Houston’s Most Underrated Brunch Spots: 7 Restaurants that Deserve a Little Hype
BY Kelly Schafler
The breakfast pot pie is a Snooze signature. (Photo by Ashley Davis Photography)
The art of a good brunch is in the details: the savoriness of the food, the strength of the caffeine, and, of course, the abundance of the alcoholic beverages. As a food city, Houston clearly knows this. Restaurants, old and new, are jumping into brunch and striving to offer Houstonians that elusive perfect combination of breakfast and lunch.
Here’s a look at some brunch restaurants that deserve notice — for doing something new or just doing it right.
Snooze an AM Eatery
Address: 3217 Montrose Boulevard
Hours: Everyday from 6:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Who says that brunch should only be reserved for weekends? Certainly not anyone with any food sense. At Snooze, only breakfast and brunch are served every single day, from open to close. If a restaurant’s popularity is any indication of food quality, people driving their cars down Montrose know Snooze is doing something right.
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On weekends, the parking lot is packed and the wait to be seated can stretch from 30 to 45 minutes. Enjoy a specialty cocktail or a fresh cup of coffee at the bar while you bide your time. But don’t fill up on drinks, Snooze’s food portions are substantial.
Conservatory Underground Beer Garden & Food Hall
Address: 1010 Prairie St
Hours: Saturdays and Sundays until 3 p.m.
If you’ve been reminiscing about those college dining hall days, Houston has you covered. In Conservatory — the city’s first curated food hall — you can walk down the garden-inspired staircase to find more than 60 different beers on tap, and four restaurants that are sure to satisfy your hunger. No matter your craving.
El Burro & The Bull and Melange Creperie offer a selection of brunch items to choose from. El Burro & The Bull has a BBQ Benito Torta, with tender chopped brisket, topped with a poached egg and hollandaise sauce, resting in a crispy bollilo bun (pictured above). Pair that with the jicama and hibiscus mimosas starting at $4 a glass. They’re available all day at the bar.
The General Public
Address: 797 Sorella Court Suite 118
Hours: Saturdays and Sundays from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
There’s a new gastropub in Houston. Fresh on the CityCentre scene is Houston’s newest farm-to-market restaurant, The General Public. While General Public has been open for approximately two months, its brunch is brand-spanking new, having debuted just last weekend.
On the menu, you’ll find locally sourced food that is light and often better for you than the heavy menus that dominate more traditional brunches. Try the Bacon Crab Stack, which includes fresh jumbo lump crab cake, smoked bacon, an egg draped on top, green chili cream, and a salad. The General Public also casts aside regular oatmeal and, instead, gifts us with Charlotte Anne’s Steel Cut Oats, prepared with local butter, hand grated piloncillo sugar, cream, and dried fruits.
And if you’re being good and somewhat healthy with your meal, you might as well get a little bad with the $1 mimosas. That’s right — one buck. You can thank me later.
Harvest Organic Grill
Address: 1810 Fountain View Drive
When: Sundays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Can you say bottomless brunch? One of the best-kept brunch secrets is located off Fountain View near The Galleria. Patrons can enjoy an organic brunch buffet, bottomless mimosas, and a dessert (if you request it) — all for $25. Upgrade that mimosa to a Bloody Mary for only $2 more.
The food is prepared in the dining area with the only thing separating the chefs from diners is a countertop where the massive food spread is set out. You can also ask your server for a specialty omelet and watch it being made. This is also a great patio spot as long as it’s not summertime.
Lowbrow Bar & Grill
Address: 1601 West Main Street
Hours: Saturdays and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Lowbrow is the quiet, cool kid of Houston’s brunch scene. This gastropub doesn’t try to impress guests with fluffs and flourishes — it takes classic, feel-good brunch dishes and attempts to perfect them. Try the Chicken Fried Steak that’s crispy on the outside, tender on the inside with bourbon gravy blanketed on top, or the Grilled Cheese Egg-in-the-Hole with a side of flavorful tater tot hash browns.
If you want to try something unique, the recipe for their Buttamilk Waffles, which are Texas shaped, change every weekend at the chef’s discretion. One weekend it may be a Cinn-ful Apple Waffle, with granny smith apples sautéed in maple syrup, topped with vanilla ice cream, and dusted with cinnamon; the next weekend it may be a Berry Delicious Pecan Waffle.
Check Lowbrow’s Facebook and Instagram pages to find out. Don’t forget the $3 mimosas or the $4 Lowbrow mimosas. Or if caffeine is more your style, Lowbrow offers Houston’s own Katz Coffee.
Benjy’s Café
Address: 2424 Dunstan Rd
When: Mondays thru Saturdays from 10:45 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
While Benjy’s Café is no newcomer, its exciting menu is what lands it on our list. The ever-changing ingredients will keep you on your toes, but you can count on consistently high-quality food. Signature dishes like the Breakfast Platter and the Pistachio Crusted Goat Cheese appetizer with pita chips and pepper jam are the shining stars.
The Breakfast Platter consists of savory pork sausage, creme brulee French toast covered in sweet banana foster, eggs, and chilled and herb-filled bacon-potato salad. Toss in blood orange mimosa, and you’re ready for Sunday Funday.
Peska’s Seafood Culture
Where: 1700 Post Oak Blvd
Hours: Sundays from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Follow the sea people to Peska Seafood Culture if you’re looking for a truly unique brunch experience. To say that Peska offers bottomless brunch would be correct but not wise. The term “bottomless brunch” conjures up visions of plates towering with food intended for gorging oneself.
In contrast, this seafood restaurant encourages you to leisurely enjoy the entire interactive buffet experience. A school of fish sculpture delicately suspended from the ceiling sets the mood.
There is a raw bar station with customizable ceviche dishes, and live music hums in the background. On the patio, another chef can be found cooking traditional Spanish dishes, featuring rice, saffron, chorizo, octopus, clams, and jumbo shrimp. For the more traditional brunch-goer, Huevos Rotos, Eggs Benedict, and other classics are also available. You get this, dessert included, for $46 per person; tack on $6 to add bottomless mimosas or sangrias. Reservations are recommended.
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