Jando S.
Yelp
The German coffee chain has finally made it to the US, with Bellaire as it's firs tlocation in North America. Currently there is only one other location, which is in Katy. It's not a particularly large spot and not exactly the most convenient with its semi-tight parking and easy-to-miss sign due to the cluster of businesses sandwiched in the 4900 building on Bissonnet. Yet they're semi-new as of this summer and making good strides overall for the neighborhood.
My appreciation goes beyond the drinks. Let me count the ways:
:: The drinks are typical, but well made. There are the usual coffee classics that include cortados, cappuccinos, lattes, and the like. They make a mean chai matcha latte and I think their cold brew also merits a thumbs up. I have yet to try the smoothies, which will be my next thirsty conquest.
:: There are also a number of atypical items that were listed as summer specials the last time I was in. I am not against the frappiatos, despite their likeness to frappuccinos and think they're probably the sweetest drinks on the menu. The homemade soft drinks are very intriguing and the pommi (pomegranate juice, lime juice, ginger ale, fresh ginger) and the sunny (passion fruit nectar, lime juice, ginger ale) are my front runners for now.
:: The interior is bright, clean, and very welcoming. The bathrooms are super clean, the living room feel is relaxing, and it's an ideal place to work. The chairs that line up along the counter facing the street are some of the comfiest tall chairs I've sat in. There's also some very fast free WiFi and a decent number of outlets to boot.
:: I'm so pleased with the service. They're all smiles and they do a good job of ensuring most wait times are minimal. They were great about answering my questions while being awesome all at the same time. Bring any dirty cups to the counter and they'll take care of it.
The only things I'm not super fond of is that very tight parking. The lot has some serious overflow during many days of the week, forcing patrons to consider the street. I've been fortunate to find the spots that I do, but I tend to come during non-peak hours.
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(#1) As of November 2023