Since 1979, Pride Houston has been celebrating the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community and their allies with Pride Week, and this year, the Carnivale-themed bash is bigger than ever. Beginning Friday, June 20, venues across the city will host events honoring our LGBT community, culminating with the Pride Festival and Pride Parade on Saturday, June 28.
The majority of Pride Week events take place in the Montrose neighborhood, which, fortunately, is packed with great places to refuel your body, sate your appetite and whet your whistle. For those unfamiliar with the neighborhood, we've compiled a handy guide to some of the best spots for food, booze and (much needed) caffeine in and around the festival area.
So don your favorite feathered headdress and hit the town, and enjoy some of these spots along the way.
Caffeine
Most of the Pride Houston celebrations take place in the evening, and late nights of partying can leave a person feeling pretty rough in the morning. The following places have all the food, caffeine and water (remember to hydrate!) you'll need to get you through the week.
Agora 1712 Westheimer Open 9 a.m. to 2 a.m. daily If you need a little hair of the dog the morning after a night of partying, Agora has both booze (beer and wine) and coffee to pick you up. There's no kitchen at Agora, but there are plenty of pastries to satisfy a sweet tooth and a calm, quiet atmosphere to soothe that hangover headache.
Blacksmith 1018 Westheimer Open 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily Blacksmith isn't exactly a quiet, calming place in the morning; In fact, it's quite the gathering place due to its excellent coffee and super satisfying eats. Swing by the small coffee shop and get some joe to go on your way to neighborhood pride events.
Common Bond 1706 Westheimer Open Tuesday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. The new kid on the block is already popular for its outstanding baked goods, but the coffee bar is also getting a lot of deserved attention. Tables can be hard to come by, and the popularity means there's sometimes a long line, but the coffee and croissants are totally worth it.
Empire Cafe 1732 Westheimer Open Sunday through Thursday, 7:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday 7:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. You'll find far more than just coffee at Empire Cafe, as the restaurant boasts an extensive food and cocktail menu as well. The coffee is reasonable (for Montrose) and you can order a plain cup with no thrills to take on-the-go.
Té House of Tea 1927 Fairview Open Monday, Friday, Saturday, 11 a.m. to midnight; Tuesday and Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Sunday 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. For those who need a little extra boost but don't like coffee, there's Té House of Tea, a funky, super chill spot for just about every type of tea you can imagine. Most of the food is vegetarian and vegan friendly with an emphasis on local, organic ingredients. This story continues on the next page.
