Cottage Grove - Houston, TX

Cottage Grove was originally an independent city located by the rail stop at Houston and Texas Central’s Eureka Train Stop. Once the freeway was constructed, the Houston metropolitan area extended, and the population of Cottage Grove began to grow like wildfire. The town became a popular spot for young professionals in the early 2000s, and this caused many new housing projects to begin in the area, leading to even further growth.

To learn about some of the area’s interesting history and art, you can visit the New World Museum. This Hispanic art museum has many exhibits and even educational classes on the rich heritage and vibrant tradition of Hispanic artwork. Cottage Grove also hosts an annual eat, drink and meet at Down the Street Bar, where you can meet other people and families in the area and enjoy some great food, drinks and music.

Restaurants line Cottage Grove, but most are concentrated along Washington Avenue and Shepherd Drive.

On Washington Avenue, check out one of the local favorite spots, Molina's Cantina, where you can sample some of the neighborhood's most upscale Mexican food, including just about any Mexican dish you can think. Start off with the homemade salsa, chips and sweet pralines for free, and be sure to take advantage of the incredible happy hour specials, including half price margaritas. Visit the bar during happy hour for free chips and queso.

Benjy's Restaurant, another popular eating destination in Cottage Grove, serves casual American fare with an upscale setting ideal for dates. Start off with complementary popcorn to snack on with your drink while you wait on your food, and choose from a variety of menu items, ranging from the crunchy chicken to the chef special wild rose buffalo burger. The locals rave about the Brussels sprouts too, so be sure to give them a try. The restaurant also has a nice outdoor patio spot, making it a great place for a casual meal or hanging out with friends and enjoying the drinks.

For the Italian food lovers, Patrenella's serves all kinds of rustic Italian dishes and even mixes in a little bit of a hometown feel with the fresh gulf seafood dishes. For a gulf favorite, be sure to try the seafood linguine, with fresh gulf-caught seafood sautéed in the garlic and olive oil sauce. Originally a house, the restaurant itself has a family-owned feel with classy Italian decor and artwork covering the walls.

The Cottage Grove area features a nice nightlife scene, with several places to get drinks and listen to live music. Locals love the atmosphere at Down the Street Bar on Larkin Street, a bar that appears to have been converted from a garage or barn. Customers enjoy specials on food and drinks almost every night of the week, with the most notable being Tuesday's wine and whiskey night and Saturday's beer and burgers night. Locals also enjoy Underdogs Pub on Washington Avenue. With a laid-back atmosphere and huge selections of beer and whisky, this comfortable neighborhood bar does not disappoint. Come to play a game of pool or two, and stay and watch the big game as you sip on an ice-cold craft brew.

The neighborhood has very narrow streets without bike lanes and very few sidewalks, so although Cottage Grove doesn’t cover an overly large area, both walkers and bikers should be aware that these methods of travel won't be ideal. Most locals prefer cars, especially since the nearby freeway makes the commute to Houston or even San Antonio and Austin simple. Uber fans will be pleased to know that the company serves the area, and getting to downtown Houston shouldn't cost more than $10 to $14.

Cottage Grove also has efficient public transportation for those who don’t want to drive and find parking everywhere, with several public buses serving the area. The narrow streets make it very difficult to find parking, but some street spots and public lots do exist around the neighborhood.

The Cottage Grove area has some great free parks for those looking to exercise, play sports, walk the dog or simply relax and have a picnic. Cottage Grove Park sits within the neighborhood and has tons of recreational options, such as baseball, basketball and large playground for the kids. The park even has a biking and hiking trail for the fitness-minded.

Memorial Park sits close by to Cottage Grove Park and also serves as a popular outdoor spot for residents. The park covers almost 1,500 acres, making it one of the biggest urban parks in all of the United States. Aside from the 18-hole golf course, the park has tennis, softball, track, cycling and swimming facilities. The park has become very popular for joggers and also offers a great spot to bring your dog.

Both parks can be entered for free and have their own parking lots, but you must have an annual or monthly pass to enter the fitness center in Memorial Park.

The cost of living in Cottage Grove runs slightly lower than the downtown Houston area. In Cottage Grove, the average one-bedroom rental only costs around $1,180, compared to the downtown Houston median rent of $1,580. Gas usually hovers around 9 percent below the national average. Taking a bus to downtown Houston won't lighten your wallet much, costing only about $2. Those looking to grab a beer at a pub will find that most brews cost between $5 and $7.

Cottage Grove doesn't have a lot of shops within the immediate neighborhood area, but many small and eclectic boutique stores sit within a mile or two, giving residents a nice alternative from the giant malls that occupy most of Houston.

Affection Boutique on Washington Avenue specializes in dresses and tops, but they also have some nice Italian leather handbags and a huge selection of imported jewelry from all over the world. The owner handpicks all of the items sold here through her travels, and the locals all really love her willingness to help customers find the right item for themselves.

Cottage Grove has several different shops for locals to get fresh food and other groceries, including a large concentration of Mexican groceries due to the large immigrant population in the Houston area. El Tiempo Market has many Latin American grocery items as well as a huge selection of fresh cut meats. Nundini's Chef's Table also offers ethnic food in the form of a large selection of Italian groceries, fresh meats and prepared food items. Walmart also has a location close by for both the bargain shoppers and those looking to fulfill all their shopping needs in one stop.