Order Up

3 of Houston's top restaurants roll out weekday lunch specials

Offices are open again, and with that comes the return of the business lunch. Even if you're not dining with clients, a quick and delicious lunch spot should be on everyone's agenda.

These three popular restaurants from Berg Hospitality Group each offer a special menu every Monday through Friday from 11 am-3 pm. Whether you're sitting down to a meal that's all business or a long, leisurely lunch with friends, just let your server know and they will accommodate you. If choosing the latter, be sure to ask your server for cocktail or wine pairing suggestions to fully enhance the experience.

“We created these menus because we wanted to offer our guests a weekday lunch with a great value, and one where they can dictate the speed of the experience," says Berg Hospitality CEO and founder, Benjamin Berg. "We are prepared to serve a quick meal for those looking to get in and out, or we can accommodate a long and relaxing European-style lunch."

Photo by Kirsten Gilliam

Pop into The Annie Cafe & Bar for the Post Oak Burger.

Trattoria Sofia
Two courses, $24
Take a midday break with the ‘Riposino’ menu, which starts with your choice of the insalata misticanza, spiedini de fontina di prosciutto, or barbabietolina arrosto, then move on to secondi like pollo a la parmigiana, margherita pizza, and more. The menu is offered not only in the dining room, but on the terrace and at the bar as well. Call 713-804-0429 or book on OpenTable below, but walk-ins are also accepted. Learn more and view the menu here.

The Annie Cafe & Bar
Two courses, $29
Pop into this Post Oak staple to chow down on classics like The Annie tortilla soup, Post Oak burger, Cobb salad, chicken paillard, and more. Walk-ins are accepted, but a better bet is calling 713-804-1800 or visiting OpenTable for a reservation. Learn more and view the menu here.

B&B Butchers & Restaurant
Two courses, $36
You can't go wrong with the delicious offerings from this Washington Ave. hot spot which is a short drive from downtown. Choose from options like the Caesar salad, Cobb salad, seared salmon, chicken shank, filet medallions, and more. Call 713-862-1814 or visit OpenTable to book your table, though walk-ins are also accepted. Learn more and view the menu here.

lunch promoted

wave goodbye, Wooster's

Midtown bar with creative cocktails and craft taps will close in February

Photo courtesy of Wooster's Garden

undefined

A staple Midtown cocktail bar will soon serve its last drink. Wooster’s Garden will close on February 12, co-owner Jeff Barati announced on Instagram.

He paid tribute to the bar in an emotional post about its legacy.

Since 2014, Wooster’s Garden has been so much more than a place to grab a cocktail – it’s been a second home, a meeting place, a celebration spot, a refuge after long days, and the backdrop to countless memories. Truly my favorite of all our concepts. So many great memories that are very difficult to put into words. I’m getting emotional typing this.

We’ve watched first dates and engagement parties turn into lifelong partnerships, strangers become regulars, and regulars become family. We’ve shared laughs, tears, milestones, cigar nights, and late nights. None of this would have been possible without the community that showed up night after night – your support, stories, and loyalty are what gave this Midtown haven a heartbeat.

Barati tells CultureMap that he and business partner Andy Aweida have leased the space to a new operator who will announce its plans soon. Still, he has some hope that Wooster’s will be revived in the future.

“Our tentative plan is to reopen elsewhere if we can find the right location,” he writes a in a text. “The staff wants to stay together and reopen.”

Opened in 2014 by the Kirby Group, Wooster’s Garden offered a compelling mix of craft cocktails paired with an extensive tap wall of beer and wine along with creative, upscale bar food. Its format and indoor-outdoor design served as a template for a number of the group’s later concepts, including Heights Bier Garten and Bayou Heights Bier Garten.

Closing Wooster’s Garden follows the Kirby Group’s recent decision to shutter Verde Garden, its Mexican-themed bar in Montrose’s Harlow District development. It will be replaced by Exilio Latin Flair, a pan-Latin restaurant from the owners of Bari Ristorante.

cocktails closings wooster's garden