Rosé All Day

Houston's top restaurants and bars raise a glass to National Rosé Day with sparkling specials to drink pink

As fans of the blush know, National Rosé Day returns Saturday, June 10. No wine drinker in Houston needs a reason to drink the pink stuff — beyond rosé being an ideal sipper for our sunny and sometimes sweltering weather.

But, for anyone who wants an excuse to imbibe, celebrating the "holiday" is definitely as good a reason as any to uncork a bottle or two. These specials and deals from Houston restaurants and bars make celebrating even more fun.

a'Bouzy
Shawn Virene's champagne-obsessed River Oaks restaurant will celebrate with discounts on select bottles of rosé, including Chateau d'Esclans, Ruinart, and Veuve Clicquot. Dress in all pink for a complimentary glass of Chateau d'Esclans The Beach. 10 am - 3 pm.

The Annie Café and Bar
This upscale Uptown favorite offers a four-course brunch from 11 am to 3 pm. For $85 per person, sample selections such as Wagyu Carpaccio with with raspberry goat cheese mousse, Meyer lemon-infused olive oil, and Belgian endive salad paired with Maris Rosé; a Maine lobster omelet with pecorino, braised radicchio, heirloom tomato, and a buttermilk parsley sauce paired with Teutonic Wine Company's Pino Noir Rosé; and more. Tax, additional alcoholic beverages, and gratuity are not included. Reservations are recommended.

B&B Butchers
Head to this Washington Avenue restaurant for a Rosé Day brunch featuring the wines of Château d'Esclans. Brunch selections are a la carte, and for $30, guests will taste four Château d'Esclans rosés, among them The Beach Rosé and Whispering Angel. The wines all hail from Provence, one of the world's most-noted rosé regions. Those who order the tasting are entered to win a three-liter Magnum of Whispering Angel. Reservations are suggested.

Brasserie 19
From noon to 3 pm, enjoy a Rose Day brunch, complete with themed cocktails, brunch-sized bottles of rose, menu specials, photo opps and more. Reservations recommended.

Craft Pita
The CultureMap Tastemaker Awards Neighborhood Restaurant of the Year celebrates by putting a spotlight on Lebanese rosés. They're offering three different bottles for $20 each, including the Musar Jeune Rosé, from high in Lebanon's Bekaa Valley, crafted from Cinsault and Mourvèdre grapes. The wine offers refreshing stone fruit on the palate and pairs well with salads, fish, and charcuterie.

Eunice
Get happy hour pricing on glasses of rosé all day long on Saturday, June 10. That's $8, with an array to choose from, including the Fleur De Mer from Provence, with classic Provencal flavors of wild strawberry and watermelon. Its crisp acidity pairs well with Eunice's Gulf Coast or specialty oysters.

Gratify Neighborhood Bistro
The posh Rice Village restaurant's Rosé Day specials include $20 bottles of sparking rosé, $15 bottles of still rosé, and $10 glasses of frosé. Find similar deals at sister concepts Graffiti Raw, Coppa Osteria, and Flora Mexican Kitchen.

Heights & Co.
The all-day patio party on June 10 features $6 rosés by-the-glass, including still and sparkling options. There's also a frosé on offer, made with sparkling rosé for anyone looking for an adult, slushy beverage to beat the Houston heat.

Hungry's
The popular Houston Mediterranean restaurant will offer half-off rosé bottles all day and a $7 frozen rosé special.

Kirby Ice House
Those looking for a super chill outdoor space to sit and sip should head to this Upper Kirby spot with its killer backyard. On Rosé Day, they're offering $10-off house rosé bottles all day long.

La Colombe d'Or
The award-winning Montrose hotel will feature a special brunch menu with dishes that pair well with rosé, such as a smoked salmon croiffle, Waldorf salad, deviled eggs, quiche, and a mini lobster roll. Pair them with discounted wines that include Telmont reserve rosé, Guissard G, Chene Bleu Le Rosé, and Terre Rouge Vin Gris D'Amador.

Loch Bar
Rosé specials abound at the buzzy River Oaks District favorite, including $5 glasses of wine and $10 frosés, which are made with made with rosé wine, Wheatley vodka, and strawberries. Bonus: the District sets up a special photo wall where rosé revelers can snap selfies and share to social.

Lulu's River Oaks
From 3-6 pm on Saturday, June 10, the Italian eatery offers 50 percent off its featured rosés, as part of the restaurant's new Bottles & Boards program. Pair that half-off rosé with a $20 cheese or charcuterie board. Don't want to commit to a bottle? Select rosés by the glass are available for $8.

Marmo
At this Montrose Italian chop house, diners can get $6 glasses of rosé and 50-percent off all bottles of rosé during happy hour from 3-6 pm. Pair those selections with one of Marmo's charcuterie boards, an array of artisanal salami and cheeses that's served with olive Misti and house-made giardiniera.

Money Cat
The Upper Kirby modern Japanese restaurant infuses Rosé Day with a sake special. Get a bottle of Oze x Rosé from Ryujin Shuzo Brewery for $50 (usually $70). Its sweet and tart notes, reminiscent of wild strawberries, pair exceptionally well with sushi.

Ostia
Get 25-percent off all rosés by the glass, including pours from magnums of Les Commandeurs Peyrassol. Bonus: the Montrose spot's lush patio and greenhouse are the perfect background for rosé-themed social posts.

Postino
All six locations are offering $6 glasses of rosé until 5 pm. Want to celebrate earlier? Head in for brunch from 9 am to 3 pm to get the Sure Shot, a refreshing wine-based cocktail made with Cocchi Rosa, sparkling rosé, grapefruit juice, and soda.

Rhapsody Bar
Tucked inside downtown's Lyric Market food hall, this lively bar has $10 off bottles of rosé all day long.

Sixty Vines
All locations of the elevated wine bar can add on frosé or other rosés to their brunch selections from 11 am - 3 pm. Those who want to experiment or gather tastes from around the world may order a personalized flight.

Photo by Kirsten Gilliam

Celebrate in style at The Annie.

holidays wine news-you-can-eat

two days of bbq

2 Michelin-rated barbecue joints holding can't-miss pop ups in Houston

Courtesy of KG BBQ

KG BBQ is bringing its Egyptian-influenced barbecue to Houston.

Two of the Texas barbecue joints to earn Bib Gourmand recognition in the Michelin Guide will be holding pop ups in Houston this week. One is visiting from Austin, while another is a Spring favorite with a one-day-only menu.

On Saturday, December 14, Austin’s celebrated KG BBQ will be serving at Axelrad in Midtown. Part of Texas Monthly’s 2023 list of the Top 25 New and Improved BBQ Joints in Texas, KG BBQ has earned wide acclaim for pitmaster Kareem El-Ghayesh’s Egyptian-influenced take on Texas barbecue.

The menu will include many of KG’s most popular dishes, including brisket rice bowls with smoked Mediterranean rice; smoked lamb chops; sumac-and-cinnamon-rubbed lamb shoulder, and sides such as pink buttermilk potato salad and Baladi salad.

Service begins at 10:30 am. Preorders are available online with a minimum order of $60.

In a statement, Axelrad co-owners Adam Brackman and Monte Large say that KG will make more visits to Houston in 2025. El-Ghayesh adds that he’s a fan of the Houston bar that’s known for its spacious backyard with hammocks, a stage, and a wide-ranging menu of beer and cocktails.

“Since the moment I stepped foot in Axelrad, I loved their culture, their vibrant colors and artistic flare, their attention to detail and hospitality and love for entertainment makes this place perfect for bringing back my nostalgic memories of hosting pop-ups like how I started in Austin,” he said. “I’m proud to bring what I have created to Houston. From how diverse the city is, its beautiful variety of ethnic foods, and large Egyptian community, it has so much to offer. We are excited to serve up some Egyptian BBQ to the Houston community through our pop ups over the next year at Axelrad.”

On Sunday, Spring’s Rosemeyer Bar-B-Q will trade its usual offerings for a special menu of dishes made with smoked whole hog. The menu will include whole hog plates, whole hog sandwiches, whole hog-and-parmesan polenta cakes, and whole hog served over cheese grits with a New Orleans-style barbecue sauce as well as sides and desserts. Service will run from 11 am until everything sells out, likely sometime between 2 and 3 pm.

“The whole menu is filled with specials and cool items we don’t do everyday at the stand,” co-owner Jordan Rosemeyer writes in an email. The motive, beyond exercising some creative muscles, is to raise money for Hogs for the Cause, an annual event that raises money for pediatric brain cancer research and the families who are fighting it.

Like KG, Rosemeyer is also a member of Texas Monthly’s 2023 new and improved list. Located at 2111 Riley Fuzzel Rd., the humble trailer has earned acclaim for its weekly specials, housemade ice cream, and well executed barbecue staples.

news-you-can-eat barbecue pop ups kg bbq rosemeyer bar-b-q