Calvin W.
Yelp
DUO is a conveniently located coffee shop with across the street parking. It is well designed, neat working area for students, and is adequately insulated from the associated Pilates studio. There are solitary seating options, as well as bar seating for those looking for a more communal vibe. There was also plenty of outlets for students.
Now onto the service and coffee-- the barista was friendly, down to earth, and answered any of my questions about their coffee. DUO uses Tenfold's roast, which is one of my favorite in all of Houston. In latte, it comes across as very well balanced, a tad darker/smokier, which makes for a very nicely complex mouthfeel. In Americano, it is likewise balanced with chocolate/nutty profiles. Of note, the ceramics were well-made with an interesting glaze finish--a small detail we appreciated. Price was very competitive for the area.
The barista delivered our latte with a cleanly done three-push floret. While it was perfectly done, I might suggest getting a little risky and trying more ambitious patterns!
Duo is certainly the reigning champion of this neighborhood, and anytime I'm around Montrose and after a good cup of coffee/good working experience I'd swing by here. From a scale of F to S, DUO nets a solid A for good beans, competitive value and nice vibe.