Course Coffee Roasters

Course Coffee occupies a historic former duplex in Frenchtown, the Katy Trail running right past the front door with bike parking out front, and the owners roast on-site with a focus on lighter profiles. No dark burnt roasts. All syrups are made in-house. That last detail matters more than it sounds because it shows up in every seasonal monthly latte special and gives the menu a distinct character that syrup-bottle shops can't match.

The room is homey, casual, and low-key, with thrift-shop-style mismatched tables and chairs and an old-school record player in the front room with a stack of records nearby. The counter is set back into a second room so customers can order without crowding the front, which is the kind of small layout decision most coffee shops don't think through. Patio out front. Patio out back. Two outdoor options for two different moods.

What to drink. The lemon poppyseed latte when it's running, which is a seasonal special worth chasing if you can catch it. The iced Cocoa Mocha latte with oat milk is a year-round option that holds up. Espresso tonic for anyone who's into that style of drink. Nitro cold brew. The apple pie latte in fall, which earns its slot on the seasonal menu. Blueberry muffin from the Mr. Meowski's bakery partnership, because the bakery side comes from a partner shop with its own reputation.

The customer base is specific to the shop. Cyclists coming off the Katy Trail land here for a reason, and the bike parking isn't decorative. Serious coffee drinkers who want to taste origin character, rather than something masked by dark-roast bitterness, will appreciate what the owners are doing with their roasts. Remote workers stay long enough to get real work done in the back room. Dog owners are welcome.

Two practical notes. Parking is street-only, which is fine on a quiet morning and harder on a busy one. Second Street construction can make access trickier than it should be depending on when you visit. The record player gets used. If you have a soft spot for vinyl, ask what's spinning when you walk in.