Exploring Houston in the Summer

1. Cavo Coffee

Cavo Coffee is the latest caffeine-infused project from former Siphon Coffee co-owner Michael Caplan, known for its high-quality siphon beverages. The coffee shop, which opened its first location at Greenway Plaza in 2017, offers two locations throughout the city today, including a new West University location. Beans are roasted in-house at their Cleo Roasting Co Next Store to the West U location. They offer slow brew methods such as sourced from Houston's Amaya Roasters and Portland's Heart Roasters, prepared in halogen siphons or classic espresso-based beverages like Americanos, macchiatos, and cortados. Classic deli sandwiches with modern twists are available throughout the day, along with a menu of inventive tacos with ingredients like avocado, chorizo, and Grafton cheddar.

Cavo Coffee, 2617 Bissonnet St #101, Houston, TX 77005, Phone: (346) 319-4092

2. David Shelton Gallery

David Shelton Gallery was opened in 2009 in San Antonio by its namesake gallerist and moved to its current location in Houston's Montrose neighborhood in early 2016. The gallery is known for its unique program emphasizing unique technical aspects and narratives of contemporary art works, exploring what the idea of "handmade" means to each artist exhibiting. Mediums highlighted include painting, photography, drawing, and collage, exhibited by artists working on regional and national levels.

Emerging and established artists showcased at the gallery have included Alejandro Diaz, Sara Frantz, Tameka Norris, Rodrigo Valenzuela, and Jules Buck Jones. The gallery is open to the public Tuesdays through Saturdays throughout the afternoon hours.

David Shelton Gallery, 4411 Montrose Blvd b, Houston, TX 77006, Phone: 713-393-7319

3. Cloud 10 Creamery

Cloud 10 Creamery is a delicious handcrafted ice cream parlor in Houston, owned and operated by award-winning pastry chef Chris Leung. All ice creams and sorbets are prepared in small batches, crafted with premium ingredients free of artificial flavoring, extracts, or additives to ensure the highest quality final result possible. 10 specialty seasonal flavors are showcased at any given time along with the parlor's 10 traditional flavors, ranging from classics like sea salt caramel or maple butter pecan to decadent selections like goat cheese milk chocolate, strawberry jam, or brown sugar cookies and cream. Chinese, Vietnamese, and Mexican cuisine influences are frequently highlighted in flavors, including selections like Vietnamese iced coffee and roasted plum with bay leaf. Small-batch sorbets are also available, along with ice cream treats, including treats for four-legged friends.

Cloud 10 Creamery, 3201 Louisiana St Suite 100, Houston, TX 77006, Phone: 713-485-4770

4. Red Circle Ice Cream

Red Circle Ice Cream is a unique ice cream joint in Houston's Chinatown neighborhood, known for its trendy looped churro desserts and handcrafted ice cream flavors. The restaurant is named in honor of the significance of the color red in Asian cultures, which is often considered to be a good luck and good fortune symbol.

More than 90 memorable ice cream flavors are served up throughout the week, ranging from clever fruit variants like lychee strawberry and guava to Asian-inspired selections like durian or Thai tea. Adventurous diners can select from savory and spicy flavors, including barbecue or Hot Cheetos. Churros are available in flavors like the Cookie Butter Blast, which pairs shortbread cookie crumb topping with a cookie-flavored drizzle, or the signature Churro Daddy, which pairs a cinnamon sugar churro with an ice cream flavor of diners' choice.

Red Circle Ice Cream, 6838 Ranchester Dr, Houston, TX 77036, Phone: 832-767-5679

5. Christie's Seafood and Steaks

Christie's Seafood and Steaks was originally opened as a food stand in 1917 by Theodore Christie and has been operated as a full-service restaurant since the 1930s. The restaurant, which moved to its current Westheimer location in 1979, continues to craft all of its entrees from its original recipes, continuing a tradition that has become legendary in the Houston area over the past century.

Christie's Seafood and Steaks, 6029 Westheimer Rd, Houston, TX 77057, Phone: 713-978-6563