First look

Foodies rejoice! Exclusive sneak peek of Phoenicia's new downtown location (itopens Nov. 7)

“The souvlaki machines are lined up like soldiers, just waiting for customers,”says co-owner Ann-Marie Tcholakian.
Photo by Tyler Rudick
The MKT BAR at the McKinney Street entrance will open at 7 a.m. daily, servingbreakfast pastries, coffee, and tea. The cafe will also serve Trentino Gelato aswell as beer, wine, and small plates until 9 p.m., with extended hour until 2a.m. on weekends.
Photo by Tyler Rudick
On the first floor, a full deli will serve hot and cold prepared items.
Photo by Tyler Rudick
Upstairs, Phoenicia will offer the bulk of its packaged imported good as well asa large selection of kitchen items.
Photo by Tyler Rudick
With over 10,000 items, the new store hopes to tap into downtown's lucrativedining market with quick prepared lunch options and a cafe.
Photo by Tyler Rudick
The final pieces are falling into place... Phoencia Specialty Foods[https://phoeniciafoods.com/] opens Nov. 7 with a grand opening scheduled forNov. 14.
Photo by Ann-Marie Tcholakian

After keeping foodies on the edge of their seats for over a year, Phoenicia announced its new downtown location at One Park Place will open Nov. 7, with a grand opening event on Nov. 14.

Located just off Discovery Green in the first two floors of the residential high rise facing Austin street, the staff is already busily filling shelves with the specialty food store's signature Mediterranean imports Monday afternoon. Late last week, workers finished placing the remaining letters on the large neon sign.

Designed by Jackson & Ryan Architects, the interior space maintains a more upscale look than Phoenicia’s main branch on the city's far west side — with polished concrete floors, chrome kitchen-grade shelving and factory-styled lighting fixtures.

“The souvlaki machines are lined up like soldiers, just waiting for customers,” co-owner Ann-Marie Tcholakian says, pointing to a row of 10 empty roasters.

"We wanted an urban-industrial feel for the new store,” says co-owner Ann-Marie Tcholakian, daughter of founders Bob and Arpi Tcholakian. “We hoped to reflect the urban surroundings, while making the space feel casual, but elegant.”

Like the original store, a flat bread conveyor belt snakes throughout the interior, connecting the upstairs bakery to the extensive deli on the first floor. The owners have introduced hot food items to their popular in-store deli concept, further expanding take-out options for an anticipated large lunchtime crowd.

“The souvlaki machines are lined up like soldiers, just waiting for customers,” Tcholakian says, pointing to a row of 10 empty roasters.

Along McKinney Street will be the new MKT BAR — Phoenicia’s first foray into full table service. Inside the cafe and bar, the urban-industrial theme continues with vintage-styled metal chairs and tables from Restoration Hardware and panels of roughly-hewn wood from antique lumber dealer Woodshop in Texas City.

The MKT Bar will open at 7 a.m. daily for breakfast, coffee, and handcrafted gelato from Houston's own Trentino. Small plates, as well as beer and wine, will be served until 9 p.m., with extended hours until 2 a.m. Thursday through Saturday.

“Aside from the new cafe area, almost everything will be the same as the original,” says Bob Tcholakian. “Our importing and distribution, however, all will remain on the west side, including our main offices.”

For the downtown location, Tcholakian partitioned the shopping experience into two distinct floors. Packages goods and cookware will be located on the second floor in front of a glassed-in deli area, where patrons can watch the bakers at work.

The street level is designed to handle the heavier traffic of take-out crowds, primarily featuring prepared food as well as smaller items from the store’s massive spice section.

“My father has always created these spice mixtures himself,” Ann-Marie says, “although, admittedly, he received some help for the Italian blends.”

About Phoenicia Specialty Foods

Founded nearly three decades ago, Phoenicia began as a Mediterranean-style delicatessen near Beltway 8 at Westheimer before morphing into a full-scale specialty grocery store in the early 1990s. Five years ago, the Tcholakians launched Phoenicia Specialty Foods, the 55,000-square-foot international food market across from the original deli. Since it opened, the business has remained family-owned and operated with the three Tcholakian siblings directing daily management and wholesaling.

Phoenicia Specialty Foods Downtown will open its doors Monday, Nov. 7 in One Park Place at 1001 Austin, just west of Discovery Green. An official grand opening is scheduled for Monday, Nov. 14.

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meet the tastemakers

Houston's 10 best coffee shops of 2026 brew lattes and community

@blendincoffeeclub Instagram

Blendin Coffee Club's flagship store is in Sugar Land, with an outpost in Montrose.

Raise a cup — of coffee, that is — for the nominees of CultureMap Tastemaker Awards’ Coffee Shop of the Year. These 10 standout cafés prove there’s far more to Houston’s coffee scene than hot water and beans.

From limited-run streetwear drops to wall-to-wall board games, the city’s coffee shops continue to blur the line between café, community hub, and creative studio. This year’s Tastemaker Awards nominees highlight the breadth of Houston’s coffee culture, underscoring an industry defined by innovation, craftsmanship, and personality.

Join us in celebrating the category winners at the Tastemaker Awards on April 16 at Silver Street Studios. Attendees will sample bites from this year’s nominees, sip cocktails from event sponsors, and watch as the winners are revealed live in our short and sweet ceremony. Get your tickets now before they sell out.

@blendincoffeeclub Instagram

Blendin Coffee Club's flagship store is in Sugar Land, with an outpost in Montrose.

Here are the 10 nominees for Coffee Shop of the Year:

Blendin Coffee Club
From its expansive Sugar Land flagship to its sun-soaked Montrose outpost, Blendin Coffee Club reflects a meticulous approach to coffee. With a Ph.D. in biochemistry and the 2024 United States Brewers Cup championship, owner Weihong Zhang’s approach to coffee is scientific and backed by knowledgeable baristas and an in-house roasting program. Patrons can gain their own expertise through Blendin’s classes that reveal the secrets of a great cup of joe.

Catalina Coffee
With no Wi-Fi or outlets in sight, patrons at Catalina Coffee are focused more on the experience than meeting deadlines. The exposed brick walls, leaner coffee menu, and simple seating enhance its charm. Arrive early to snag their in-demand cookies — the no-fuss coffee shop may have been open for nearly 20 years, but loyal customers keep the line long.

Coral Sword
Part coffee shop, part gamer haven, Coral Sword in the East End pairs a solid lineup of coffee, beer, and bites with an extensive library of board games ranging from nostalgic classics to strategy-driven favorites. Access to the collection requires a small fee that’s waived with a purchase, with regular events and a communal setup adding to the appeal. The family-friendly spot’s Italian sodas and flatbreads are especially popular with younger guests, while groups settle in to squabble over resources in Settlers of Catan.

Koffeteria
From the beef pho kolache to the Cambodian elote cornbread, chef-owner Vanarin Kuch combines international flavors with Houston flair at this two-time James Beard Award semifinalist cafe. Signature drinks like the Tiger Uppercut, an energizing combo of Thai tea and espresso, along with drinks brewed with beans roasted by fellow nominee and enhanced by house made syrups, highlight the shop’s flavor-forward approach. The recent opening of Lil’ Koffeteria in Spring Branch expands access to Kuch’s creations, further extending the reach of the CultureMap Tastemaker Awards Pastry Chef of the Year winner.

Little Dreamer Coffee
Founded by former Boomtown owner Matt Toomey, highlights here include Toomey’s in-house roasted beans, such as the Ozolotepec from Oaxaca, and the house made syrups and sauces (we suggest the fan-favorite salted butterscotch). Nothing feels quite as comforting as coffee and pie, and there’s both sweet and savory slices at Little Dreamer’s.

Simply Coffie
The pour-over reigns supreme at this cozy Heights cafe. The cafe promises an international sip, with single-origin beans sourced globally and roasted in-house. With minimal syrups and a focus on flavor profiles, baristas guide patrons through selecting the best beans to suit their taste.

Tenfold Coffee
At Tenfold Coffee, education and craft coffee go hand in hand. Founder Jacob Ibarra brings a global perspective to the Houston-born brand, with a focused sourcing program highlighting beans growing in countries such as Ethiopia and Colombia. Across its growing footprint — and through beans supplied to local businesses — Tenfold serves everything from crisp cold brews to precise espresso drinks. The company's recently-opened roastery in the East End will allow it to supply even more coffee-obsessed Houstonians.

Third Place
Designed as a true community “third place,” James Beard Award finalists Evelyn Garcia and Henry Lu transform their restaurant, Jūn, into this coffee shop during daylight hours. Coffee is available all day, while lunch service features rotating popups from chefs like MasterChef runner up Suu Khin and Top Chef winner Tristan Epps. Standouts include the Nutty Brew, a Salvadorian cold brew with piloncillo and peanut foam.

TwoTone
With drinks like the oki oki oki oki oki — a matcha layered with Okinawan brown sugar — and the golden kernel, a sweet corn espresso finished with coconut milk, this minimalist Memorial-area shop has become a draw for a creative, younger crowd. The menu leans into Asian-inspired flavors like pandan and ube, setting it apart from more traditional coffee spots. The beverages aren’t the only draw: TwoTone also stocks its own limited-edition streetwear collection, reinforcing its status as both a coffee shop and a lifestyle brand.

Un Caffè Roastery
The love of coffee is the cornerstone of Un Caffè, where founder Soonkack Kook sources beans internationally before roasting them in-house. Snag a seat at the bar to watch the baristas in action as they craft drinks like the iced Americano with a refreshing citrus slush, or the matcha Einspänner, a creamy concoction offered in a variety of flavors. Students pore over study notes, friends chatter, and even dogs are welcome at this lively coffee shop in Midtown.

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The Tastemaker Awards ceremony is sponsored in Houston by Maker's Mark, Culinary Khancepts, Herradura Tequila, Ritual Zero Proof + Seedlip, Shutto, NXT LVL EVENT, and more to be announced. A portion of proceeds will benefit our nonprofit partner, the Southern Smoke Foundation.

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