Finally Fall

An Austin doubter falls in love with Houston's patio dining: Where to eat in thegreat foodie outdoors

Cafe Adobe in River Oaks boasts multiple patios.
Cafe Brasil
Photo by Shea Serrano
Babbling fountains and nice tables at the H-E-B Montrose Market — and livemusic, while it lasts.
The patio and the yard at Cedar Creek make for lots of seating spots.
West Alabama Ice House and Tacos Tierra Caliente form the perfect pair.
Photo by Peter Barnes

When I moved from Austin to Houston in August, I thought my days of outdoor dining were over. Eat outside in this climate?

Thankfully, I soon realized that H-Town patio dining options are as plentiful as the air moisture is thick, and Houston's finicky autumn and mild winter are perfectly suited to eating al fresco — humidity be damned. Here are five places that I'm sticking to all season long.

In the past, Brasil was always my favorite destination while visiting from out of town. Now that I live in the neighborhood, I'm a regular in the two outdoor dining areas. The one in front is perfect for car and people watching. The back patio is a shaded retreat, shared with neighbor Domy Books, where films are sometimes projected.

Though the patio itself is nice, the yard at Cedar Creek is sprawling, and the creek carves out nice nooks for plentiful outdoor seating. This place is great for a snack on a weekend afternoon — but be careful with that sweet tea vodka slush.

Cafe Adobe in River Oaks is a good standby for a packed patio and reliable, consistently good margaritas. If you're too sensitive to the heat or the cold outside, decorative fountains give even Adobe's indoor dining hall an outdoor feel.

I walk to West Alabama Ice House weekly for a late-night taco or a beer with friends. Tacos Tierra Caliente serves delicious, fresh tacos from its truck off of the patio. The resident pups are friendly, picnic tables offer a way to meet strangers and the crowd is a motley crew of bikers, hipsters and bankers. Though the patio is largely unenclosed, pop-up tents and pull-down flaps offer shelter from the elements, and heaters fend off the cold.

New neighborhood addition H-E-B Montrose Market offers the most unexpectedly pleasant patio. What better way to enjoy my individually wrapped sushi and fresh-squeezed juice than with nice seating, a flowing fountain and live music?

Last week I heard a string quartet playing instrumental renditions of the Beatles hits.

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rolling into Town & Country

Buzzy East Coast bagel bakery sets opening date for first Houston shop

Photo by Jen Goldberg

PopUp Bagels will open on Friday, June 12.

A rapidly-growing East Coast bagel chain has set an opening date for its first Houston location. PopUp Bagels will open on Friday, June 12, the company announced.

Located at 700 Town and Country Blvd (suite 2640), PopUp Bagels teased its Houston plans with a window wrap in February. It joins two locations in Dallas. Overall, Texas franchisee Lone Star Bagels plans to open more than 10 locations statewide, according to press materials.

PopUp Bagels has a somewhat unusual business model. Unlike most of Houston’s locally-owned bagels shop, it doesn’t serve bagel sandwiches — or even toast or slice bagels for its customers. Instead, customers are encouraged to “grip, rip, and dip” their bagels directly into the spreads.

Similarly, PopUp Bagels only offers five options: plain, salt, poppy, sesame, and everything. They can be matched with one of six spreads: plain cream cheese, salted butter, scallion cream cheese, and rotating options that currently include truffle cream cheese and hot pickle butter.

Finally, PopUp bagels doesn’t sell individual bagels. Diners must purchase a minimum of three bagels and a schmear for $15. A dozen bagels and two schmears costs $46. As a point of comparison, bagels at Houston’s Bagel Shop Bakery can be purchased individually for $2 each or $25 for a baker’s dozen (13 bagels) with two 8-ounce containers of cream cheese.

Despite these policies, PopUp Bagels has amassed a devoted following for its crispy texture, airy interior, and dense coating of seeds. Its won “Best Bagel” at the Brooklyn Bagel Fest in 2021 and 2022 and is ranked as one of the 17 best bagels in New York by the New York Times. Since being acquired by equity growth firm Stripes in 2023, it has announced plans to open more than 300 locations nationwide and counts a number of celebrities, including Houston Texans legend JJ Watt, among its investors.

PopUp Bagels will celebrate its grand opening from 8-11 am on Friday, June 12, The event will feature a DJ and a limited edition spicy queso cream cheese. In addition, 50 percent of proceeds will be donated to the JJ Watt Foundation.

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