The best brunch spots in Houston

Traveling to various countries without ever leaving town might seem like an impossible feat, but it can be done. At Traveler’s Table, you’re actually able to eat Jamaican and Thai food under one roof. This globally-inspired eatery’s mission is to empower people to explore the world through food while fostering human connection. All of which is evident in their menu, featuring dishes from Japanese miso scrambled eggs to Brazilian-inspired pāo de queijo, stuffed with chimichurri, linguiça sausage and sofrito, and ube pancakes topped with sugar boba and lavender chantilly cream.  

One might question whether you’d find good brunch at a bar and grill, but the uncertainty fades as soon as you bite into one of Lost & Found’s brunch dishes. The menu pairs breakfast staples with Southern fare and Cajun flavors, so you never feel like you’re leaving Texas. Savory dishes, like the crab cake biscuit and coconut curry shrimp and grits, don’t disappoint. To end your meal on a sweet note, order the sweet potato pancakes, three layers of pillowy goodness smothered in sweet vanilla cream and honey butter. 

This Houston Heights neighborhood bar is already known for its whiskey selection and birria tacos, but patrons looking to drop by earlier in the day can do so for brunch. Casual fare items include the chilaquiles verde: fried corn tortilla strips, fried egg, green chile tomatillo sauce, crema, cilantro and queso fresco, which we recommend pairing with a boozy drink. Going in a group? Order the cinnamon twists—which are fried, puffed and tossed in cinnamon sugar—for the table. 

This NYC-based, Australian-inspired coffee shop and café took over the space formerly occupied by Beck’s Prime in The Heights. Here you’ll find a hefty selection of coffees, matcha and more. Bluestone Lane Houston Heights Café also offers “All-Day Brekkie” or morning-style dishes, such as avocado toast with feta and herbs, banana bread topped with whipped ricotta and berries and breakfast bowls featuring roasted veggies, mushrooms, eggs, kale and other healthy goodies. Look out for three future Houston outposts in Rice Village, The Woodlands and Post Oak neighborhood.  

If you’re looking for a place to soak up last night’s debauchery, Max’s Wine Dive is your go-to. The hip mini-chain is well-known in HTX for comfort food at a pleasingly affordable price point. There’s no need to look at the menu, you’ll have the famous southern fried chicken: jalapeno-buttermilk marinated chicken, crispy home fries, Texas toast, collard greens and chipotle honey. It’s sheer perfection.

A lively, bustling café in the East Downtown area, Tout Suite is a European-style café and bakery that serves a fabulous weekend brunch with meaty breakfast tacos, the breakfast stuffed avocado and salmon toast with garlic herb cream cheese. The best thing on the menu is the avocado toast, but you can’t go wrong with anything you order at Tout Suite. If you have room for something sweet, don’t leave without a pastry or several macarons. 

The Breakfast Klub boasts a Southern-forward breakfast menu that includes pork chops and eggs, french toast, “katfish” and grits (the real star here!), several delectable breakfast sandwiches and even green eggs and ham. Plus, the staff is super friendly, and the atmosphere is warm and welcoming. There’s always a line out the door and around the building, so come early, or prepare to wait.

James Beard Award-winning chef Hugo Ortega’s eatery was named one of the 38 best restaurants in the nation by Eater. Hugo’s is a revelation; it stands out even in a city crawling with incredible Mexican cuisine, and the brunches here are legendary. Come here for the bountiful Sunday buffet and load up on endless amounts of chilaquiles and chile rellenos while enjoying the sweet sounds of Viento, the house band.

Let’s get this out of the way: Brennan’s is an extravagance. The French-Creole restaurant serves some of the tastiest Gulf Coast seafood in the city. From the seriously elegant menu food to the live jazz band, expect the full brunch works here in Midtown. Highlights include the requisite turtle soup gumbo du jour and jumbo crab cakes—to name a few exceptional dishes.

If you’re in the mood for simple yet upscale Southern fare like fried green tomatoes, chicken fried steak or country benedict, Lucille’s is a perfect choice. The down-home, unpretentious, Southern-style spot in the heart of the Museum District is one of our fave places to fuel up before a big day out on the town, and for tourists hoping to pack it in, consider these your calories to burn for the day.