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Monday, July 21, 2025 — Houston, TX

Roasted: Southside Espresso

By Amanda Gutierrez     1/16/13 6:00pm

The newest shop in the Houston coffee scene is already proving to be a sensation among local coffee-lovers. Tucked away behind Aladdin Mediterranean Cuisine and the Japanese restaurant Uchi is Southside Espresso, a small shop that you could easily miss if you drive too quickly down Westheimer. The quaint coffee bar was opened in the fall by Sean Marshall, a well-known name in the local coffee circle. Marshall is also the owner of Fusion Roasting Company, located in south Houston. He was mentored by the one-and-only Ken Palmer, a famous Houston specialty roaster and himself the student of Alfred Peet. Peet founded Peet's Coffee & Tea and revolutionized coffee roasting with innovative techniques, such as being one of the first to use the French roast in the United States. He is also credited with teaching the founders of Starbucks essentially everything they knew.

Marshall continues this specialty roasting legacy through his own company and is forming special partnerships with coffee-growers in Ethiopia and Yemen. Southside imports green, raw coffee beans grown and milled at a family coffee farm located deep in the mountains of Yemen. Packages of these coffee beans, along with beans from Honduras and El Salvador, are sold at the shop.

After hearing the history of Marshall and the origins of his coffee business, I tried one espresso and one coffee drink. The barista suggested the Honduras Las Trancas drip coffee, which I found to be too oily and acidic. It had medium boldness and a delightful citrus taste, but that was completely overpowered by the mouth-puckering acidity. It was light and a good coffee to drink black; however, since I enjoy a sweeter, smoother taste, it was difficult for me to enjoy this one at all.  



Next, I tried a latte using the El Salvador blend. It was sweet, smooth and a bit savory, with a chocolate undertone. This espresso redeemed Southside to me after the unpleasantly bitter drip coffee I tasted. For those who enjoy bold espresso drinks, Marshall recommends the Yemen single origin espresso as a macchiato. To add variety, Southside features a guest coffee from local roasters each week, such as Cuvee Coffee roasted in Austin. 

Southside offers relatively cheap coffee, with each drink costing $2-$4. The indoor seating area of the cafe is relatively small, with tables barely large enough to hold both a laptop and a cup of coffee. However, the shop is neither busy nor distracting and offers free Wi-Fi. It may not be the best place to set up shop and study for an upcoming test, but it is perfect for socializing with friends and observing the baristas as they craft drinks using fancy coffee contraptions. Step into Southside for a savory cup of espresso, and listen to Marshall's fascinating story of his journey to becoming coffee-roasting royalty.



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