Best 2019 Brunch Spots in Houston, TX
Growing up in the south made it an easy transition to the Houston lifestyle. I already had strong faith in football and an understanding of the most important meal of the day. These both mean something a little different now that I am older… my fantasy team is crap and I look forward to brunching every weekend.
As football season heads towards its close for the 2019 season, our brunch game doesn’t have to. Below is the bracket for the top brunch places in Houston. The road to The Brunch Bowl wasn’t easy for these top 8 teams but after a lot of research the points just added up for these special teams as they made their way into Houston’s Brunch Playoffs.
1. Xochi
Downtown – Marriott Marquis Houston, 1777 Walker Street
Star Player:
Holy Mole! The variety of moles Xochi offers is AMAZING, specifically get the Brisket en Mole Negro or the Tamal de Pollo con Mole Negro.
Stats:
A jewel in the city’s crown.
Known for its contemporary Oaxacan brunch buffet. This buffet is all Houston can rave about at the moment. Being comprised of award-winning chef Hugo Ortega’s spin on chilaquiles, chiles rellenos, tamales, ceviches, carnitas, house made Mexican desserts. Its drink selection is no joke either with extremely flavorful margaritas, mimosas, and spiked coffees.
The revolving buffet comes in at $34 for adults, $12 for children. There is also live music for Sunday brunch from 11am-2pm.
2. Brennan’s
Midtown – 3300 Smith Street
Star Player:
The fried Texas quail beignet – fried quail and a sunny side up egg on top of a beignet with foie gras ganache sauce and smoked jalapeno maple syrup. OMG!
Stats:
It’s a culinary temple of its own, blending New Orleans flavors with Texas.
Brennan’s puts a nice twist on brunch with their Texas Creole-inspired menu. Their dishes being the perfect mix of Southern staples like eggs Brennan, shrimp & grits, and whiskey-lacquered quail, turtle soup, smoked pork belly and pimiento cheese grits, alligator skillet hash, duck confit and wild mushroom crepes, hickory smoked salmon frittata, and beef debris with southern biscuits. I mean I could just name their whole menu because it’s all worth the hype.
All of these go delightfully with their Marys, punches, and fizzes.
This 3-course meal comes to you at $37 per person with a jazz band playing in the background to bring you back to your New Orleans life or that 3 day weekend you vaguely remember.
3. Backstreet Cafe
River Oaks – 1103 S Shepherd Drive
Star Player:
You can’t really go wrong with any of the incredible benedict choices, but if I HAD to choose it would be the crab cake benedict.
Stats:
A broad and diverse menu with their Southern and Mexican-inspired dishes.
Backstreet is located in a ’30s-era house in River Oaks and is quite famous for it. This is where you’ll find brunch has basically become an institution where fellow brunchers cozy up as they indulge on Gulf Coast beignets with shrimp, crab, and andouille sausage, fried chicken and biscuits, and the signature Backstreet benedict with cheddar chive biscuits from our fave James Beard award-winning chef Hugo Ortega. If you’re more of a sweet person, the chocolate-orange brioche buns are a must along with the brioche French toast with Nutella. They also serve up Nutella Iced Coffee for all your caffeinated deliciousness needs.
4. Bosscat Kitchen & Libations
Uptown / Highland Village – 4310 Westheimer Road #150
Star Player:
Fruity Pebble French Toast. Thick slices drenched in condensed milk glaze along with fresh berries but most importantly featuring that color cereal we all love giving it a bit of a crunch.
Stats:
Unexpected twists on traditional dishes.
Bosscat is typically known for their whiskey room but their brunch has made the top of the rankings due their ultimate Sunday Funday ratings paired with their contemporary twist on American comfort food. Their dishes also hit hard with their Instagramability such as items like the Sticky Bun Breakfast Burger, Fruity Pebbles French Toast, and the Blue Elvis Pancakes. Also remarkable others include Chorizo and Potato Benedict, Short Rib Chilaquiles, Meatloaf Hash & Eggs, Pork Belly Breakfast Tacos.
They offer something quite special like Bottomless Bloody Marys and Mimosas for $32 and also have beauts like the White Peach Sangria, Aperol Spritz, or a Maple Whiskey Shot.
5. State Fare Kitchen & Bar
Memorial City – 947 Gessner Road, Suite B190
Star Player:
Their largest brunch drink menu in Houston is a bruncher’s heaven with all the flight options – Frozen Cocktail flight, Bloody Mary Flight, Mimosa Flight.
Stats:
Hip Memorial outpost serving cranked up comfort classics.
Keeping with its name, State Fare is known for their Texas- size menu, flavors, and portions. Their plates include things like brunch burgers topped with spicy brown sugar bacon, egg, American cheese, and hash browns; and buttermilk biscuits smothered with house sausage and fat-laden, East Texas cream gravy. Don’t miss the very large griddle cakes, served with classic maple syrup and whipped butter or topped with anything from chocolate to chicken. You’ll also find the infamous and beautiful elote avocado toast. This is just the tip of the iceberg with all their menu choices of bevy brunch headliners.
6. Beaver’s West
Uptown – 6025 Westheimer Road
Star Player:
The Texas Benedict – pulled pork, poached eggs, smokey hollandaise, pico de gallo, and crispy onions. PRO TIP: sub cornbread (not on the menu).
Stats:
“Dam” Good Brunch is really all you need to know.
The Boozy Beaver Brunch holds its place in the top 8 standings with its mix of traditional and nontraditional brunchy eats. The highlights include their Smoky queso, Texas deviled eggs, huevos rancheros, chicken fried steak and eggs, and the Beaver-Rito – brisket and queso with eggs and habanero salsa. Their drink menu is on point as well with the Beaver Marys, which feature house-made bacon-infused vodka, candied bacon, pickled green beans, okra, cucumber, carrots, cheese, and olives.
7. Pondicheri
Upper Kirby – 2800 Kirby Drive, Suite B132
Star Player:
The morning Thali is a traditional Indian variety plate that offers a little taste of everything.
Stats:
Modern take on classic Indian fare as it excites the senses by merging flavors from all over.
Pondicheri offers Indo-fusion eats with an intriguing yet modern play on traditional Indian street foods and pastries. They have an all day breakfast menu with items like masala eggs, saag paneer omelets, morning thali with potato cake, chickpea fritters, and dosa (fermented ragi, rice and lentil crêpes). The downstairs is more of a fast casual café and the upstairs has the onsite Bake Lab which always has a little something for your sweet tooth. Not to fret, most of the dishes are gluten-free and vegan.
8. Better Luck Tomorrow (BLT)
The Heights – 544 Yale Street
Star Player:
Known for their attractive and fascinating drink menu, must haves include traditional Bloody Mary, a salted tomatillo Bloody Mary, Bellinis, mimosas, and Irish coffee. The cooler weather has also brought in a Julep’d Toddy (a hot version of the classic Mint Julep), hot buttered rum, and a highball of Campari with orange juice.
Stats:
Known for their inventive cocktails and elevated comfort food.
BLT’s 10-12 item brunch menu includes things like yeast-risen doughnuts; custard French toast with Angostura Bitters crème fraiche and orange jelly; sausage breakfast sandwich with aged cheddar and egg; “hangover hash browns” with brown gravy, cheese, and shallots; spicy matzo ball soup; a vegan rice bowl; fried chicken with mashed potatoes, and a not so traditional spaghetti sandwich.They have quite the extensive drink menu with traditional Bloody Mary, a salted tomatillo Bloody Mary, Bellinis, mimosas, and Irish coffee. The cooler weather has also brought in a Julep’d Toddy (a hot version of the classic Mint Julep), hot buttered rum, and a highball of Campari with orange juice.
