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A person pours syrup on a plate of chicken and waffles with butter.
Dandelion Cafe’s competition-winning chicken and waffles and blueberry lemon curd French toast stix should be on your Houston breakfast bucket list.
Becca Wright

Houston’s Essential Breakfast Spots

From pancakes, pastries, and waffles to savory egg and meat platters, these restaurants have breakfast down pat

by Brittany Britto Garley and Megha McSwain Updated
View as Map
Dandelion Cafe’s competition-winning chicken and waffles and blueberry lemon curd French toast stix should be on your Houston breakfast bucket list.
| Becca Wright
by Brittany Britto Garley and Megha McSwain Updated

Brunch may get a lot of shine for its boozy drinks, but let’s be real, it wouldn’t be anything without the OG that is breakfast. Luckily, Houston recognizes that breakfast is truly the most important meal of the day, with plenty of restaurants, diners, and cafes serving up sweet and savory eats with coffee, juice, and more.

That means pancakes, pastries, and inventive egg-centered dishes abound — whether traversing the city in the early A.M. or late in the afternoon, and whether looking for a lazy, low-key Saturday morning spot or a high-energy diner.

Thus, this list has been updated to give you some of the most trustworthy options in Houston breakfast.

Here are 19 of Houston’s essential breakfast spots that deserve a visit.

Is your favorite breakfast joint missing from this map? Shout it out in the comments.

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Eater maps are curated by editors and aim to reflect a diversity of neighborhoods, cuisines, and prices. Learn more about our editorial process.

Gatlin's BBQ

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Starting at 7 a.m., this barbecue joint serves up a robust breakfast, with brisket and egg breakfast tacos, platters of wings and waffles and huevos rancheros, shrimp and grits, and so much more. In a hurry? Opt for the Smokehouse B.O.B. sandwich to-go, which comes with your choice of ham, bacon, or sausage with a fried egg and cheese all a toasted bun, or one of its homemade muffins with a cup of Independence Coffee.

3510 Ella Blvd Bldg C Ste A, Houston, TX 77018
(713) 869-4227
(713) 869-4227

Also featured in:

Slowpokes

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Breakfast doesn’t stop at this coffee shop, where an assortment of breakfast tacos and kolaches — choose between spinach and cheese or ham and cheese — are served all day. Other offerings include a smoked salmon bagel and the breakfast biscuit, which comes packed with scrambled eggs, bacon, and spicy jam on the side. Got a sweet tooth? Check out what the pastry case at the counter is stocked with.

1203 W 34th St Suite D, Houston, TX 77018
(832) 742-5949
(832) 742-5949
Someone holding a latter in a cup, surrounded by breakfast eats.
Come for a latte, and stay for breakfast at Slowpokes.
Becca Wright

Also featured in:

Puebla's Mexican Kitchen

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With no more than a dozen tables inside, this Heights restaurant is a neighborhood go-to, serving up a variety of tacos, loaded sopes, chilaquiles divorciados — presented with both tomatillo and guajillo sauces, and deep-fried gorditas — all with a down-home feel. Try the signature cinnamon coffee, served in a colorful clay mug, and take in the whimsical decor and nod to pop culture

6320 N Main St, Houston, TX 77009
(713) 426-9062
(713) 426-9062
chilaquiles divorciados with two fried eggs at Puebla’s Mexican Kitchen.
Puebla’s is a Heights gem.
Brittany Britto Garley

Also featured in:

Le café joséphine

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This Moroccan cafe offers an all-day menu, including breakfasts staples, daily until 4 p.m. Choose between sweet or savory with dishes like the pain perdu, smoked salmon Benedict, or omelet served with roasted breakfast potatoes. As a bonus, the restaurant has a full-service coffee program, serving up lattes, cappuccinos, and more.

201 E 20th St, Houston, TX 77008
(281) 888-5130
(281) 888-5130

Barnaby's Cafe

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At this dog-friendly neighborhood haunt, items like chicken-fried steak and eggs, falafel scramble with hummus, and ground buffalo scramble with mushrooms and egg are standouts on the breakfast menu. The red velvet pancakes with cream cheese icing and French toast breakfast sandwich with ham and Swiss cheese is a true treat — best enjoyed on the outdoor patio. Dining on Saturday or Sunday morning? Come early; Barnaby’s often draws in the weekend crowds.

414 W Gray St, Houston, TX 77019
(713) 522-8898
(713) 522-8898

Also featured in:

Dish Society

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A farm-to-table breakfast and lunch spot with multiple locations, Dish Society brings local flavor to classic breakfast dishes, like fluffy pancakes, Nutella French toast, brisket and eggs, house beignets, and more. Wake up with a coffee or hot tea, or turn breakfast into brunch with a fruity mimosa flight.

5740 San Felipe St #100, Houston, TX
(832) 538-1060
(832) 538-1060
Two house buttermilk biscuits with fried cage free chicken and gravy.
Chicken and biscuits at Dish Society.
Kimberly Park

Also featured in:

Cielito Cafe

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Tucked away in a little house in Montrose, this busy Mexican cafe is a perfect stop if riding solo or with a friend. Here, sweet cajeta toast served with bacon bits and eggs, breakfast sandwiches made with Mexican concha bread, and plenty of aguas frescas with the option to add a chamoy rim await. Stop by on the weekends for menudo, but be sure to carpool or use a ride-share service. Parking can be tight.

1915 Dunlavy St, Houston, TX 77006
(832) 409-5253
(832) 409-5253

Also featured in:

Kenny & Ziggy's New York Delicatessen

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For when it’s breakfast all day you seek, Kenny & Ziggy’s is the place to go. The menu is giant, both literally and figuratively, and lists countless breakfast favorites like hot and cold cereals, blintzes and pancakes, breakfast tacos, bagel and lox, shakshuka, omelets, and more. Been there, eaten that? Try something new and unusual like a blintz-stuffed French toast or a schnitzel and waffle tower topped with bacon and crispy onion strings.

1743 Post Oak Blvd, Houston, TX 77056
(713) 871-8883
(713) 871-8883
A sky high tower of schnitzel and waffle with crispy onions being topped with syrup.
The one and only schnitzel and waffle tower at Kenny & Ziggy’s.
Kenny & Ziggy’s

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La Guadalupana Cafe and Bakery

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This family-owned restaurant boasts fresh-squeezed juices, spiced coffees, artfully made almond croissants, and Mexican breakfast essentials, like migas and tortas filled with eggs, chorizo, potatoes, beans, onions, and peppers. The machaca nortena — a shredded dried beef platter served with scrambled eggs, sauteed veggies, and beans — and the vampire juice, a blend of orange, carrot, and beet are a perfect pairing. Order a slice of tres leches cake for later.

2109 Dunlavy St, Houston, TX
(713) 522-2301
(713) 522-2301

Harry's Restaurant

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Launched by a Greek and Ecuadorian couple in the early 1990s, this comforting breakfast spot serves up popular breakfast items with Latin and Grecian flair. There’s Baklava French Toast made with Challah bread; pupusas stuffed with zucchini and queso; and the Larissa plate that includes two eggs, seasoned potatoes, and tomatoes covered in feta and parsley.

318 Tuam St, Houston, TX 77006
(713) 528-0198
(713) 528-0198

Also featured in:

Brothers Taco House

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Start the morning at this essential Houston taqueria, where tortillas are loaded up with egg, sausage, potatoes, and more into giant breakfast tacos priced at less than $3 each. Be warned — the line gets long, but it typically moves pretty quickly.

1604 Emancipation Ave, Houston, TX 77003
(713) 223-0091
(713) 223-0091

Also featured in:

Blacksmith

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Vietnamese steak and eggs with house paté, chilaquiles with black beans and queso fresco, and croissants with creme fraiche are just the tipping point at this coffee shop. In addition to its plethora of teas, kombucha, and agua fresca, Blacksmith pours gourmet coffees, with beans most recently imported from regions in Guatemala and Colombia.

1018 Westheimer Rd, Houston, TX
(832) 360-7470
(832) 360-7470

Also featured in:

Citizens Of Montrose, A Breakfast Cafe

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This Australian-style cafe is bringing breakfast from the Outback, with a vegemite flight, featuring the spread in various styles on cheddar biscuit; a spin on the classic Brekkie platter with smashed avocado toast, poached eggs, chorizo baked beans, miso mushrooms, and roasted tomato; and a banana bread French toast that’s topped with a dollop of creamy mascarpone and a drizzle of miso butterscotch. It’s essential to order a drink here. With housemade cocktails, a smooth Velvet beetroot latte, and an Australian iced coffee made with scoops of vanilla ice cream and shots of espresso, there’s something for everyone.

907 Westheimer Rd Ste C, Houston, TX 77006
(832) 203-8527
(832) 203-8527
A slice of banana bread pudding topped with caramel and slices of banana and strawberries.
Experience breakfast the Aussie way at Citizens of Montrose.
Citizens of Montrose

Common Bond Cafe & Bakery

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With multiple locations around the city, Common Bond offers weekday breakfast from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. and all-day weekend brunch, with items like buttermilk biscuits smothered in jalapeno pork sausage and topped with two soft yolk eggs, and lox tartine. Plus, the bakery offers easy, on-the-go options like freshly baked baguettes, macarons, and pain au chocolat.

1706 Westheimer Rd, Houston, TX
(713) 529-3535
(713) 529-3535

Also featured in:

Empire Cafe

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This gas station turned cozy cafe serves up hearty breakfast staples, like buildable omelets, breakfast tacos, sticky buns, and Italian-inspired frittatas. Round out the most important meal of the day with mozzarella-smothered potatoes and a prickly pear margarita.   

1732 Westheimer Rd, Houston, TX
(713) 528-4176
(713) 528-4176

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Eloise Nichols

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Early birds can count on breakfast at this River Oaks restaurant, which is open on weekdays at 7 a.m. Have eggs your way, a breakfast sandwich built on a pretzel bun, or spring for flapjacks with whipped butter and maple syrup.

2400 Mid Ln #100, Houston, TX 77027
(713) 554-0136
(713) 554-0136
A drizzle of syrup is put on a row of waffles topped with chicken.
Chicken and waffles at Eloise Nichols.
Duc Hong

Also featured in:

The Breakfast Klub

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For a true Southern-style breakfast, come here for chicken and waffles, catfish and grits, and green eggs and ham, made with chives, spinach, and bell peppers. The Breakfast Klub also sells its own pancake mixes, so true believers can recreate their dishes at home.

3711 Travis St, Houston, TX
(713) 528-8561
(713) 528-8561
The Breakfast Klub’s chicken and waffles with strawberries.
The Breakfast Klub’s wings and waffles is one of the city’s most iconic dishes.
The Breakfast Klub

Also featured in:

Dandelion Cafe

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This Bellaire cafe welcomes the community to kickstart their day with freshly brewed coffee concoctions, build-your-own omelets, breakfast tacos, and “sweet stuff,” like buttermilk pancakes and blueberry lemon curd French toast sticks. Be sure to try out its competition-winning chicken and waffles, a combination of cornbread buttermilk waffles and marinated and fried boneless chicken, served with compound butter, maple syrup, honey, chili flakes, and hot sauce, with a sprinkle of powdered sugar. And don’t forget to check the weekly specials, which include Mimosa Mondays; buy-one, get-one free tacos on Tuesdays; half-off pancakes on Wednesdays; and $3 mimosas, beers, and smoothies on Thursdays.

5405 Bellaire Blvd, Bellaire, TX 77401
(832) 988-9210
(832) 988-9210

Also featured in:

NY Deli

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Find bagels, of course, but also dishes like corned beef hash, sweet and savory cream cheeses, challah french toast, cheese blintzes, and potato pancakes with sour cream and apple sauce. The weekday breakfast special, which includes two eggs, a bagel or toast, plus your choice of home fries, grits, sliced tomatoes, or fruit, is a steal for $7.95.

9724 Hillcroft St, Houston, TX 77096
(713) 692-2435
(713) 692-2435

Also featured in:

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Gatlin's BBQ

3510 Ella Blvd Bldg C Ste A, Houston, TX 77018

Starting at 7 a.m., this barbecue joint serves up a robust breakfast, with brisket and egg breakfast tacos, platters of wings and waffles and huevos rancheros, shrimp and grits, and so much more. In a hurry? Opt for the Smokehouse B.O.B. sandwich to-go, which comes with your choice of ham, bacon, or sausage with a fried egg and cheese all a toasted bun, or one of its homemade muffins with a cup of Independence Coffee.

3510 Ella Blvd Bldg C Ste A, Houston, TX 77018
(713) 869-4227
(713) 869-4227

Slowpokes

1203 W 34th St Suite D, Houston, TX 77018

Breakfast doesn’t stop at this coffee shop, where an assortment of breakfast tacos and kolaches — choose between spinach and cheese or ham and cheese — are served all day. Other offerings include a smoked salmon bagel and the breakfast biscuit, which comes packed with scrambled eggs, bacon, and spicy jam on the side. Got a sweet tooth? Check out what the pastry case at the counter is stocked with.

1203 W 34th St Suite D, Houston, TX 77018
(832) 742-5949
(832) 742-5949
Someone holding a latter in a cup, surrounded by breakfast eats.
Come for a latte, and stay for breakfast at Slowpokes.
Becca Wright

Puebla's Mexican Kitchen

6320 N Main St, Houston, TX 77009

With no more than a dozen tables inside, this Heights restaurant is a neighborhood go-to, serving up a variety of tacos, loaded sopes, chilaquiles divorciados — presented with both tomatillo and guajillo sauces, and deep-fried gorditas — all with a down-home feel. Try the signature cinnamon coffee, served in a colorful clay mug, and take in the whimsical decor and nod to pop culture

6320 N Main St, Houston, TX 77009
(713) 426-9062
(713) 426-9062
chilaquiles divorciados with two fried eggs at Puebla’s Mexican Kitchen.
Puebla’s is a Heights gem.
Brittany Britto Garley

Le café joséphine

201 E 20th St, Houston, TX 77008

This Moroccan cafe offers an all-day menu, including breakfasts staples, daily until 4 p.m. Choose between sweet or savory with dishes like the pain perdu, smoked salmon Benedict, or omelet served with roasted breakfast potatoes. As a bonus, the restaurant has a full-service coffee program, serving up lattes, cappuccinos, and more.

201 E 20th St, Houston, TX 77008
(281) 888-5130
(281) 888-5130

Barnaby's Cafe

414 W Gray St, Houston, TX 77019

At this dog-friendly neighborhood haunt, items like chicken-fried steak and eggs, falafel scramble with hummus, and ground buffalo scramble with mushrooms and egg are standouts on the breakfast menu. The red velvet pancakes with cream cheese icing and French toast breakfast sandwich with ham and Swiss cheese is a true treat — best enjoyed on the outdoor patio. Dining on Saturday or Sunday morning? Come early; Barnaby’s often draws in the weekend crowds.

414 W Gray St, Houston, TX 77019
(713) 522-8898
(713) 522-8898

Dish Society

5740 San Felipe St #100, Houston, TX

A farm-to-table breakfast and lunch spot with multiple locations, Dish Society brings local flavor to classic breakfast dishes, like fluffy pancakes, Nutella French toast, brisket and eggs, house beignets, and more. Wake up with a coffee or hot tea, or turn breakfast into brunch with a fruity mimosa flight.

5740 San Felipe St #100, Houston, TX
(832) 538-1060
(832) 538-1060
Two house buttermilk biscuits with fried cage free chicken and gravy.
Chicken and biscuits at Dish Society.
Kimberly Park

Cielito Cafe

1915 Dunlavy St, Houston, TX 77006

Tucked away in a little house in Montrose, this busy Mexican cafe is a perfect stop if riding solo or with a friend. Here, sweet cajeta toast served with bacon bits and eggs, breakfast sandwiches made with Mexican concha bread, and plenty of aguas frescas with the option to add a chamoy rim await. Stop by on the weekends for menudo, but be sure to carpool or use a ride-share service. Parking can be tight.

1915 Dunlavy St, Houston, TX 77006
(832) 409-5253
(832) 409-5253

Kenny & Ziggy's New York Delicatessen

1743 Post Oak Blvd, Houston, TX 77056

For when it’s breakfast all day you seek, Kenny & Ziggy’s is the place to go. The menu is giant, both literally and figuratively, and lists countless breakfast favorites like hot and cold cereals, blintzes and pancakes, breakfast tacos, bagel and lox, shakshuka, omelets, and more. Been there, eaten that? Try something new and unusual like a blintz-stuffed French toast or a schnitzel and waffle tower topped with bacon and crispy onion strings.

1743 Post Oak Blvd, Houston, TX 77056
(713) 871-8883
(713) 871-8883
A sky high tower of schnitzel and waffle with crispy onions being topped with syrup.
The one and only schnitzel and waffle tower at Kenny & Ziggy’s.
Kenny & Ziggy’s

La Guadalupana Cafe and Bakery

2109 Dunlavy St, Houston, TX

This family-owned restaurant boasts fresh-squeezed juices, spiced coffees, artfully made almond croissants, and Mexican breakfast essentials, like migas and tortas filled with eggs, chorizo, potatoes, beans, onions, and peppers. The machaca nortena — a shredded dried beef platter served with scrambled eggs, sauteed veggies, and beans — and the vampire juice, a blend of orange, carrot, and beet are a perfect pairing. Order a slice of tres leches cake for later.

2109 Dunlavy St, Houston, TX
(713) 522-2301
(713) 522-2301

Harry's Restaurant

318 Tuam St, Houston, TX 77006

Launched by a Greek and Ecuadorian couple in the early 1990s, this comforting breakfast spot serves up popular breakfast items with Latin and Grecian flair. There’s Baklava French Toast made with Challah bread; pupusas stuffed with zucchini and queso; and the Larissa plate that includes two eggs, seasoned potatoes, and tomatoes covered in feta and parsley.

318 Tuam St, Houston, TX 77006
(713) 528-0198
(713) 528-0198

Brothers Taco House

1604 Emancipation Ave, Houston, TX 77003

Start the morning at this essential Houston taqueria, where tortillas are loaded up with egg, sausage, potatoes, and more into giant breakfast tacos priced at less than $3 each. Be warned — the line gets long, but it typically moves pretty quickly.

1604 Emancipation Ave, Houston, TX 77003
(713) 223-0091
(713) 223-0091

Blacksmith

1018 Westheimer Rd, Houston, TX

Vietnamese steak and eggs with house paté, chilaquiles with black beans and queso fresco, and croissants with creme fraiche are just the tipping point at this coffee shop. In addition to its plethora of teas, kombucha, and agua fresca, Blacksmith pours gourmet coffees, with beans most recently imported from regions in Guatemala and Colombia.

1018 Westheimer Rd, Houston, TX
(832) 360-7470
(832) 360-7470

Citizens Of Montrose, A Breakfast Cafe

907 Westheimer Rd Ste C, Houston, TX 77006

This Australian-style cafe is bringing breakfast from the Outback, with a vegemite flight, featuring the spread in various styles on cheddar biscuit; a spin on the classic Brekkie platter with smashed avocado toast, poached eggs, chorizo baked beans, miso mushrooms, and roasted tomato; and a banana bread French toast that’s topped with a dollop of creamy mascarpone and a drizzle of miso butterscotch. It’s essential to order a drink here. With housemade cocktails, a smooth Velvet beetroot latte, and an Australian iced coffee made with scoops of vanilla ice cream and shots of espresso, there’s something for everyone.

907 Westheimer Rd Ste C, Houston, TX 77006
(832) 203-8527
(832) 203-8527
A slice of banana bread pudding topped with caramel and slices of banana and strawberries.
Experience breakfast the Aussie way at Citizens of Montrose.
Citizens of Montrose

Common Bond Cafe & Bakery

1706 Westheimer Rd, Houston, TX

With multiple locations around the city, Common Bond offers weekday breakfast from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. and all-day weekend brunch, with items like buttermilk biscuits smothered in jalapeno pork sausage and topped with two soft yolk eggs, and lox tartine. Plus, the bakery offers easy, on-the-go options like freshly baked baguettes, macarons, and pain au chocolat.

1706 Westheimer Rd, Houston, TX
(713) 529-3535
(713) 529-3535

Empire Cafe

1732 Westheimer Rd, Houston, TX

This gas station turned cozy cafe serves up hearty breakfast staples, like buildable omelets, breakfast tacos, sticky buns, and Italian-inspired frittatas. Round out the most important meal of the day with mozzarella-smothered potatoes and a prickly pear margarita.   

1732 Westheimer Rd, Houston, TX
(713) 528-4176
(713) 528-4176

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Eloise Nichols

2400 Mid Ln #100, Houston, TX 77027

Early birds can count on breakfast at this River Oaks restaurant, which is open on weekdays at 7 a.m. Have eggs your way, a breakfast sandwich built on a pretzel bun, or spring for flapjacks with whipped butter and maple syrup.

2400 Mid Ln #100, Houston, TX 77027
(713) 554-0136
(713) 554-0136
A drizzle of syrup is put on a row of waffles topped with chicken.
Chicken and waffles at Eloise Nichols.
Duc Hong

The Breakfast Klub

3711 Travis St, Houston, TX

For a true Southern-style breakfast, come here for chicken and waffles, catfish and grits, and green eggs and ham, made with chives, spinach, and bell peppers. The Breakfast Klub also sells its own pancake mixes, so true believers can recreate their dishes at home.

3711 Travis St, Houston, TX
(713) 528-8561
(713) 528-8561
The Breakfast Klub’s chicken and waffles with strawberries.
The Breakfast Klub’s wings and waffles is one of the city’s most iconic dishes.
The Breakfast Klub

Dandelion Cafe

5405 Bellaire Blvd, Bellaire, TX 77401

This Bellaire cafe welcomes the community to kickstart their day with freshly brewed coffee concoctions, build-your-own omelets, breakfast tacos, and “sweet stuff,” like buttermilk pancakes and blueberry lemon curd French toast sticks. Be sure to try out its competition-winning chicken and waffles, a combination of cornbread buttermilk waffles and marinated and fried boneless chicken, served with compound butter, maple syrup, honey, chili flakes, and hot sauce, with a sprinkle of powdered sugar. And don’t forget to check the weekly specials, which include Mimosa Mondays; buy-one, get-one free tacos on Tuesdays; half-off pancakes on Wednesdays; and $3 mimosas, beers, and smoothies on Thursdays.

5405 Bellaire Blvd, Bellaire, TX 77401
(832) 988-9210
(832) 988-9210

NY Deli

9724 Hillcroft St, Houston, TX 77096

Find bagels, of course, but also dishes like corned beef hash, sweet and savory cream cheeses, challah french toast, cheese blintzes, and potato pancakes with sour cream and apple sauce. The weekday breakfast special, which includes two eggs, a bagel or toast, plus your choice of home fries, grits, sliced tomatoes, or fruit, is a steal for $7.95.

9724 Hillcroft St, Houston, TX 77096
(713) 692-2435
(713) 692-2435

Related Maps