Brunch at the same old haunts is so passé. With Mother's Day this weekend, it's a perfect opportunity to freshen things up with a midday meal at a new hotspot, from a River Oaks-area whiskey bar where the revelry flows to a downtown restaurant complete with a creperie on the terrace. Take mom with you — or tell her something came up and leave her at home. We promise not to judge. Or, it you already have Mother's Day plans, check out these brunch spots in the coming weekends.
Broken Barrel
At Broken Barrel in The Woodlands, load up on items from smoked salmon on homemade rye biscuit with a poached egg and caper dill spread to huevos rotos with crispy potatoes, fried egg, prosciutto, and harissa (Saturday and Sunday; 10am-3 pm). Choose from thirst-quenchers like red sangria and a build-your-own bloody Mary.
1950 Hughes Landing Blvd #1900, The Woodlands; 713-389-5628
Bosscat Kitchen & Libations
Who needs humdrum eggs Benedict when you can brunch it up (Sunday; 11 am-3 pm) with Fruity Pebbles French toast, a breakfast burger with smoked ham, cheese, and a duck fat fried egg served between two sticky buns, and a booze-and-food-combo of an entree and your choice of bottomless mimosas or bloody Marys for $28? Say bye to your boring neighborhood cafe and hit Bosscat Kitchen & Libations. Here, the luxe brunch menu, cocktails aplenty, and thumping DJ-spun beats will turn your midday meal into an experience you'll remember (or...not).
4310 Westheimer Rd., Ste. 150; 281-501-1187
Xochi
There’s no shortage of midday eats and drinks at downtown Oaxacan restaurant Xochi, where the kitchen cranks out a buffet (Sunday; 11 am-2:30 pm; $34 per adult, $12 per child) of rotating options from egg dishes to seafood, grilled meats, and desserts, and the bar offers up a stellar roster of cocktails. Don't skip the must-try Late Check Out stirred with mezcal, Old Tom gin, orange liqueur, passion fruit, and lime, and presented in chocolate-rimmed glass.
1777 Walker St.; 713-400-3330
State Fare
Poached eggs on crab cakes, bacon-praline waffles, fried catfish, and an ahi tuna burger are all on the menu at Gateway Memorial City’s State Fare (Saturday and Sunday; 10 am-2:30 pm). Linger over boozy libations from a frozen rum and beer to the Sparkler mixed with Italian aperitif, vermouth, bubbles, and grapefruit juice.
947 Gessner; 832-831-0950
Field & Tides
Heights bistro Field & Tides has plenty of brunch game (Saturday and Sunday; 10am-3pm) with offerings from a pulled pork buttermilk stack covered in bourbon-vanilla maple syrup to the Sloppy Tides sandwich with cornmeal-crusted gulf fish, coleslaw, chipotle anchovy sauce, and a fried egg. Wash it all down with a peach Bellini or Michelada.
705 East 11th St.; 713-861-6143
Brasserie du Parc
If Parisian-inspired dishes and handcrafted cocktails are up your alley (why wouldn’t they be?), look no further than downtown’s Brasserie du Parc. Score ratatouille crepes filled with vegetables, a sunny side-up egg, mozzarella, and arugula, plus traditional beignets with powdered sugar and drinks like the Elyx and Sherry Cobbler with vodka, sherry, fresh lemon juice, and seasonal berries (Sunday; 11 am-3 pm). Bonus: The terrace is home to Creperie du Parc, which serves up delectable sweet and savory crepes.
1440 Lamar St.; 832-879-2802
Nobie’s
Montrose neighborhood eatery Nobie’s gets brunch right (Sunday; 11am-3pm) with its delicious selection of fare, including house-made pastries (think colossal cinnamon rolls) and entrees like peanut butter banana French toast, the S.O.S. avocado toast with your choice of crab and grapefruit or radish, butter, and caviar, and the Freakin’ Weekend Tower, a shareable bagel presentation served with a variety of schmears and toppings. We recommend pairing your fare with a house-made cocktail, especially the fruity brunch punch or the eye-opening Boozy Joe made with cold brew, white rum, cream, and fernet for added kick.
2048 Colquitt St.; 713-527-9090
Elyx and sherry cobbler at Brasserie du Parc.
