things to do in dallas - coffee shops, pt 7.

For more in this coffee shop series, go here.
These 3 places have probably been my favorite to date and that's saying a lot. I've been to many, many coffee shops all over Dallas, but these 3 really shine.

Davis Street Espresso (Oak Cliff)

Okay, actual thought that ran through my head as I sipped this latte: "this is like drinking a marshmallow. It's delightful!" It was so smooth and light and I was super pleased with this place. I was admittedly sort of terrified to go because the Yelp reviews make it seem pretty intimidating. They are very serious about their coffee at Davis Street Espresso -- so much so that they don't have wifi, no to-go cups, the only sweetener available is raw sugar cubes, and the only milk they use is organic whole fat. While you sit and sip, they want you to focus on what you're drinking and the world around you. No internet distractions, no chemical-laced syrups -- just coffee. So, as a sweetened coffee lover, you can imagine I was a bit nervous. But, oh, this coffee. It hardly needs to be sweetened. I got a latte, which ran me $5, and added a couple sugar cubes. I could've bathed in it. It was fantastic. Go here now.


RE:defined Coffee House (Grapevine)

This place has been on my list for a while, but it's a solid 30 minutes from my house, so I needed the trip to be worth it. A girlfriend of mine was going to be leaving for LA for good, so this seemed like a legitimate reason to meet her here for one last coffee date. I rolled out of bed at 1 pm on a Wednesday and texted Peter that I was going to get "braaaaiiins...I mean coffee...". Night shift, ya'll. I am a zombie person. I'm so glad I made the trip out here! The coffee was great and perfectly sweetened, but the atmosphere is what really makes this place shine. Each chair is different, but they're all squishy and deep enough to sink into. The mish-mash of tables and curtains provides excellent study space that you can make as public or private as you want. The barista that took my order completely made my day with her upbeat attitude and the vegan breakfast cookie I bought was the icing on the cake. This place is definitely worth the 30-minute drive.

Houndstooth Coffee (Knox-Henderson)

At first I was angry about this Austin-based coffee shop coming to Dallas because it was took over the space formerly occupied by my favorite other coffee place, The Pearl Cup. I'd had Houndstooth once before in Austin and knew it would be a similar vibe with great coffee to take over the building, but I still resented it. When it opened last week, I tried to pretend like I wasn't that interested, but that was a total lie. I couldn't wait to get there and see what they had to offer -- and I was not disappointed. The service, something they're known for, was excellent and upbeat. I immediately felt at home and welcomed. The latte was super smooth and flavorful and had just the slightest hint of sweet. It was perfect, albeit pricey. Also, the only seating is very heavy, very uncomfortable stools. Not exactly the perfect environment for studying. Overall, Dallas should welcome Houndstooth with open arms. Get there, ya'll.

-e.