Java Coffee & Tea

This is an updated review after many, many return visits. My faith and favor has not waned for this gem of a coffee and tea emporium. Bonus that Java carries all the items needed for a beautiful and creative gift basket, even sweets and greeting cards!
It’s tucked away in a semi-​magical location, but it’s not far off the path at the corner of Fondren and Westheimer. The most delicious scent of roasted coffees billows out of the door when you open it and fills your brain with inspiration and motivational ideas.
I come in every time I am in Houston for some tea and flavored coffee, and my family members take bags of Southern Pecan coffee back to their overseas homes. In fact, their friends now demand more! Do yourself a favor and come in, find something delicious as a gift, look through the window at the awesome roaster machine, learn about beans and tea from Bill, the owner, feast your eyes on the exotic tea pots, and imagine what it would be like to live in a coffee bean roastery in a quiet island town. That’s what it feels like in there. Heaven.

Stopped in to get a gift for a coworker. I was offered a sample of coffee while I browsed the extensive selection of coffee types. I found a small bag of beans, had it ground & popped it into a cute coffee cup. There wasn’t a box for the particular cup I wanted, which was fine. I said I didn’t need one, but Bill went way out of his way to find something to put the gift in! Super nice and friendly! I was so impressed with him, that I went back to get another bag of beans for myself :) I’ll be back…

This is my coffee mecca, period. You want good, quality beans? This is THE place for it. Houston is stupidly-​fortunate to have this little diamond.
The selection of flavored beans here is just staggering – and Bill is always working on new flavors and concoctions to put out there for his customers. I’ve purchased several pounds of assorted flavors from Java Coffee over the past year – never once has there been a flavor that’s lacking. Bill has always answered any questions I’ve had about particular flavors and what goes into making them and has been nothing short of amazing in his customer service and quality. He also provides free smells of his flavored roasts and holy moley I could spend hours just sampling the aromas alone from the beans! He also has some of the most affordable Kona I’ve seen in all of Houston and carries Blue Mountain as well.
The tea selection here is also absolutely fantastic. I’ve stopped buying tea from big retailers and chain-​type stores and now exclusively aim to shop with Java Coffee based on the quality I’ve experienced. Same with my beans; I do not shop anywhere else.

Let me begin by saying that the coffee here is great (that’s why I am giving them two stars). The Marco Polo blend is fantastic and one of my favorites. I had been here with my wife last year to buy a pound and had a wonderful time. The owner was very informative and approachable. When we remarked that we liked the coffee bag hanging from the wall, he pulled out a few and gave them to us. They are now framed and hanging in our living room. As you might be able to tell, we left as loyal fans.
Today, we decided to make a special trip. We were the only one’s in the store and the owner gave us some coffee to drink. I told him I liked the Marco Polo blend and wanted half a pound. I’ve never tried anything else, but I wanted to try another half a pound of something. This is where things went south.
For someone who knows nothing about your beans, I would imagine that the obvious approach would be to offer some suggestions. He asked if I liked dark or light. I said dark and he let us try one that wasn’t as strong as a French roast. It smelled great, but I didn’t want to buy the first one that I smelled. I asked what was a favorite amongst other people. Instead of offering more suggestions or giving some information, the owner said he had no idea what my palate was, could not possibly recommend something out of the 100+ roasts that they have and with a sarcastic tone, asked if I wanted him to pull out everything, one-​by-​one for me to smell.
I have never, ever been treated so rudely by a business owner for just being interested in their selection. He calmed down and said that he did not want to come across as confrontational. Um, I’m sorry, but if you have to clarify your statements by saying you don’t want to come across as confrontational, you should maybe take a step back and revisit how you are approaching the situation.
Both my wife and I were extremely uncomfortable, paid for the coffee and left.
It saddens me that I had such a horrible interaction with the owner. We honestly loved the beans and had a great visit the first time, but I will not be returning. He could have had a bad day and took it out on us, but this was a step over the line. They will not have our business, nor would I recommend them to friends and family.

This is java mecca. Once I discovered this place a couple years ago, I can’t convince myself to buy beans anywhere else. I’ve had every regional bean on the menu and while I won’t spoil which is my particular favorite (it all belongs to me!), there are a lot of good things to choose here.
Try the Jamaican Blue Mountain if you prefer a lighter tone to your coffee.
The La Minita is great for those who enjoy a medium acidity.
Then there’s the Ethiopian Sidoma for those of us with muscular palates.

Excellent small business with friendly service. We were looking for a place with reasonable prices on loose leaf tea to avoid the mega-​mall price gouging and we found it tucked away right here. And we avoid the mall parking!

Bill is amazing from beans to customer service! Ok I admit it I’m a coffee snob! It’s necessary for my daily sanity and I do in fact drink it for your protection! (Ask anyone!) This is such great quality I can almost drink it black. Again SO not my norm which is usually a girl scout cookie in a cup!
While I network in coffee shops I have a high standard for what I brew at home personally. I love it so much I have special instructions for my mailbox — any package from Houston — call me immediately! Depending on how low my supply may be I have been known to dance when I smell the box! No really, it’s that good!
Thanks Bill for making CA safe again one coffee shipment at a time! It definitely takes me to my happy place! Ahhhhh!!!

I have been a customer for 30 years. No really, 30 years.
Best quality beans, skillfully roasted, great service at the most reasonable prices.
Handle them with care and enjoy the best coffee possible, and in your own home.
…or if you’re like me everywhere you go too. I take my Java beans and grinder with me everywhere I travel.

This truly is a little gem of a find for coffee and tea lovers like me!
It’s located in a somewhat secluded little corner spot of 2727 Fondren Road at Wesheimer. Be on alert and don’t blink or you’ll miss it!
Once inside you’ll be swept up in an aromatic bliss. I just love the smell of coffees and teas. Invigorating and comforting.
The service is so very friendly and the employees will be happy to explain as well as show you which coffees and teas will suit your tastes. For me that’s almost any, as long as they are unsweetened.
Not only are you free to sample any brewed coffees or teas but you can receive tips on how to correctly brew for the best tastes. They will also tell you the best way to store your coffee in order to keep that fresh, clean taste going.
There are many varieties and different roasts of coffee to choose from. I’m a fan of the French Chicory and of course Italian Roast. The Costa Rican La Minita is distinct and unique. From strong, straight coffees to light and flavored, you’ll definitely find something that pleases your coffee palate.
Teas are available in great variety, also. I absolutely love the greens, whites, blacks, semi-​fermented Oolongs and scented teas. The custom blends are right on par, too. It’s so hard for me to pick just one coffee or tea when I love them all!
Coffees are roasted on site so you know you’ll be receiving a fresh and quality product. These people honestly do take pride in what they do and it comes through again and again in the taste of the products.
Purchases of coffees and teas can be made in store or ordered from their website:
. They do offer next day delivery for Houston and most surrounding areas including San Antonio, Austin and Dallas, as stated on their site.
Prices are very reasonable for the amazing quality of these beverages.
Besides coffees and teas, this place does sell a few specialty food items and candies as well as coffee and tea gadgets for the home.
This place had me jumping for joy and not just from the intake of caffeine. I honestly do enjoy this place. Anytime I find a place like this that specializes in something I love and a place that does it well with pride, I am a happy, happy person.
If you’re a coffee or tea lover, do check out Java Coffee & Tea. You’ll see why they’ve been around for 35 years. A true treasure.

This is the ONLY real coffee shop/​roaster in Houston.
Incredibly nice, well informed people with an excellent product.
I’ve been doing business here for so many years I cannot even say how long.
They do all my corporate Christmas /​Holiday gift packages as well as supply me, my company and many of my friends with the best coffee beans around.
They have coffees from around the world, teas, all sorts of accessories and equipment as well as cards and candies and so many other things.
They are a little hard to find, but only the first time. after that, it can become a regular stop. Located in the shopping center on Fondren at Westheimer behind the old Fuzzy’s Pizza.
It’s worth looking for.
If you aren’t going to Java Coffee & Tea, you are missing out on a really nice experience.

Java C & T is located @ the SE of Westheimer & Fondren and has been there forever. That may be a problem these days. They are buried in a small, 1 story business park that is dilapidated, with poor signage and empty space at the very front which makes the entire shopping center look ABANDONED. I recently went to Java and almost turned around because I thought they were gone. I have no doubt many potential customers have turned away thinking the shop was no longer there. As to the staff, they are outstanding in politness and knowledge. Have a good variety of machines, gifts and the regular coffees are excellent. Buy the flavored coffees elsewhere. For example, I got some hazelnut coffee and it smelled divine but I could not taste the hazelnut to save my life. Again, their location is in a popular part of town but I wish they made themselves more visible – they deserve the attention and the customers.

Great selection of fresh roasted coffee and a knowledgable sales staff make this a great find. If I lived in Houston I would definitely be getting my coffee from here.

Got an espresso machine as a gift and hit Java for some suggestions. Awesome selection not just for coffee but also for chocolate covered desserts and tea. Marco Polo espresso was phenomenal.
Try their Rubois tea and Almond flavored coffee! Also make sure to sign up for their frequent shopper card.
Skip the Starbucks for once and enjoy what this place has to offer. You will be surprised!

This little gem has been hidden @ the S.E. corner of Westheimer & Fondren for 25 years. They are buried in a small, 1 story business park that includes Fuzzy’s Pizza, Nam Vietnamese Cuisine & The Bead Shop. Ironically, the business park is located behind a strip center that has a Char… uh, I mean Star Bucks.
They roast their coffee beans on site so their beans are always fresh and roasted to perfection. A large variety of coffees, teas, coffee/​tea accessories and some specialty sweets & foods. I love the greeting of coffee aroma when I walk through the door. The owners and staff are friendly and extremely knowledgeable. They love to share their knowledge, so don’t be shy asking questions! They will ship just about any where, so this is a great place to shop for any coffee/​tea lovers in your life!

My family has been going here for as long as I can remember. Even when I come back to Houston, my dad asks me to stop here to buy the week’s coffee when I’m on my way home from gallivanting around town with my friends.
I love that they always have a coffee and a tea for you to taste. Lately I’m into the fruity teas. Yum!
Before most people even knew what espresso was, there was Java Coffee & Tea — for people who took, and still take, their coffee seriously.