Inversion Coffee House

Last updated
Inversion Coffee House
Inversion Coffee logo.jpg
Inversion Coffee House, Houston (2014) - 1.jpg
The cafe's interior in 2014
Inversion Coffee House
Restaurant information
Established2005 (2005)
ClosedMarch 26, 2021 (2021-03-26)
Street address1953 Montrose Boulevard
City Houston
County Harris
State Texas
Postal/ZIP Code77006
CountryUnited States
Coordinates 29°45′05″N95°23′30″W / 29.7513°N 95.3917°W / 29.7513; -95.3917

Inversion Coffee House (also known as Inversion Coffee and Art and Inversion Coffee and Gelato, [1] [2] or simply Inversion) was a coffeehouse in Houston, in the U.S. state of Texas.

Contents

Description

Inversion was a coffeehouse on Montrose Boulevard in Houston's Montrose neighborhood, operating in a building owned by Art League Houston. Brittanie Shey of Eater Houston said the cafe was known for its "artsy vibe, creative coffees, and sense of community". Inversion displayed local artwork. [3] Thrillist describes Inversion as an "eclectic Montrose favorite" with free Wi-Fi, La Mexicana breakfast tacos, and a food truck parked outside. The drink menu included salted caramel lattes and frozen chai creams. [4]

History

Inspired by and named after Dan Havel and Dean Ruck's artwork of the same name, Inversion was opened in 2005. [3] The business was popular early on; in 2007, the Houston Press said Inversion was "attracting as much attention as its namesake" and had "just as many Houstonians stopping by for its art as for its killer cup of joe." [5]

The cafe closed on March 26, 2021, ahead of a May 1 lease expiration. [3]

Reception

In 2007, Inversion won in the Best New Coffee House category in the Houston Press' annual "Best of Houston" list. The newspaper said:

Inversion has all the pleasantries of Starbucks (i.e., quality coffee served by a staff that doesn't think they're above taking your order) as well as its own flair... The coffee shop has been around for less than a year, but it's hard to find a time the tables aren't filled with students, business types, artsy types and pretty much all types. But no worries — the staff is on the ball and, regardless of the number of customers, you'll hardly ever wait longer than a couple of minutes for a latte. [5]

Lonely Planet calls Inversion "a great indie coffeehouse" and says, "Even if you're not in Montrose, the casual local vibe, decent baked goods and a rotation of food trucks outside make it worth a detour." [6] Thrillist says, "The recent interior refresh breathes new, airy life into the space, but you'll still find the rockstar beverage lineup that lured you in the first place." [4]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coffeehouse</span> Establishment that serves coffee

A coffeehouse, coffee shop, or café is an establishment that serves various types of coffee, espresso, latte, americano and cappuccino. Some coffeehouses may serve cold beverages, such as iced coffee and iced tea, as well as other non-caffeinated beverages. A coffeehouse may also serve food, such as light snacks, sandwiches, muffins, cakes, breads, donuts or pastries. In continental Europe, some cafés also serve alcoholic beverages. Coffeehouses range from owner-operated small businesses to large multinational corporations. Some coffeehouse chains operate on a franchise business model, with numerous branches across various countries around the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heart Coffee Roasters</span> Coffee chain in Portland, Oregon, U.S.

Heart Coffee Roasters is a small specialty coffee roasting company with cafes in Portland, Oregon, United States. It was established in 2009 by Wille and Rebekah Yli-Luoma.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pied Cow Coffeehouse</span> Defunct restaurant and hookah lounge in Portland, Oregon, U.S.

The Pied Cow Coffeehouse, or simply the Pied Cow, was a coffeehouse and hookah lounge in Portland, Oregon's Sunnyside neighborhood, in the United States. The restaurant had an "eclectic" interior decor and, in addition to coffee drinks and hookah, served fondue, desserts, mezze platters, and wine. It was known for being reportedly haunted by a woman named Lydia and had received generally positive reviews. The Pied Cow appeared in Robyn Miller's 2013 film The Immortal Augustus Gladstone, which also featured a cameo appearance by restaurant owner Jimmy Chen, and on the artwork for Kyle Craft's 2018 album Full Circle Nightmare. The restaurant closed in 2023, and the Victorian house was listed for sale.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fuller's Coffee Shop</span> Diner in Portland, Oregon, U.S.

Fuller's Coffee Shop is a diner serving standard American cuisine in Portland, Oregon's Pearl District, in the United States. Established in 1947, the restaurant has operated from its location in downtown Portland since 1960. It serves breakfast all day, and the menu features a cheeseburger with a recipe that has not changed since the diner's establishment. Described as a greasy spoon, Fuller's has received a generally positive reception, and appeared in an episode of the television series Grimm in 2017. Founded by Jack Fuller, the diner was later owned by his son John then by Urban Restaurant Group.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coffee Time (Portland, Oregon)</span> Coffeehouse in Portland, Oregon, U.S.

Coffee Time is a coffeehouse in Portland, Oregon's Northwest District, in the United States. The business was established in 1994.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southeast Grind</span> Defunct coffeehouse in Portland, Oregon, U.S.

Southeast Grind was a coffeehouse in Portland, Oregon's Hosford-Abernethy neighborhood, in the United States. Opened by owner Kacey Birch in 2009, Southeast Grind was the city's only coffee shop operating 24 hours a day, as of 2019. Besides coffee and espresso drinks, the coffeehouse served juices, smoothies, teas, pastries, quesadillas, salads, sandwiches, and other snacks. Southeast Grind was described as a "safe, reliable spot", a "living room", and a "respite" for a diverse clientele, especially students. It closed in October 2019 because of lease issues, renovations required to address the building's structural problems and Birch's desire to focus on family.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Agora (Houston)</span> Coffeehouse and bar in Houston, Texas, U.S.

Agora is a Greek-themed coffeehouse and bar along Westheimer in Houston's Montrose district, in the U.S. state of Texas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brasil (Houston)</span> Restaurant in Houston, Texas, U.S.

Brasil, also known as Cafe Brasil, is a coffeehouse and restaurant serving American cuisine in Houston's Montrose district, in the U.S. state of Texas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bipartisan Cafe</span> Coffee shop in Portland, Oregon, U.S.

Bipartisan Cafe is a coffee shop and bakery in the Montavilla neighborhood of Portland, Oregon, United States. Since Hobie Bender and Peter Emerson started the business in 2005, the venue has hosted events that include meetings of civic groups and politicians, and viewing parties for political events. Bipartisan Cafe has garnered a positive reception, and has been named as one of Portland's best coffee and pie eateries. The venue's marionberry pie was included in the American Automobile Association's 2022 list of the ten best regional Western dishes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Behind the Museum Café</span> Restaurant in Portland, Oregon, U.S.

Behind the Museum Café is a cafe with two locations in Portland, Oregon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Victrola Coffee Roasters</span> Company based in Seattle, Washington, U.S.

Victrola Coffee Roasters is a coffee roasting company with multiple locations in Seattle, Washington.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Public Domain Coffee</span> Coffee shop in Portland, Oregon, U.S.

Public Domain Coffee is a coffee shop in Portland, Oregon. Coffee Bean International opened the cafe in 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cherry Street Coffee House</span> Chain of coffeehouses in Seattle, Washington, U.S.

Cherry Street Coffee House is a chain of coffeehouses in Seattle, Washington, United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zeitgeist Coffee</span> Coffee shop in Seattle, Washington, U.S.

Zeitgeist Coffee is a coffeehouse in Seattle's Pioneer Square neighborhood, in the U.S. state of Washington. The business was established in 1997.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bauhaus Strong Coffee</span> Coffee shop in Seattle, Washington, U.S.

Bauhaus Strong Coffee is a coffee company based in Seattle, in the U.S. state of Washington.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Seattle Coffee Works</span> Seattle-based coffee company

Seattle Coffee Works (SCW) is a third-wave coffee company based in Seattle, in the U.S. state of Washington. The business was established in 2006 and operates three coffee shops. In addition to the flagship in downtown Seattle, SCW has outposts in Ballard and South Lake Union, called Ballard Coffee Works and Cascade Coffee Works, respectively. A location on Capitol Hill called Capitol Coffee Works opened in 2017 and closed c. 2022. Previously independently owned and operated by Pipo Bui, Oscar García, and roast master Sebastian Simsch, SCW was acquired by Vibe Coffee Group in 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wunderground Coffee</span> Coffee company based in Seattle, Washington, U.S.

Wunderground Coffee, or simply Wunderground, is a coffee company based in Seattle, in the U.S. state of Washington. Its flagship coffee shop, Wunderground Café, operates on Capitol Hill. Wunderground offers coffee drinks infused with adaptogenic mushrooms, which are not psychedelic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Either/Or (restaurant)</span> Restaurant in Portland, Oregon, U.S.

Either/Or is a restaurant in Portland, Oregon. The business operates on North Williams Avenue in the Boise neighborhood; the original location, in southeast Portland's Sellwood-Moreland neighborhood, closed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mr. West Cafe Bar</span> Chain of coffee shops based in Seattle, Washington, U.S.

Mr. West Cafe Bar is a small chain of coffee shops in Seattle, Washington. There are three locations, as of February 2023. The original cafe operates in the Denny Triangle area and an outpost opened in the University District's University Village in 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fulcrum Coffee</span> Coffee company based in Seattle, Washington, U.S.

Fulcrum Coffee Roasters, or simply Fulcrum Coffee, is a coffee company based in Seattle, in the U.S. state of Washington. The business operates a roastery in SoDo as well as a shop in Belltown known as Fulcrum Café.

References

  1. Jones, Drew. "A guide to local favorites in Montrose". The Washington Post . Archived from the original on May 23, 2020. Retrieved April 10, 2021.
  2. IZQUIERDO, GABRIELA (November 25, 2020). "Houston's 16 Best Coffee Shops — Where to Find Your Perfect Cup". Paper City. Archived from the original on April 10, 2021. Retrieved April 10, 2021.
  3. 1 2 3 Shey, Brittanie (April 2, 2021). "Longtime Montrose Coffee Shop Inversion Permanently Closes Its Doors". Eater Houston . Vox Media. Archived from the original on April 8, 2021. Retrieved April 6, 2021.
  4. 1 2 "Inversion Coffee House". Thrillist . Group Nine Media. 5 October 2017. Archived from the original on January 21, 2021. Retrieved April 10, 2021.
  5. 1 2 "Best Of :: Arts & Entertainment". Houston Press . Voice Media Group. 2007. Archived from the original on February 8, 2021. Retrieved April 9, 2021.
  6. "Inversion Coffee House". Lonely Planet. Archived from the original on April 20, 2021. Retrieved April 10, 2021.