Time for brunch

Best new brunches: 8 restaurants that make the weekend special

If there's a better time than brunch to celebrate the end of a long week, we don't know about it. Think about it: You can kick back, catch up with friends, and linger over refreshing cocktails. Add one of the new game-changing weekend breakfasts below to that list, and you've got a winning combination. Read on for eight restaurants that know how to do brunch right.

Provisions
Montrose’s Provisions, which shares a roof with sibling restaurant, The Pass, puts its stamp on brunch with inventive offerings from suckling pig with braised greens, two eggs sunny side up, and barbecue bearnaise to a trio of baked egg dishes: meatball, tomato, pickled peppers, and provolone; spinach, mushroom, and Parmesan; and rabbit, peas, carrots, and creme fraiche. Bonus: Brunch hours end just as happy hour begins. Go the distance. (Saturday; 11 am-2:30 pm)
807 Taft St.; 713-628-9020

Osso and Kristalla
Contemporary Italian trattoria Osso and Kristalla doles out house-made pastries and breakfast pizzas in the morning alongside hearty dishes such as blueberry-bacon waffles and eggs Pomodoro, a duo of poached hen eggs and marinara on crispy bread. Chill over cool sips like frozen limoncello, Bellinis, and mimosas by the carafe. (Saturday-Sunday; 11 am-2 pm)
1515 Texas Ave.; 713-221-6666

FM Kitchen and Bar
The brunch time double-meat burger at casual eatery FM Kitchen and Bar, topped with a fried egg, American cheese, and bacon, gets an added hit of deliciousness from a house-made sauce mixed with ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, pickles, and a secret blend of spices. And when the morning menu also features items like brisket tacos and pork pozole, a six-minute egg served with pineapple salsa verde, radish slaw, avocado, and tomato, and live music, that’s an absolute yes. (Sunday; 11 am-3 pm)
1112 Shepherd Dr.; 832-804-6006

State of Grace
The kitchen at State of Grace cooks up Gulf Coast fare with Asian and Tex-Mex twists for flavorful combinations that seem as if they've always belonged together, including kimchi and fried eggs with curried fried rice, and pork belly and steak ’n’ eggs with refried beans, cotija cheese, and bacon fat tortillas. (Sunday; 10 am-3 pm)
3258 Westheimer Rd.; 832-942-5080

B&B Butchers
While B&B Butchers offers brunch every weekend, the Washington Ave. steakhouse puts on a special Brunch Society soiree that kicks the tempo into warp speed. The revelry on the second-floor patio involves DJ-spun beats, cocktails aplenty, bottle service, and decadent fare, from coconut-crusted French toast stuffed with strawberry cream cheese and to the crazy-good Carpet Bagger Burger with thick-cut bacon, blue cheese dressing, crumbled blue cheese, Cajun-fried oysters, and house-made hot sauce. (Regular brunch is Saturday-Sunday from 11 am-3 pm; Brunch Society is July 22, September 9, September 30, and October 28 from 11 am-5 pm)
1814 Washington Ave.; 713-862-1814

Fusion Taco - The Heights
A sprawling late-morning meal at Fusion Taco in The Heights features creative spins on the house specialty, tacos, as in eggs Benedict with pork belly, fried egg, and house-made hollandaise, and panko-fried avocado and egg with black beans, grape tomato, cabbage slaw, goat cheese, and Mexican creme, all served on either a house-made tortilla or fluffy naan. Oh, and there are also cocktails by the glass or pitcher, from mimosas to margaritas. Cheers! (Saturday from 11 am-11 pm; Sunday from 11 am-9 pm)
4706 N. Main; 713-422-2992

Cafe Azur
Cafe Azur in Montrose presents an ever-rotating roster of French eats, and the list of midday options is no exception. You can't go wrong with the duck confit in orange sauce with eggs and fingerling potatoes or the croque-monsieur with béchamel sauce and French fries. But save room for the crepe Suzette with ice cream for dessert. (Sunday; 11 am-4 pm)
4315 Montrose Blvd.; 713-524-0070

Frank’s Americana
Hit up River Oaks gem Frank’s Americana during brunch and pair your cocktails (think: rum brunch punch and classics like the Corpse Reviver) with sticky buns, avocado toast, crab cake Benedict, eternal southern favorite biscuits and gravy, and the likes. (Sunday; 11 am-3:30 pm)
3736 Westheimer Rd.; 713-572-8600

The decadent fare at B&B Butchers includes coconut-crusted French toast stuffed with strawberry cream cheese.

Houston, new brunches, July 2017, B&B Butchers, French toast

Photo by Felix Sanchez

The decadent fare at B&B Butchers includes coconut-crusted French toast stuffed with strawberry cream cheese.

brunch

what's new at Julep

Southern-inspired Houston cocktail den ranks No. 84 on North America best bars list

Courtesy of Julep

Julep is North America's No. 84 best bar.

Houston’s only bar to win a national James Beard Award is once again basking in the international spotlight. Julep has been ranked No. 84 on the extended list of North America’s 50 Best Bars 2026.

The ranking marks Julep’s first appearance on the list since 2022, when it ranked No. 46. Last year, Bandista, the speakeasy-style cocktail bar at the Four Seasons Hotel Houston, ranked No. 59. The only other Texas bar on the list is Austin’s Nickel City, which ranked No. 96.

“Julep takes its Southern heritage seriously,” its entry on the 50 Best website reads. “American whiskey and warm hospitality form the backbone of the bar's operation and identity, together with house cocktails that lean into herbal flavours. Make sure to venture beyond its trio of namesake concoctions into the selection of house creations, such as its guava-infused vesper.”

Founded by bartender Alba Huerta in 2014, Julep pays homage to Southern cocktail traditions. In addition to its spot on the best bars list, it earned a James Beard Award in 2022 for Outstanding Bar Program.

“This recognition reflects years of focused work, strong leadership, and a team committed to doing things with intention every single day,” Huerta said in a statement. “Launching our spring menus in both the Main Bar and The Parlor is especially exciting. The creativity in house is at an all-time high, and the drinks are not only technically strong, they are incredibly delicious. It feels like a moment where everything is coming together, and that energy is something we’re excited to share with our community through experiences like Chef’s Cut.”

As Huerta noted in her statement, Julep isn’t resting on its laurels. In November, Huerta transformed an event space/storage area into The Parlor, a separate bar within Julep that serves drinks made with advanced techniques such as clarification, carbonation, and other culinary-driven processes. For spring, The Parlor has introduced new cocktails such as La Fresa, a carbonated cocktail made with tequila, house made strawberry soda, and a chile de árbol tincture, and the Silk & Oak, made with butter fat-washed rum and bourbon, activated yeast, shiitake mushroom, maple, and Angostura bitters.

On Wednesdays, Julep hosts its Chef’s Cut pop-up, where local chefs create special dishes to pair with the bar’s cocktails. A portion of proceeds from the night’s featured food items benefit the Southern Smoke Foundation, the Houston-based nonprofit that provides emergency assistance and access to mental health services to hospitality workers.

Future participants include Top Chef contestant and pitmaster Michelle Wallace on April 8, CultureMap Tastemaker Awards Rising Star Chef of the Year winner Lucas McKinney of Josephine’s on April 15, Anthony Anderson of Sophie on April 22, and Anitra Broussard, formerly of Riel, on April 29. Blood Bros. BBQ co-owner Robin Wong serves as resident DJ for the Chef’s Cut series.

“Chef’s Cut is about creating a space where culinary talent and cocktail innovation come together in a way that feels both intentional and approachable,” said Huerta. “It’s an opportunity to celebrate our peers, support one another, and work with a great cause — Southern Smoke.”

Courtesy of Julep

Julep is North America's No. 84 best bar.

awards lists cocktails julep