Koffeteria
Cafe · Downtown
1110 Hutchins St #102, Houston, TX 77003
Highlights
Pastries, pho kolaches, and fusion fare served with coffee
Pastries, pho kolaches, and fusion fare served with coffee
"When the craving for buttery pastries hits before a day game, especially the morning after (or before) a big game, the only answer is Koffeteria in East Downtown. The Cambodian-owned bakery Koffeteria packs in other Houston flavors from Vietnamese, Thai, Mexican, and Chinese cuisines into pastries, breakfast sandwiches, and tacos. We always grab a pho brisket-stuffed kolache, a couple chocolate croissants, and a Salty Cambodian iced coffee to fill up before an important day of yelling at talented sports stars. This spot sells out, so swing by early. How to get there: Walk (12 minutes)" - chelsea thomas, gianni greene
"This two-time James Beard Award semifinalist is best known for its first-come, first-served rotating lineup of pastries, which often includes chef-owner Vanarin Kuch’s iconic beef pho kolache (and on special occasions, the chef’s viral Hot Cheetos croissant). Its coffee offerings are also top-notch, starting with the Salty Cambodian latte. Best enjoyed hot, this latte features a warming mix of sweetened condensed milk and housemade sourdough butter, with a sprinkling of Maldon salt on top. Diners can also visit its second mini-location, Lil’ Koffeteria, which recently opened in Spring Branch." - Brianna Griff
"Pastry chef Vanarin Kuch’s Koffeteria made the James Beard semifinalist list this year, and with good reason. The talented chef offers inventive takes on pastries inspired by countries across the Asian continent. Influences from Cambodia, Vietnam, London, and France are visible in beloved pastries like the black sesame mochi with salted egg yolk pastry, the pistachio baklava croissant, a citrusy London Fog roll, and his mainstay — the beef pho kolache. Kuch also crafts a brunch menu that fuses Cambodian and Houston flavors with pupusas made with funky fish paste and taco machetes made with Cambodian boudin. Must-try dishes: If going for brunch, order the Twako taco machete, a spin on a Mexican-style taco with beef-fat rice tortilla stuffed with refried peanut puree, cheese, and twako, or Cambodian boudin — a fermented, slightly sour beef. If craving something sweet, the Salty Cambodian coffee and almost any pastry will be enough to tickle your fancy. But, Know before you go: Pastries can sell out quickly. Fortunately, you can reserve your pastries online ahead of time." - Brittany Britto Garley
"Pastry chef Vanarin Kuch’s Koffeteria made the James Beard semifinalist list this year, and with good reason. The talented chef offers inventive takes on pastries inspired by countries across the Asian continent. Influences from Cambodia, Vietnam, London, and France are visible in beloved pastries like the black sesame mochi with salted egg yolk pastry, the pistachio baklava croissant, a citrusy London Fog roll, and his mainstay — the beef pho kolache. Kuch also crafts a brunch menu that fuses Cambodian and Houston flavors with pupusas made with funky fish paste and taco machetes made with Cambodian boudin. Must-try dishes: If going for brunch, order the Twako taco machete, a spin on a Mexican-style taco with beef-fat rice tortilla stuffed with refried peanut puree, cheese, and twako, or Cambodian boudin — a fermented, slightly sour beef. If craving something sweet, the Salty Cambodian coffee and almost any pastry will be enough to tickle your fancy. But, Know before you go: Pastries can sell out quickly. Fortunately, you can reserve your pastries online ahead of time." - Marcy de Luna
"Pastries at Koffeteria are works of art, especially the beef pho kolache. And yes, the interior tastes just like pho with lemongrass and rich broth surrounding the tender beef. It’s like a supersized soup dumpling, but instead of sipping broth from a spoon, the soup soaks into the surrounding bread. It’s unclear what kind of advanced mathematics Koffeteria figured out to square that baking equation, but it’s incredible how the kolache holds just the right amount of broth to keep the outside from getting soggy." - chelsea thomas, gianni greene, julie takahashi
