Procrastinator's Guide to Father's Day

The Procrastinator's Guide to Father's Day brunch: 10 manly restaurant picks for dad

Forget the boring ties that will end up buried at the bottom of Dad’s closet or the stereotypical barbecue equipment that will end up shoved away in storage. Instead, give Dad a break from the grill by treating him to a meal he won't forget at one of these 10 Houston restaurants.

1. Kiran’s

Deals: The Indian-Latin brunch includes a four-course meal, starting off with Dublin or Narula iced coffee, followed by a fresh salad appetizer. The main course varies from ginger poached eggs over scafata to spiced ground lamb with braised turnips. Each course includes a vegetarian option for dads who aren't into feasting on huge hunks of meat. Finish the meal off with a Grand Marnier and pistachio chocolate mousse.
Available: 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Cost per person: $55 for adults, $25 for children under 12 and free for children under 5
Reservations: 713-960-8472

2. Sylvia’s Enchilada Kitchen

Deals: Chef/owner Sylvia Casares will offer Father’s Day specials at both Woodway and Westheimer locations. Diners can choose from an al a carte or buffet at the Woodway location. A la carte options include cabrito asado, tampiquena and carne asada, while the buffet stations include made-to-order omelets, salads, street tacos and, of course, the restaurant's namesake enchiladas. At the Westchase location the menu includes Mexican breakfast platters, scrambled eggs, skillet fried potatoes, Mexican sausage, carne asada and pork chops.
Available: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Cost per person: $19.95 per person for the buffet or $24.95 for the buffet with mimosas
Reservations: 713-334-7295 (Reservations for six or more are required)

3. Backstreet Café

Deals: Chef Hugo Ortega will offer a special three-course menu at his River Oaks restaurant. Start off with seafood or salad as an appetizer, followed by an entree such as soft shell crab Benedict. Save the best for last with dessert, including red velvet cake, lemon ricotta almond cake, strawberry and rhubarb hand pies, mocha meringue cake and peach and blackberry shortcake topped with buttermilk ice cream.
Available: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Cost per person: $48 per adult and $15 per child (plus tax and gratuity)
Reservations: 713-521-2239

4. Mockingbird Bistro Wine Bar

Deals: Chef John Sheely will offer a special three-course menu as well as a great selection of eye-opening cocktails, local and domestic beers, international wines and coffee drinks. Starter options include risotto and shrimp gumbo; main course includes steak and eggs, ruby red trout and the restaurant's signature American Kobe burger. Finish off with bread pudding, flourless chocolate cake or a lemon tart.
Available: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Cost per person: $59 per adult and $25 per child (plus tax and gratuity)
Reservations: 713-533-0200 (reservations highly recommended)

5. The Bistro

Deals: Head to Hotel Sorella in CityCentre for a buffet including pasta, omelet, salad and carving stations, as well as a dessert bar. Additional features include seafood paella, roasted rib-eye with barolo sauce and chicken parmesan.
Available: 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Cost per person: Buffet is $45 per person
Reservations: 713-827-3545

6. Latin Bites

Deals: Take dad on a mini-vacation to South America at this Tanglewood hotspot. All dads will enjoy a free beer at Latin Bites on Father’s Day. Brunch specials include $1.50 mimosas, $2 bellinis, $5 bloody Marys, $3 beers, $5 sangria, $4 micheladas and $10 cebiches.
Available: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Cost per person: Varies by item
Reservations: 713-229-8369

7. Américas

Deals: Américas Father's Day buffet includes a beef tenderloin carving station, prime rib or beef, whole roasted pig, plantain-crusted chicken, bahia-grilled chicken, assorted empanadas, omelet and crepe stations and tres leches and delirio de chocolate for dessert.
Available: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Cost per person: $49 per person at Americas, $15 for children ages 6-12 and children under 6 are free
Reservations: 832-200-1492

8. Tony Mandola’s

Deals: Beginning on Father’s Day, Tony Mandola’s launches its new Bloody Mary bar with a variety of garnishes. A selection of brunch specials, including a seafood tower, bacon-wrapped diver scallops, grilled hereford ribeye, Texas quail and crab cake and redfish on the half shell, is available, along with the regular brunch menu.
Available: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Cost per person: See brunch menu for individual prices
Reservations: 713-528-3474

9. Fleming’s Steakhouse

Deals: Fleming's Steakhouse offers a three-course meal brunch menu. Start off with your choice of an appetizer of lobster bisque, modern Caesar salad or fresh seasonal fruits, followed by your pick of an entree of signature eggs benedict, baked brioche French toast or prime rib with a trio of sauces or prime rib hash. After brunch, you will receive a $25 dining card to use on a future visit.
Available: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Cost per person: $39.95 per person
Reservations: 713-520-5959 River Oaks location or 713-827-1120 Town and Country location

10. Sparrow Bar + Cookshop

Deals: Join chef Monica Pope in the kitchen for a Father’s Day cooking class or make a reservation for a three-course brunch.
Available: Cooking class is from 9 to 11 a.m. and brunch is available from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. For brunch, start with your choice of an appetizer of Spanish octopus, asparagus barigoule or avocado sashimi. Then choose among entrees, including eggs "carbonara,"spicy braised beef brisket, vanilla-cured salmon or green curry strew. For dessert the menu includes carrot cake, brioche bread pudding or Turkish toffee.
Cost per person: $79 per person for the cooking class or $35 for brunch for adults and $15 for children.
Reservations: 713-524-6922

Sylvia's Enchilada Kitchen Tampiquena beef fajita stea rice enchilada.

Sylvia's Enchilada Kitchen Tampiquena beef fajita steak rice enchilada

Photo courtesy of © The Epicurean Publicist

Sylvia's Enchilada Kitchen Tampiquena beef fajita stea rice enchilada.

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Coming soon to Fredericksburg

Houston restaurant vet serves up Roman-style eatery in the Hill Country

Photo courtesy of Bottega Salaria

Valerio Lombardozzi is opening Bottega Salaria in the former home of La Bergerie.

Valerio Lombardozzi’s culinary career has taken him to the world’s finest kitchens, including restaurants owned by icons like Alain Ducasse, Giorgio Locatelli, and Joël Robuchon. In Houston, he led La Table and Tavola, where he earned a reputation for being one of the city's most engaging front of the house personalities.

But his latest project might be his biggest accomplishment yet. The hospitality veteran is opening Bottega Salaria, a homey Italian osteria and artisan market, in the former home of La Bergerie at 312 E Austin St in his adopted home of Fredericksburg.

Lombardozzi says the restaurant, expected to arrive in winter 2026, fills a gap in the Hill Country dining scene, but, more importantly, it's a reflection of his personal history and time spent working at his family’s restaurant in Rome.

“[It’s about] where I grew up, how I grew up, and how I eat,” he shares.

The three-concept experience is inspired by Italy’s Via Salaria, the ancient route Italians used to transport salt from the Adriatic Sea to Rome. The menu acts as a sort of travelogue, borrowing from the different cultures along the road, and the way village fishermen and shepherds ate.

Lombardozzi is quick to say he didn’t want to open a chef-driven restaurant. Instead, the osteria will serve traditional Roman staples such as cacio e pepe, amatriciana, carbonara, saltimbocca with sage and prosciutto, and branzino carved tableside.

“I was one of the last to be exposed to the old generation of professionals who knew how to carve elegantly for the guests,” he says.

The adjacent bottega will stay open during restaurant hours, offering fresh pasta made on-site, house-made sauces, imported Italian pantry items, cheeses, salumi, breads, and biscotti. Patrons will be able to shop for individual items or put together custom gift baskets.

Outdoors, La Fraschetteria will debut a new hospitality experience in the U.S. The self-guided experience invites diners to grab wine directly from garden shelves, gather a spread of meats, cheeses, bread, or pasta, and linger around long communal tables lit by string lights.

Keeping the chit-chat going will be a thoughtful beverage program anchored by a primarily Italian wine list and imported beer. Lombardozzi says the cocktail menu might be a surprise, offering only gin and tonics, spritzes, and negronis. The latter has been made into a game where diners roll dice to determine the evening's combination of gin, vermouth, and bitters.

After dinner, guests can select an amaro from a rolling cart, sip grappa and limoncello, or sip a neat whiskey.

Lombardozzi shares that he wants Bottega Salaria to be just as comfortable for Fredericksburg locals as it is for destination travelers. Beyond daily service, Bottega Salaria plans community events such as garden wine nights with live music, Sunday movie nights, and hands-on cooking classes.

The space is designed for ease with a warm palette combining olive green and pomegranate reds. The decor blends heritage and modernity, bringing in objects like antique mirrors, plates, custom-made lamps, and even old tablecloths and curtains for an Old World feel.

"We’re not just opening a restaurant,” Lombardozzi says. “We’re creating a gathering place. A home for everyone who loves Italian food, culture, and the joy of sharing a meal with others.”

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