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Blooming Bellaire cafe gets edged out by Philly eatery on Good Morning America's big breakfast battle finale

A Bellaire restaurant came up a little short in its quest to serve America’s best breakfast. Although Good Morning America did not select Dandelion Cafe’s chicken and waffle as the winner of its United States of Breakfast competition, the restaurant stood tall on the national stage.

A panel of celebrity judges — consisting of lifestyle expert Carson Kressley, Shark Tank’s Barbara Corcoran, chef Leah Cohen, and TV food personality Adam Richman — awarded the title, and a check for $10,000, to the pastrami, egg, and cheese breakfast sandwich prepared by Philadelphia restaurant Middle Child.

Represented by its owners, husband-and-wife chef JC Ricks and founder Sarah Lieberman, Dandelion earned a vote from Corcoran. Richman waffled (sorry) between Dandelion and Middle Child before siding with Kressley and voting for the pastrami sandwich.

“I’m a Brooklyn guy. I practice the Jew-craft. I’m telling you, the pastrami — for me to give Philly love on pastrami, it’s remarkable,” Richman said during the segment.

Boston’s North Street Grill earned Cohen’s vote for its Banana Bourbon French Toast. Cleveland’s Grumpy’s Cafe served a breakfast hash.

As a reminder, Dandelion advanced to the competition’s finals by besting Midtown favorite The Breakfast Klub in a chicken and waffle battle. Chef Ricks tells CultureMap that he created his recipe — a cornbread-buttermilk waffle that’s topped with a spicy maple butter and paired with a 24-hour marinated chicken that’s breaded in a mix of rice and all-purpose flour — specifically for the show. Dandelion has been serving (and selling out of) its chicken and waffle all week.

"We may not have taken home the grand prize, but we still consider this journey and surreal experience to be a huge win for us," Ricks said in a statement "We are extremely proud to represent our city in front of the country and hold the title of best breakfast in Houston, and it's absolutely a win in our book to be in the top four breakfast spots in America. We can't wait to get back to Houston to serve you all."

Dandelion is poised to build on the momentum of this week's media attention. The restaurant has identified a location in the Heights that will allow it to expand to a second location. Details on the address and timing will be released in the coming weeks.

Photo by Pop Studios PR

Owners JC Ricks and Sarah Lieberman represented Dandelion Cafe.

Watch the whole segment in the clip below:

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Growing national pizza chain will bring halal pies and pastas to Katy

Vocelli Pizza/Facebook

Vocelli Pizza will open its first Houston-area location in March.

A Pittsburgh pizzeria has set its sights on Houston. Vocelli Pizza will makes it Bayou City debut next year with a location in Katy.

Scheduled to open in March 2026, the restaurant will be located at 2941 W. Grand Parkway. Although pizza is part of the restaurant’s name, the menu also includes wings, pizza rolls, salads, sandwiches, pasta, and more. Specialty items include mac and cheese pizza, spinach mushroom rolls, and a chicken parmesan sub.

"We are thrilled to continue our growth into new communities that share our passion for quality, service, and authentic Italian-inspired food," Vocelli Pizza CEO Toni Bianco said in a statement. "Our expansion into Dalton and Houston reflects the strong demand for our brand, and we look forward to delivering an exceptional experience to guests in both markets."

For its expansion into Houston, Vocelli’s will debut an all-halal menu that’s designed to appeal to Houston’s diverse community.

"The team is excited to introduce Vocelli Pizza to Houston with a full halal menu," Bianco added. "There is a clear demand for high-quality Halal pizza and delivery options, and we are proud to meet that need while bringing our brand to a new and dynamic market."

Founded by Turkish immigrant Varol Ablak in 1988, Vocelli began franchising in 1993. The restaurant currently has more than 80 locations.

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