Empire Café

Empire Café is a Houston institution right on Westheimer in the heart of Montrose, the city's gayborhood, a funky-but-friendly European-style coffeehouse and café that's packed morning to night with hipsters and longtime neighborhood regulars. Set around a spacious, leafy covered patio that recalls a European street café, it serves world-class custom-roasted coffee and espresso, all-day frittatas, its signature Italian Toast, mini pizzas, paninis, salads and pasta, and, above all, glorious homemade layer cakes, sampled by the slice for half price every Monday. Central, casual, and buzzy, it's long been the go-to spot to meet friends for brunch or a coffee before hitting the Montrose bars, and a listed favorite in Houston's LGBTQ+ guide.