Prelude to Good Coffee

First Taste: Duo brings acclaimed locally-roasted coffee to downtown office tower location

For coffee drinking office workers in downtown Houston, cravings for lattes and cold brew will mostly be satisfied by one of the Starbucks scattered throughout the Tunnels. Other than the Honeymoon (too far north) and Tout Suite (too far east), the trend that's seen more people choosing to patronize locally-owned cafes that serve premium coffee hasn't cracked the central business district — until now.

David Buehrer and Ecky Prabanto, the owners of popular coffee shops Blacksmith and Morningstar, officially opened Prelude Coffee & Tea Tuesday morning. Located in the new, 48-story office tower at 609 Main, Prelude brings Buehrer and Prabanto's locally-roasted Greenway Coffee to downtown, as well as a tidy food menu.

Occupying the corner of Main and Capitol, Prelude's floor-to-ceiling windows help integrate it into the street life that passes by. Matching the lobby's clean, modern look, the cafe features a long bar with lots of seating as well as some high-top tables, but, with lots of busy people on the floors above, the focus is squarely on grab-and-go.

By using the Morningstar kitchen as a commissary, Prelude is able to offer doughnuts, breakfast tacos, and kolaches. Blacksmith's signature biscuits are available, as well as a new breakfast sandwich developed by Morningstar partner Carlos Ballon that's made with 44 Farms sausage and served on a baked brioche bun.

All the espresso-based coffee drinks — served from a bright red espresso machine — are present and accounted for; Morningstar's slate of dairy-free matcha drinks are available, too.

Buehrer and Prabanto got their start in Greenway Plaza, where Greenway Coffee & Tea emerged as a restaurant industry go-to that became the basis of their growth. In a sense, Prelude brings them back to those roots in a space that applies the lessons learned over the last four-and-a-half years.

Prelude isn't the only new project from the dynamic duo. Later this year, they'll open Coral Sword, a gaming-oriented cafe in partnership with San Francisco Giants outfield Hunter Pence and actor Ming Chen (AMC's Comic Book Men).

Prelude Coffee is now open at 609 Main.

Photo by Eric Sandler

Prelude Coffee is now open at 609 Main.

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they're back

2 treasured Houston Mexican restaurants reopen after brief closures

Courtesy of Picos

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Two staple Houston-area Mexican restaurants are making comebacks after brief closures. Picos has already returned to service, while El Tiempo Cantina’s Webster location isn’t far behind.

After closing its Upper Kirby location on August 30, Picos reopened Saturday, September 12 in the former Cyclone Anaya’s space in River Oaks (3736 Westheimer Rd.). The move is only about two miles from Picos’ former home at Kirby and Richmond.

Chef-owner Arnaldo Richards partnered with Cyclone Anaya’s owners The Dhanani Group to transform the space into Picos. It allows Richards to preserve Picos, which opened on Bellaire Blvd. in 1984 and operated on Kirby Dr. for 12 years. Last year, Richards announced Picos would close due to declining sales but later stated his intentions to find a new, slightly smaller home for the restaurant. That dream was realized via a “last-minute agreement” with Cyclone Anaya’s owners The Dhanani Group according to press materials.

“After spending the past year searching for a new home, it truly feels like the stars aligned,” Richards said in a statement. “We were willing to do anything we could to keep Picos, and we finally found the right space for this next-generation evolution of Picos.”

Picos Westheimer River Oaks interior The new Picos features an indoor-outdoor bar.Photo by Becca Wright

At over 6,000 square feet, the new Picos still offers a spacious environment that includes an indoor-outdoor bar. It will serve the same menu as the prior locations, including fan favorites such as moles from all seven regions on Mexico, enchiladas, and the signature shaker margaritas.

“As native Houstonians, we understand what Picos means to this city and the generations of Houstonians who have supported the restaurant for more than 40 years,” said Usman Dhanani of The Dhanani Group, which still operates five other locations of Cyclone Anaya’s across Houston. “We’re excited to partner with Arnaldo and his family to carry the Picos tradition forward and ensure that a restaurant so deeply rooted in Houston remains part of the city’s dining community for years to come.”

The Houston Chronicle was first to report that Picos had reopened.

El Tiempo Cantina Post Houston El Tiempo is returning to Webster. Courtesy of El Tiempo Cantina

As for El Tiempo, franchisee Liquid Gold Hospitality surprised Bay Area diners when it abruptly closed the location at 20237 Gulf Fwy at the end of August. In a Facebook post, El Tiempo announced the location will reopen under direct management of the Laurenzo family, which founded El Tiempo and operates most of its other locations.

Notably, the post did not specify an opening date, merely that the restaurant is “reopening soon.”

El Tiempo’s Webster location opened at the end of 2017 after significant delays, including a lawsuit between the Laurenzo family and Liquid Gold. Overall, Houston is home to 18 locations of El Tiempo, with its outpost at The Post in downtown Houston being the most recent to open.

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