at all tables to make sure everyone was satisfied. Excellent service that reminds me of French hospitality and attention to details. TL;DR: Cool place, good food, go there already.

This place is perfect for social media posting and photos! Atmosphere is 9/10! But the food was just average, taste not that good although with really amazing presentation.

Absolutely delightful café in Midtown that exudes the essence of France! Precious decor, rustic furniture, charming cutlery/dishes, and a large full book shelf! My fiancé and I met 3 of our family members here around noon on a Friday - we had the entire café to ourselves actually! We tried a couple food items from the La Carte lunch/brunch menu: - The savory chicken “eclair salé” ($14) - marinated chicken + herbs/lemon/balsamic served on a choux pastry bun. It came with a mixed green salad. DELISH! - Beet & goat cheese ($14) mixed green salad with caramelized pecans and balsamic dressing - also yummy! For drinks, we tried the: - Butterfly Mimosa ($9) - gorgeous purple color cocktail: champagne, lemonade & sweet pea infusion - Fleur de Poêtes ($12, would say the price point could drop down to $9 like the other cocktails) - champagne, elderberry, sparkling water, lemon FYI from 2:30-4:30pm daily, afternoon tea with a set menu is served and is *reservation only* at $36 per person. We met who we believed was the owner - quintessentially fabulously French! The waitress we had was also super sweet. I will say it took quite some time for the food and drinks to come out, so I would plan on relaxing / not being in a rush when you come! Would love to come back to try some of the delicious-sounding brunch, dinner and pastry items!

I've been to Poetes twice recently and really enjoy the place. Their atmosphere feels very French - from the food to decor to service. I've had several tarts, eclairs, breakfast items and beverages. The quality of all the food is great; fresh and flavorful. My favorite item I've had is the avocado and egg sandwich. I'll say that I'm a little disappointed by the desserts, maybe my palette is unrefined/American, but I prefer Epicure Cafe or even Le Madeline. Also, the place is on the more expensive side. However, I do recommend Cafe Poetes and will be going back (as soon as I get someone to cover my bill).

Finally Houston has a French cafe that offers delicious dishes with style ! Beautiful inside out and very attentative staff taking care of you all the time. I loved their croissant, quiche and lavender pistachio choux was heavenly ! A must try!

Cafe Poetes is a quaint, charming Parisian café that has been thoughtfully crafted from the decor, furniture, ambience, and menu. As a French cuisine lover, there's nothing better than a well executed eclair with the perfect flakiness of the choux balanced by the savory filling of mushrooms, ham, and gruyere. We also tried the beet gazpacho which seems a bit too thick to be considered a soup, but the mingling flavors of the beets, tomatoes, balsamic, and goat cheese were classically delicious. One thing I will note is that we went at the end of September and the Spring menu had not been updated so there were multiple things on the menu that were not available like the traditional quiche Lorraine, which was disappointing. Other than that, I can't wait to come back to try their Afternoon Tea!

What a great experience that reminds me of an authentic Parisian cafe! The story that the owner tells is that everything in the cafe was imported from France: dishes, silverware, bar top, takes, chairs, and even the tiles on the floor! Very friendly staff and great atmosphere!

The coffee: The cortado is okay. It's pretty creamy and milky and bland. It has fruity notes which is a nice change of pace since most places kind of pass that point and go right to being too beany. Overall, it just left me wanting since the flavors were not as bold as I would like. They also serve wine and some sweet and savory eclairs. The service: Also a bit average when I was there, but it is a new place. There didn't seem to be good coordination between the person taking orders and the person making the drinks and serving. We were told that we would just be under the same name since we were at the same table. That makes sense. When the server came out with my drink, she picked up our little name card and asked if we were waiting on anything. Our response was yes since we were waiting on the second drink that was supposed to be on the same name. She then said something like no that's under another name, ran over to the register to check, and then said it's coming, and then she just walked off. It wasn't a bad interaction per se, but it could have been handled better in my opinion. It was a very lackluster experience, but, again, this is a pretty new place. They were friendly enough. The shop: It is very cute. It achieved the French vibe it was going for from before you even walk in, with music playing outside and the sort of cafe style outdoor seating. The inside had a very clean, organized clutter kind of feel. There are also lots of books to read and fresh flowers decorating the place. I think the greatest achievement of this place is the atmosphere it creates, which is pretty unique in the Houston coffeeshop scene. There's also parking which is a big plus in this area. The bottom line: It's a great place, especially if you don't want to be bothered with a lot of young people. It has a bit of a more sophisticated feel with decent enough coffee. Being in my twenties, I may wait a while to come back.