Nothing Says Love Like Caramel deLites , amirite

2025 is the last year to get this Girl Scout cookie flavor in Houston

It’s officially the best time of the year — Girl Scout cookies season has arrived.

Now through March 23, enterprising kids have already started hawking delicious treats online, with booths scheduled to pop up around Houston beginning this Friday, February 14. Nothing says “be my Valentine” like a last-minute purchase of Thin Mints for your sweetheart from a booth in front of a grocery. (Jokes aside, no one will be mad about receiving a box of Girl Scout cookies for Valentine's Day.).

If you are buying for someone else but don’t know their favorite flavor, you can’t go wrong with what the Girl Scouts of San Jacinto Council (GSSJC) say are the top three desired cookies: Thin Mints, Caramel deLites, and Lemonades.

Fans of ToastYays!, the French toast-inspired cookie dipped in icing, will want to invest in more boxes this year as the organization says farewell to the retiring flavor.

“When a girl sells Girl Scout Cookies, she gains valuable skills and earns money to help her troop take on their next challenge,” Mary Vitek, CEO of GSSJC, said in a statement. “Besides helping the troop, all the money from the Girl Scout Cookie Program stays in our local community and helps Girl Scouting thrive for tens of thousands of girls.”

To kick off the 2025 cookie season, GSSJC invited eight Houston chefs to compete at the Just Desserts event on February 5. The competition paired the chefs with local Girl Scouts to transform the classic Girl Scout cookies into tempting desserts. A panel of media personalities and influencers then judged the creations, and awards were presented:

Most Creative Recipe: Cake Fine Pastry
Best Use of Cookie: GUD Sugar
Best Dessert Presentation: Phoenicia Specialty Foods
Best Chocolate Lovers: Kenny & Ziggy’s
Celebrity Judges' Favorite: The Cheesecake Queen
Girl Judges' Favorite: Lexi Coffee
Best Just Desserts Rookie: The House of Sweets & Treats
People’s Choice Award: HTX Nitro

“One of the most amazing parts of being a Girl Scout is participating in programs and activities that help us grow into confident leaders,” Emma, a Girl Scout cadette, said at Just Desserts. “These experiences are invaluable as we discover who we are and who we want to become as young adults and community members.”

As the second-largest Girl Scout council in the country, GSSJC serves more than 39,000 girls in 26 counties. The cookie program teaches Girl Scouts invaluable skills such as money management, while proceeds support activities and provide financial aid to underserved communities.

Most Girl Scouts sell through an online store shared via a link with friends and family, but if you aren’t lucky enough to know a local cookie seller, visit gssjc.org to find a booth near you.

Courtesy of The Girl Scouts of San Jacinto Council

The Girl Scouts of San Jacinto Council has officially launched the 2025 cookie

season.

girl scout cookies news-you-can-eat

forme fitting

Beard-recognized Houston chef serves up fresh concept in Midtown high-rise

Courtesy of Lucille's Hospitality Group

Lucille's Hospitality Group is now operating The Branch.

One of Houston’s most acclaimed hospitality groups has opened a new wellness-focused concept in a Midtown high-rise. The Branch is the latest concept from Lucille’s Hospitality Group.

Located on the 12th floor of the Forme, a luxury high-rise at 5501 La Branch, The Branch will serve a seasonal menu that includes a raw bar, daily crudo specials, oysters, caviar, and charcuterie. Those dishes can be paired with both alcoholic and non-alcoholic cocktails.

Currently, the restaurant is open to both residents and members of the general public for dinner Thursday-Saturday and during the day on Sunday. Daily breakfast, lunch, and dinner service will be added over time.

Founded by James Beard Award finalist Chris Williams, Lucille’s Hospitality Group is known for its Southern-inspired Museum District restaurant Lucille’s and Late August, its Midtown establishment that earned both a Recommended designation in the Michelin Guide and a Best New Restaurant award from Esquire for its blend of Afro-Caribbean and Mexican flavors. Lucille’s 1913, the group’s nonprofit, operates farms that provide access to fresh food in underserved areas.

"We're incredibly excited to partner with The Forme, because this is about much more than opening a new hospitality venue, it's about helping build a community," Williams said in a statement. "The Branch allows us to bring together thoughtful food, wellness-inspired hospitality, art and community in one space. Launching the partnership through a fundraiser that leaves a lasting impact on Houston makes this collaboration even more meaningful."

The Forme is a 33-story high-rise that’s focused on wellness, productivity, and community. In addition to The Branch, its amenities include a 20,000-square-foot fitness and recovery area, a 9,000-square-foot outdoor pool deck with pool and expansive hot tub, and 20,000 square feet of flexible coworking space.

The Branch will celebrate its opening on July 4 with Liberty and Lux, a fundraiser that will support efforts to paint murals on the Forme’s parking garage honoring America’s 250th anniversary. Tickets, $150, includes an open bar, passed hors d'oeuvres, and an expansive view of area fireworks displays from the building’s 12th floor pool deck.

high-rises news-you-can-eat openings