Nestled in the same strip center as Aries Restaurant and Zimm's Wine Bar, Spectacles on Montrose is perfectly poised to make you look like a true Inner Loop hipster. Want a shiny, iridescent pair of exclusive Booth & Bruce frames from England? How about some paper-clip-thin, uber-chic, aluminum frames by !ci Berlin (for your sunglasses, natch)? For those who understand the fashion aesthetic rule that eyewear can be an accessory, owners Evan Mapes and Corey Theige have created a mecca of designer specs. Mapes, who looks every bit the Montrose hipster but is positively nerdy about eye care, is acutely attuned to a patient's desire to look cool despite -400/-100 (read: lousy) vision, and is known for making contacts work for people who dream of a life free from glasses. Whether you're looking for one-of-a-kind frames or the perfect set of gas permeables, this is the place to make a spectacle of yourself.
Readers' choice: Texas State Optical