Where to Eat the Best Brunches in Houston

New additions to the map in this update are the Pit Room, Squable, Maximo, Balboa Surf Club, Hypsi, and Agnes and Sherman. In this update Hamsa, Hungry’s, Superica, and the Honey Hole all rotate off.

— Additional reporting by Courtney E. Smith and Brittany Britto Garley.

The Pit Room

Barbecue for brunch hits differently at the Pit Room, where tender smoked meats and breakfast collide. Tuck into breakfast tacos at this Michelin Bib Gourmand spot, where hot house-made tortillas are stuffed with eggs, brisket, and other smoked specialties for a satisfying morning bite. Show up early to avoid the lines, but those tacos alone make this Montrose favorite a worthy weekend brunch stop.

Balboa Surf Club

Channeling laid-back California coastal vibes, Balboa Surf Club delivers a breezy brunch packed with seafood and hearty salads. Standouts include the Moroccan salad with roasted chicken, mixed greens, dates, herbs, roasted carrots, pistachios, and French feta, and the Green Goddess Louie with jumbo Gulf shrimp, hearts of palm, avocado, tomatoes, and iceberg. Nosh in an emerald and wood-paneled dining room that feels equal parts beach club and neighborhood hangout, perfect for a laid-back weekend brunch.

Rumi’s Kitchen

Brunch service at this Persian restaurant is full of remarkable plates, including Dutch baby pancakes served with sour cherry jam and cream; Persian omelets made with Turkish sujuk sausage and tomato; and a Zabuton steak and eggs paired with potato, shishito hash, and turmeric-fried eggs. Rumi’s Kitchen also has fresh-baked Jerusalem bagels, za’atar biscuits, and traditional Persian sangak. Pair the plates that catch your eye with cocktails like the Kish Island Ice Tea (vodka, Persian tea, mint, and orange blossom water).

Maximo

Brunch at Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant Maximo brings bold Mexican flavors to West University in a warm, inviting dining room. Expect standout dishes like chilaquiles divorciados with red and green salsas, duck carnitas Benedict with mole hollandaise on a sope, and fluffy masa pancakes topped with brown sugar whip and peach jam. Margaritas, cocktails, and a lively atmosphere make it an easy pick for a celebratory weekend brunch.

Armandos

Brunch is offered at this long-running Houston spot every Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Highlights include the huevos rancheros, an avocado tostada with house-made crispy tostadas, and churro waffles topped with whipped cream and Cajeta sauce. Add a margarita to make it a wholly satisfying Sunday Funday.

Pondicheri

Pondicheri puts a modern Indian spin on brunch staples with dishes like the “everything but the kitchen sink” Railway omelet; green dosa with pumpkin seed chutney, avocado masala; a butter chicken salad, and an array of thalis to share. As a bonus, the Upper Kirby gem offers its breakfast menu daily, from 9 a.m., and the restaurant’s Bake Lab, located directly upstairs, also has its own selection of pastries and snacks to consider.

Squable

Open for: Brunch, dinner

Price range: $$$

This Heights favorite excels at elegant European-inspired comfort food, with a menu that changes frequently to showcase the seasons. Start with a cold plate like the chicken liver pate with seasonal jam and focaccia or the kanpachi crudo, then move on to warm small plates such as lemon and ricotta dumplings or mesquite-smoked lamb ribs before settling into hearty mains like roast chicken and potatoes or campanelle with crawfish and crab butter. Whether you’re visiting for brunch or dinner, save room for the restaurant’s legendary French cheeseburger, blanketed in raclette and served with crispy fries. If you’re visiting on a Tuesday, don’t miss “Ice Cold Tuesdays,” when East Coast oysters and martinis are on all-day special.

Must-order dish: The French cheeseburger smothered in raclette remains one of Houston’s most iconic burgers.

Brasserie 19

Brasserie 19 is a Houston institution, known to draw in the crowds day and night, but weekend brunch is an especially festive time to visit. The weekend brunch crowd often spills out from the light and bright dining room onto the sprawling front patio, where guests nosh on dishes like the French onion chicken sandwich, a seafood-stuffed croissant, and eggs Benedict. Spring for a bottle of Veuve, if you’re feeling fancy, or try one of the many brunch cocktails.

Hypsi

Located inside Hotel Daphne in the Heights, Hypsi serves a weekend Italian-leaning brunch that blends seasonal ingredients with creative technique. Here you’ll find standout dishes like a sourdough panettone waffle topped with whipped mascarpone and maple syrup, and a pancetta-studded frittata with blistered peppers and mozzarella. Carnivores will love the hearty beef short rib hash with crispy potatoes and eggs. Pair meals with inventive craft cocktails and settle into the cozy dining room for a relaxed weekend brunch.

Agnes and Sherman

Brunch at Agnes and Sherman offers a playful take on diner classics through the lens of Asian American comfort food. Chef Nick Wong’s Heights restaurant blends nostalgic diner energy with inventive flavors, serving standout dishes like pandan French toast with kaya jam and coconut, char siu Benedict, kim-chilaquiles topped with fried eggs and avocado, and a succulent crab Thai omelette. Enjoy it all in a sweet, modern-retro dining room that channels vintage charm.

The Kennedy

This elegant Montrose restaurant and piano bar has a fancy brunch service with dishes like crab cake eggs Benedict and prime steak and eggs, plus a build-your-own Bloody Mary bar. For those with a sweet tooth, order pancakes and berries or bananas Foster French toast. This is one of the few brunch menus that features dessert, so save room for chocolate chip cookies for the table and the Kennedy ice cream sundae.

Traveler's Table

For the indecisive bruncher, Traveler’s Table delivers. Choose from dishes like Vietnamese steak and eggs, jerk chicken and waffles with a sweet plantain relish, lamb shakshuka, Louisiana fried chicken, or braised oxtails served with a curried horseradish hollandaise and Parmesan and brie grits. For even more options, consider a cocktail flight and sample an array of brunch beverages while you dine.

Bludorn

Find a dependable brunch here that changes with the seasons. Treat yourself to caviar service to start or an order of “oysters every way.” The crab cake Benedict, steak and eggs with chimichurri, or dry-aged burger are sure to impress. And a shareable plate of table pancakes with blueberries and chantilly is a must.

Cuchara

Mexico City cuisine is at the forefront of this buzzy and vibrant art-filled space, and brunch is one of the best times to experience it. Kick off your meal with a traditional paloma served in a clay tumbler or a michelada rimmed with chamoy, and indulge wholly in the molletes, huevos divorciados (“divorced” fried eggs served on top of tortillas, with one covered in green salsa and the other in red), enfrijoladas con tasajo (tortillas stuffed with cheese and covered in black bean sauce, served with a side of thin beef filet strip), or Onfalia’s famous aporreado.

The Breakfast Klub

Waiting in line at TBK is a certainty whether it’s a weekday or weekend. However, the meal will be worth the wait. The “katfish” and grits, along with the wings and waffles, are among the restaurant’s most popular dishes. However, there are plenty of other options, including green eggs and ham, pork chops and eggs, and several omelets and breakfast sandwiches to try.