Bayou City Books

Bayou City Books captures the ambitious, anything-goes spirit of Houston in a sprawling Montrose storefront that feels as diverse and energetic as the city itself. Founded in 2008 by a former NASA engineer and her husband, a Nigerian-American novelist, the store reflects Houston's twin identities as the energy capital of the world and one of the most internationally diverse cities in America. The international literature section is organized by region and includes works in over twenty languages, serving Houston's enormous immigrant communities. The energy industry section is genuinely useful to the petroleum professionals who power the local economy, while the space exploration section honors Houston's role as Mission Control and home of the Johnson Space Center. The Gulf Coast cooking section celebrates the city's legendary food scene, from Vietnamese crawfish to Tex-Mex to barbecue. The cafe serves Vietnamese iced coffee and kolaches, and the store's events calendar reads like a United Nations of literature.