siphon coffee

siphon coffee located in houston's montrose district is a gourmet coffee shop specializing in the siphon coffee brewing technique.

the two chamber vapor pressure and vacuum system coffee maker is said to brew black coffee in its purest form. it sounded fabulous but i opted for a latte because i love latte art! i paired my latte with a chocolate dipped coconut macaroon and both items were a symphony to my taste buds. i was impressed.

siphon coffee also serves tea, and they have beer and wine on tap. as for food, siphon coffee offers fresh baked goods, breakfast items, lunch entrées including paninis, soups, salads and other nibbles.

i loved the upbeat vibe that reminded me of a college student center with people studying or writing papers, groups of friends laughing and swapping stories, and a couple playing the vintage video game, mrs. pac-man. the interior has plenty of natural lighting from the open windows and seating arrangements: sofas, tables, chairs, and barstools. it's really a nice environment to stop and smell the coffee!

i will be back with a friend to try the siphon brewed coffee and a meal.

what is so great about siphon and i mean this as a compliment, is that they have done everything the way starbucks should have done it but didn't (missed opportunities).  first. the ambience. the siphon team has created a wonderful place to camp out if one needs to, with free wi-fi, comfortable chairs, excellent food options, resulting in a place that is more like your home away home. if there were showers and beds you might not need to leave. kidding. and...they have alcohol! yay! 

now, the original starbucks concept was just this. create a beautiful and comfortable environment for people to enjoy their morning coffee like some of the coffeehouses the original owners visited in roma. now, some would say this is not a great business model. in that people will nurse that one cup of coffee while using the free wifi and restrooms, etc. but i disagree. i think that those people will be there, but the majority will just be there for a short and pleasant time. and look forward to their next visit.

next, whereas starbucks decided to go with an over roasted, dark almost charcoal roast (how much great coffee has been ruined by starbucks aka charbucks? the mind boggles), the owners of siphon opted to go with local artisan roasters for their coffee and/or bring in nationally acclaimed coffee. currently there are big bags of stumptown on the shelves (i am a happy guy). next, they brought in a new technology, the siphon, which is bringing in a "fun" aspect to your morning coffee. all in all, this is a five star place in my opinion. i recommend it.

siphon takes its name from the siphon coffee it offers, a brewing method that involves mixing coffee with boiling water “ascended from the flask with siphonage to the extraction and filtering of the coffee.” it takes about 10 minutes to brew a siphon, and at $11 for a siphon for two, is more expensive than more traditional brewing methods. i had not previously seen siphon coffee before, and i was fascinated by the process:

we were hoping to get some decaffeinated coffee but was told that they only used one kind of coffee if we wanted siphon coffee; so we shared the coffee 4 ways. the process of the preparation was a lot of fun to watch...

because siphon coffee is, as they purport, also “pay[s] attention to what’s on the plates, as well as in the cups.” so, espresso aficionados, don’t be too distracted by the coffee, and newbies, don’t be too intimidated.