Take one step inside Mercantile in Rice Village, or in the new location in Montrose, and you realize it's more than just a coffee shop. Mercantile, as defined by Merriam-Webster Dictionary is an adjective describing something that is "of or relating to the business of buying and selling products to earn money." That would explain why the quaint shop sells a multitude of local products, wine, beer, frozen treats and baked goods. It's a miniature specialty grocery store inside an espresso bar and coffee shop.
Mercantile might not be as large as other specialty markets, but it does hold a variety of products you need to buy, other than coffee throughout the day, or beer and wine at night. So, order a latte and scan the store for these ten best items.
10. Gray Gardens Granola
Gray Gardens Pantry Provisions granola was recently added to Mercantile's offerings. There are two flavors available in the store: espresso cacao and cranberry walnut. Each comes sealed in a personal bag perfect for an afternoon snack or to stir into yogurt. The cranberry walnut granola is slightly sweet with huge dried cranberries, and is perfectly balanced with the proper seasoning of sea salt.
9. Homestead Gristmill Mixes
Mercantile sells pancake and waffle mix alongside Cowboy Cookie and Gingerbread mixes from Homestead Gristmill located in Waco. Each prepackaged mix is easy to use and makes delightful treats, especially the whole wheat pancakes. Many restaurants use the stone ground grains from Homestead Gristmill, so now you can enjoy the Central Texas producer's offerings.
8. Baklava
Sweet treats with coffee and tea go hand-in-hand. I dare you to resist the small package of a single baklava from Houston's Baklava Cafe. The sticky, sweet Mediterranean pastries come in a variety of flavors -- stuffed with pistachios, almonds, cashews, pecans, walnuts and hazelnuts, which is one of the best. The chocolate hazelnut baklava contains a thick layer of hazelnuts and chocolate sandwiched between thin and flaky fillo sheets bound together by syrup. Enjoy a piece with a cappuccino in the morning, or with a glass of wine in the evening.
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