who wants a cookie

Gooey-centered cookie bakery opens in Tanglewood/Briargrove area with oversized treats and more

A Cypress-based cookie bakery is ready to open its first retail location in Briargrove. Milk Mustache will open its new location in the former Michael’s Cookie Jar space at 1864 Fountain View Dr.

As CultureMap reported in July, founder Tracy Jones started Milk Mustache by giving away cookies to first responders, drive-by birthday parties, and daycare centers. Eventually, the enthusiastic response prompted her to turn the side hustle into a business by opening a bakery in Cypress.

Over time, she developed her recipe as a hefty, 6-ounce cookie that’s approximately 4 inches in diameter. Similar in approach to New York’s acclaimed Levain Bakery, Milk Mustache cookies have crispy edges and gooey centers.

“We call it ‘baked to perfection’ where it is soft and dense and gooey but it’s not raw,” Jones said in July. “That is the sweet spot.”

At the new location, Milk Mustache will sell 12 flavors of cookies. They include eight of the bakery’s most popular flavors — Campfire Bliss, Chocolate Chip, Cookies & Cream, Golden Goose, Nutella Dream, Oatmeal Chocolate Walnut, Red Velvet Cream Cheese, and Snickerdoodle — and four features that will rotate weekly.

In addition, Jones is introducing a bar devoted to edible cookie dough with six different flavors available by the pint or scoop. Diners will be able to add any of 10 different toppings to their cookie dough.

Milk Mustache will celebrate its grand opening from 12 pm-5 pm this Saturday and Sunday, December 2 and 3. The first 100 customers on both days will receive one free chocolate chip mini cookie, and an hourly raffle will give away a free 12-pack of cookies. A portion of proceeds will benefit the Alzheimer's Association of Houston & Southeast Texas on Saturday and Houston Children's Charity on Sunday.

“I am thrilled to be opening Milk Mustache’s first storefront location,” Jones said in a statement. “After opening the cookie factory in 2020, I knew I wanted the next step to be a beautiful, inviting cookie shop people would look forward to visiting, and Tanglewood was a perfect fit. I started baking cookies as a way to bring joy to those around me, and it has been so incredible to see Milk Mustache grow into what it is today.”

Photo by Michael Anthony

The Campfire Bliss has a marshmallow center.

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head east

Eagerly-anticipated Houston barbecue joint hosts weekend preview pop-ups

Courtesy of Eastbound Barbecue

Get a first taste of Eastbound Barbecue this weekend.

One of Houston’s most eagerly anticipated new barbecue joints is giving diners a preview of what’s to come. Eastbound Barbecue will host “Sneak Peak Weekends” every Saturday and Sunday beginning this Saturday, December 20, until the restaurant opens in early 2026.

Held at the restaurant’s location in the East End (1105 Sampson Street) from 12-4 pm (or sold out), the weekend service gives diners their first chance to try Eastbound Barbecue’s smoked meats, sides, and desserts. That includes, smoked brisket, baby back ribs, jalapeno & cheese sausage, hatch chili lasagna mac & cheese, herbed potato salad, and more. Save room for the two dessert offerings, salted caramel banana pudding and cookie butter cake.

To distinguish Eastbound’s barbecue, chefs Lopez and Granville use different seasonings than other restaurants, such as rosemary salt in the brisket rub and a miso-caramel sauce that gives its ribs a sweet and savory bite. During the preview, Eastbound’s prices are noticeably lower than many other Houston barbecue joints, with brisket priced at $29 per pound, ribs at $26 per pound, and pulled pork at $22 per pound.

As CultureMap reported in August, Eastbound unites four friends, Ryan Penn, Ryan Powell, Luis Lopez, and Jake Granville, who also held senior roles at various restaurants owned by prominent Houston chef Ronnie Killen. Since then, the four partners have finished many of the improvements they needed to make prior to opening, including closing in the patio and installing offset smokers on the property.

For Penn, leaving the Killen’s organization after almost 20 years was a difficult decision, but one he felt he had to make. “I could have worked for [Killen] forever and been happy. It was more along the lines of, if I don’t do this now, I don’t want to be 70 and wish that I had,” he said at the time.

Courtesy of Eastbound Barbecue

Get a first taste of Eastbound Barbecue this weekend.

news-you-can-eat barbecue openings