Pike Street Market

Great service, great coffee and great breakfast make Alexander the Great jealous of this market. As if that weren’t enough, the library bearing his name can also be put to shame with the latest news periodicals also available at this down-to-earth café.

Located in the heart of El Paso, under the roof of the historic Cortez Building, is the quaint little café Pike Street Market. Rosie and her friendly staff cook up yummy salads, sandwiches, soups and hot drinks for its throngs of devotees. Satisfying morning cravings with caffeine and charming conversation, Pike Street is a far cry from the sterile efficiency of other mass-marketed coffee shops; on the contrary, it’s the coffee shop where everyone knows your name.

For breakfast, muffins are ready by 9 a.m. and come in a range of flavors: lemon poppy seed, blueberry and orange cranberry to name a few. The Fred’s sandwich, made with ham or turkey and the fixings topped off with fresh avocado and cheese, is a house favorite, and every lunch should be topped with a fruit cup – the best and biggest in town!

Pike Street Market • 207 E. Mills Ave. • 915.545.1010 • Open Mon. – Fri., 7 a.m. – 3 p.m. • Photo by Perla Parra

Chama Lounge & Gallery

Not even a month old and Chama Lounge & Gallery is already revving up the slow and steady growth of Downtown night life. With a chic and urban interior illuminated by a warm and inviting glow, Chama is the new destination for after-work cocktails with friends and colleagues, the perfect place to watch the pedestrians of Downtown through massive street-side windows as you reminisce about the day gone by.

Currently testing the Downtown El Paso waters with a very soft opening, Chama has already attracted a steady stream of patrons. While some camp out at the bar, others fill the tables that surround a small performing area. And then there are the ultra-comfy sofas lining the back wall, a favorite for those who prefer a cozy conversation à deux to a high-top table overlooking the masses.

While Chama is very much a lounge—drinks perfectly poured for just the right amount of kick, people laughing and talking over tiny cups of pretzels and free appetizers select nights of the week—it is also part gallery, its walls adorned with the works of local artists. If conversation ever stalls, look to the walls for some instant inspiration.

Chama Lounge & Gallery • 500 N. Oregon St. • 915.542.4262 • Photo by Chama