< Previous20 COASTMONTHLY.COM | JANuArY 2024 FEATURE school programs and worship nights. Faith is the foundation of Steam Kaffe. “I stand strong on the faith principles, and I think that’s what makes us stand out in the com- munity,” Fuqua said. Steam Kaffe, 1837 FM 517 E., Dickinson FRECKLEBERRY This sleek and serene West of Market Street area teahouse in the island’s down- town is known for specialty brews — the milk teas are must tries — boba, energy drinks and more. But the cappuccino served here rivals the best coffee houses in town. Airy and inviting, Freckleberry is a place to meet up with friends or perfect for anyone seeking a quiet, cozy place to study or work remotely. The outdoor space is shaded, dog friendly and provides a secluded oasis in Galveston’s bustling downtown. Freckleberry, 2724 Market St., Galveston LEGAL BREW Charles Dunkel and Ashley Thomson are lawyers and own a law firm in Texas City. Their spouses, Dana Dunkel and Juston Thomson decided in October to open a coffee shop next door cleverly named Legal Brew. With blankets available establish- ment, a piano, dim lighting and a cozy fireplace, the atmosphere makes customers feel at home. The inspiration behind the family-owned coffee shop was Dana’s son, Steven, who is fully deaf. Dana intends for the coffee shop to be a safe space for all kinds of communities — a place for her son to be employed and be able to cook food for customers, for people to sit closely together and interact with one another and a place to give back to the organizations that support the residents. Dana plans to donate a portion of the earnings to St. Mary of the Miraculous Medal Catholic Church’s Early Childhood Center and Our Lady of Fatima Catholic School. “It is OK to be who you are and it is OK to be who we are,” Dana said about the principle behind her community-driven cafe. Legal Brew, 2505 23rd St. N., Texas City ART OF COFFEE Art of Coffee is a popular family-owned business with locations across Galveston At Legal Brew in Texas City, Dana Dunkel and her son, Steven, serve more than coffee, like their breakfast galettes, both sweet and savory, a classic BLT or popular lunch special black-eyed peas with rice and cornbread. County. Owner Bill Minak opened Art of Coffee in La Marque in early 2020, not knowing the COVID-19 pandemic would strike two weeks later. When it did, Minak didn’t close any of his shops. Four years later, the Art of Coffee shop is thriving. The La Marque location is large and has plenty of seating, a stage and a fish tank. But what makes it stand out from any other coffee shop is the various artwork displayed around the shop. Local artists hang their artwork at the shop for patrons to view or PHOTOS: JENNIFE r r EYNOLDS COASTMONTHLY.COM | JANuArY 2024 21 SOULFREAK RAILROAD CAFÉ Soulfreak is new, but isn’t. A previous incarnation was just down the road in Clear Lake Shores, but now the shop has moved into a historic building in League Park. The 100-year-old building served as the home for the city’s railroad stationmaster. Soulfreak has been doing a bustling business in the short time it has been open and patrons usually take their sips out the front door to savor the leafy shade offered by the park’s towering oaks, or out the back to watch their youngsters tear around the playground apparatus. The coffee selection is straightfor- ward with single-grown grinds from Costa Rica and Colombia. There also is a Colom- bian decaf and the espresso is a dark roast with a thick crema and nutty and chocolate flavors peeking through. The baked goods all are sourced locally. Soulfreak features nibbles from Food of Life, which specializes in gluten-free pastries, Angie’s Cake Balls and Rustika. Soulfreak Railroad Café, 512 Second St., League City DUTCH BROS New kids on the block in this part of the java world, Dutch Bros quickly has become the go-to spot for coffee on League City’s southwest side. The shop isn’t a coffeehouse — it’s all drive-through. There’s no micro- phone where customers yell their order, wondering whether someone inside under- stood what they wanted. Instead, orders are taken by workers armed with tablets who make their way down the lanes of cars. The business end of the transaction also is taken care of while waiting in line, not when the order is delivered. It’s a pretty efficient pro- cess. There’s a variety of beverages starting with the Americano, a hand-pulled shot of espresso topped up with water, moving up to brews with mix-ins such as caramel and coconut. Those not into coffee, but still craving caffeine, will find several teas. And there’s also smoothies, shakes, lemonade and sodas made on the spot. Num-nums include muffin tops and granola bars. The Oregon-based chain plans another League City shop at 6645 South Shore Blvd. Dutch Bros, 1721 W. League City Parkway, League City (From top) Art of Coffee in La Marque serves up artfully brewed coffee and original compositions created by Ronnie Stelly, barista and music producer; Art of Coffee has plenty of comfortable seating, free art classes and art events. buy. On occasion, the shop will host events during which vendors and artists sell their work. Children also bring in their art to sell at these events. The La Marque community uses the large space at the shop for movie reviews, book signings, private parties, church functions and more. Living up to its name, Art of Coffee hosts free art classes for adults, families and kids. And if it doesn’t have any classes, the shop keeps brushes and paint for patrons to use. Art of Coffee, 405 Laurel St., La Marque22 COASTMONTHLY.COM | JANuArY 2024 FEATURE (From top) Mugshots Coffee Bar in Santa Fe offers coffee flights, which allow customers to sample seasonal flavors or a variety of custom lattes; A P-B Level Up, a vanilla cold brew with a shot of espresso and sweet cream cold foam is ready for a customer at Mugshots Coffee Bar. PHOTOS: JENNIFE r r EYNOLDS MUGSHOTS COFFEE BAR Established in 2018, Mugshots Coffee Bar has grown to become a hub for the Santa Fe community. About a year ago, Mugshots began promoting its drinks, including coffee flights, which feature four coffee drinks for customers to try all at once. The flights took flight and Mugshots’ customer base nearly doubled. Now, Mugshots creates unique drinks for holidays, events and organiza- tions. It also hosts trivia nights and offers games for people to play. Unlike traditional coffee shops, Mugshots doesn’t rotate sea- sonal drinks. Upon request, customers can enjoy a Pumpkin Spice Latte in the spring and a Peppermint Mocha in the summer. The coffee bar’s top-selling specialty drink is the Dirty Little Secret, a caramel and toffee-nut shaken espresso with oat milk. Other high-demand specialty drinks include the Mugslide, mocha and praline shaken espresso with half and half, and P-B Level Up, a vanilla cold brew with a shot of espresso and sweet cream cold foam. Mugshots Coffee Bar, 12494 state Highway 6, Santa Fe UGLY MUGZ Starting with the consumables, the coffee choices here are pretty straightforward — regular, decaf, iced and cold brew. But there’s one java that sets the shop apart and that’s COASTMONTHLY.COM | JANuArY 2024 23 the Texas Pecan Coffee. Ugly Mugz has its own roaster and it’s the only place in town for that particular blend. There’s a variety of espressos here along with teas, sodas and even soft-serve ice cream. Oh, and there’s also waffles on a stick. The front of the shop is set up like a living room with a couch and chairs and often is used for small meetings. There’s a kids area the owner set up so her granddaughter had somewhere to play when visiting the shop. Another area has T-shirts and jewelry for sale. The back corner features works from local artists. But dominating the space is a large stage where karaoke is staged Friday nights and packs the house. At other times, Bible study groups fill the room. Ugly Mugz, 2900 FM 528, Suite B, Webster RED LIGHT COFFEE ROASTERS Operating on a site that once was part of Galveston’s Red Light District, which brought all manner visitors — and vices — to Galves- ton, Red Light Coffee Roasters has attract- ed an arguably quieter crowd of college students, young islanders and families to the up-and-coming West of Market Street area. Postoffice and Market streets near 25th Street once were known for brothels during the Civil War, according to J.R. Shaw’s Galveston Unscripted, a popular podcast and audio tour of Galveston’s rich history. Red Light Roasters, one of the few on the island to (From top) Sonja Fuqua, owner of Ugly Mugz, talks about the mug wall at the coffee shop in Webster; a barista decorates a hot beverage with graham cracker crumbles at Ugly Mugz. The shop offers a variety of espressos here along with teas, sodas and even soft-serve ice cream. PHOTOS: LESLIE PLAZA JOHNSON24 COASTMONTHLY.COM | JANuArY 2024 FEATURE roast its own coffee beans, now attracts students from island colleges and universi- ties, as well as young families and tourists. Ample natural lighting from large windows and exposed brick gives the shop and Old- World feel with a decidedly New-World twist — groups of young students with earbuds plugged into devices. There’s more to Red Light than ambience. The shop takes coffee seriously, evident in expertly made lattes and espresso drinks. Red Light Coffee Roasters, 2728 Market St., Galveston BLACKLINE COFFEE & DONUTS Here, artisan bakery meets coffeehouse. The doughnuts are quite a bit different from what you can find at other shops — they’re yeast doughnuts made from fresh brioche dough, which makes the result lighter. Favor- ites include the Texas Pecan, which features a chocolate glaze with candied and spiced nuts. There also are traditional cake dough- nuts in the display case and gluten-free offerings. On the beverage side of things, Blackline uses a local vendor who can roast the coffee beans on Tuesday and get them to the coffeehouse by Friday, making their brew fresh. The coffees include a single origin drip that can come with a bottomless cup or French press delivered to customers’ tables. House specialties include lattes made with cashew milk and infused with a house- made cardamom vanilla syrup. Blackline Coffee & Donuts, 203 E. NASA Parkway, Webster JAVA OWL When owner John Wilkinson grew tired of the real estate game and decided to open a coffeehouse, he didn’t put it in Friendswood where he lives, but in Nassau Bay because he felt if anybody would embrace and fre- quent an establishment to get a cup of cof- fee, it would be the folks there. Wilkinson’s instincts proved to be correct, as the line of those waiting to be served is often 20-plus and can snake its way out the door and onto the sidewalk. Java Owl is on the always busy NASA Parkway but tucked away near the back of a strip center, so it’s pretty quiet. The vibe is easygoing and people are encour- aged to stick around instead of zipping away after being served. Off to the side is an (From top) A Blackline Artisan Coffee & Donuts co-ownerm who goes by Jonny B., prepares dough for the baked goods made fresh at the shop in Webster; the yeast doughnuts are made from fresh brioche dough. (Opposite, from top) Owner John Wilkinson, right, prepares to take a coffee order to a customer at Java Owl Coffee House in Nassau Bay; patrons are encouraged to play the piano or acoustic guitar while sipping their beverage of choice. COASTMONTHLY.COM | JANuArY 2024 25 acoustic guitar and a piano and patrons are urged to pluck and plink away. The menu is lengthy and varied, having a single-origin Brazilian brew that serves as the house roast, 10 different espressos, five lattes and four teas. Java Owl also serves beer of the local variety such as Saloon Door from Webster and True Anomaly, which is from Houston, but the founders are NASA engineers. Java Owl, 1354 NASA Parkway, Suite J, Nassau Bay THE PROLETARIAT GALLERY & PUBLIC HOUSE The confluence of art styles and edible offerings at The Proletariat offers a snapshot of the island itself — a beautifully chaotic hodgepodge of colors, sounds and experi- ences. As its name suggests, The Proletariat Gallery & Public House opened in 2015 as a space for the island’s working class to display PHOTOS: LESLIE PLAZA JOHNSON26 COASTMONTHLY.COM | JANuArY 2024 FEATURE their art. But in the years since, the gallery has grown to offer food, alcohol and coffee, attracting all manner of island college stu- dents and artists. And it has become a favored hangout for residents of the National Hotel Artist Lofts, which occupies the building’s upper floors. The venue seamlessly oper- ates as a restaurant, coffee shop, bar and art gallery. Its gallery creates a revolving door of décor that can best be described as colorful and eclectic. Equally as varied are the patrons who frequent the shop for its many wares. With artists constantly displaying and selling art The Proletariat hangs, two trips to the coffee shop might not look the same. The Proletariat Gallery & Public House, 2221 Market St., Galveston SEAWALL COFFEE COMPANY Sisters Paula Kovach and Meghan Billiot opened Seawall Coffee Company in 2021 after noticing a shortage of coffee shops in the island’s West End. With plans to expand into the shop next door and offer break- fast and lunch, the sisters never expected the shop to have enough steam to reach the heights it has. “That’s because of the community,” Kovach said. “We’ve had such (Left) Paula Kovach pours oat milk foam into a Maver- ick Red Eye, a specialty latte, at Seawall Coffee Com- pany in Galveston; Seawall Coffee Company offers a variety of pastries and cakes from local bakers. great people coming in here since day one.” Kovach moved to the island in 2020 during the pandemic to be near Billiot after losing her job in Austin, she said. The family always has enjoyed coffee and family trips to Seattle percolated their interest in the business. The cozy coffee shop is tucked into a shopping plaza about where Seawall Boulevard be- comes FM 3005, which is home to hundreds of beach- and bay-side vacation rentals and primary homes. The shops sees almost a 50/50 split in business from islanders and va- cationers. Popular at the shop are the Honey Bun Latte, which features notes of toffee, cinnamon and vanilla; Meghan’s Mean Mo- cha, which Kovach describes as a lovechild of hot chocolate and mocha; and Meghan’s artisan cake pops. Seawall Coffee Company, 3802 Cove View Blvd., Galveston PHOTOS: JENNIFE r r EYNOLDSCompassionate Guidance in Your Time of Need. E. R. Johnson Family Mortuary has been serving Galveston County and surrounding areas with empathy and reverence for several decades. Our roots are deeply ingrained in the community by standing side by side with families as they take their first steps towards healing. During this time, you will seek guidance from someone who understands the needs of families in celebrating the life of their loved one with dignity. Making sure that we take all precautions in maintaining a safe environment to ensure the physical and emotional well-being of everyone. E. R. Johnson Family Mortuary has always been at the forefront of making sure the families we serve receive our utmost attention and care. We look forward to being your source for compassionate care and exemplary service. We stand ready to help you honor your loved one by keeping the tradition of offering “Quality, Distinctive and Professional Service”. 3828 Ave O | Galveston, TX 77550 409.762.8470 E. R. Johnson Family MortuaryRoasted Pablano Celebrate National Soup Month Tomato Basil Creamy Cauliflower 408 25th Street New Hours: Thursday-Saturday, 11 am - 4 pm Reasons to LUNCH at EATcetera •Fresh, healthy lunch fare cooked to order •Homemade soups and desserts •Chef Specials highlighted in Coast Magazine •Dog-friendly sidewalk cafe •Locally Owned and Woman Owned •A multitude of vegan and gluten-free offerings available including soups and desserts •Locally Owned and Woman Owned •Free 2-Hour Street Parking Call 409-762-0803 www.eatceteratx.com Available for private events.Next >