I don’t know about you, but I feel that every workweek could be greatly improved with doughnuts. Artisanal biscuits are a distant dream near my workplace, but would elevate things to another level (with coffee demarcating the baseline of daily survival). Luckily for downtown office workers with these same feelings,
Prelude Coffee and Tea has recently arrived at 609 Main to fulfill weekday carb and quality coffee dreams.
Open as of September 19, Prelude is the newest extension to the Greenway Coffee empire owned by David Buehrer and Ecky Prabanto. The hip, glossy espresso bar occupies a light-filled corner of the 609 Main Hines Tower, looking out onto the intersection of Capitol and Fannin.
Sleek marble counters, geometric tiling and pops of red from the minimalist chairs pulled up to white tables offer just enough seating for morning or early afternoon coffee rendezvous. Although many will likely pop in and out for a quick coffee, the seating lining the floor-to-ceiling windows offers an attractive spot for a break with coworkers — or just the daily news. (Free Wi-Fi is available from the surrounding building.)
click to enlarge 
The popular new turmeric chai.
Photo by Erika Kwee
Current menu offerings combine the best of Greenway's existing coffee shops for a workweek-appropriate hub of caffeine and food. For those needing a caffeine fix, espresso options mirror the offerings at Heights-based Morningstar and Montrose-based Blacksmith. You’ll find the same
matcha hits, like the matcha
sua da (Vietnamese coffee) and various teas — and the addition of a new spice-forward turmeric chai has been so popular that it may get added to the menus at the other coffee shops. The plant-based milk options for any drink including dairy are also available upon request.
For those looking for a nosh, food options span some of the greatest hits from the other shops: Morningstar doughnuts, of course ($2.50 each, schlepped over from Morningstar daily), those golden biscuits with
crème fraîche and jam, breakfast tacos, kolaches and a new breakfast sandwich made with 44 Farms sausage. On the lighter side, $5 breakfast options include steel-cut oatmeal, house-made granola and yogurt or milk. Lunch options include the Blacksmith BLT or a strawberry fields chicken salad for $9 each.
Prelude Coffee and Tea is open from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily, Monday through Friday.
