Tiny Boxwoods brunch in Houston is the garden-cafe on West Alabama in the Thompson + Hanson nursery, with brunch plates, the Tiny chocolate chip cookie and an oak-shaded patio.
Must order: Tiny Cake (the chocolate chip cookie), pancakes, the garden frittata
Tip: Walk-in only. Get there by 9:30am Saturday to beat the 90-minute wait. Tiny cookies travel home; order extras.
Address: 3614 W Alabama St, Houston, TX 77027
Nancy's Hustle brunch in Houston is the EaDo bistro on Polk Street with Nancy Cakes cornbread, the burger and a Saturday-Sunday brunch service from the Resy-reservation team.
Order: Nancy Cakes, the burger, a glass of natural orange
Tip: Bar walk-in is the easier seat. The brunch burger holds up better than the brunch egg dish.
Brennan's of Houston is the 1967 Texas Creole jazz brunch on Smith Street from the New Orleans Brennan family, with eggs Sardou, bananas Foster tableside and a Sunday jazz trio.
Order: Eggs Sardou, bananas Foster tableside, jazz brunch trio set
Tip: Sunday jazz brunch at 10am or 12pm sells out. Reserve the courtyard if weather is below 30C.
Hugo's Sunday brunch in Houston is Hugo Ortega's Mexican buffet on Westheimer Road, with chilaquiles, three moles, sopes, churros and the regional Mexican menu compressed into one buffet.
Order: The buffet itself: chilaquiles, mole, sopes, churros
Tip: 12pm seating sells out two weeks ahead; 10am seating is easier. Tableside hot chocolate is the closing course.
Pondicheri brunch in Houston is Anita Jaisinghani's Indian breakfast at WestAve on Kirby, with masala omelette and roti, chai-glazed buns and the Bake Lab pastry counter open at 7am.
Order: Masala omelette and roti, chicken kati roll, masala chai
Tip: Weekday breakfast (7-11am) is the quiet peak. Order an extra chai bun from the Bake Lab on the way out.
Common Bond brunch in Houston is the Montrose patisserie-cafe on Westheimer with brioche French toast, avocado toast, the full pastry case and a Joe Coffee bar.
Order: Avocado toast, viennoiserie, brioche French toast
Tip: Walk-in only. Weekend lines after 10am. Order viennoiserie on the way out for tomorrow.
