The Top 5 Outdoor Breakfast Places in Houston

Barnaby’s Café has a reputation among its customers for being a kid and dog-friendly spot for brunch and the best breakfast in Houston. At least that’s what we were told.

Here customers can be shaded from the sun while they enjoy breakfast, sitting amongst flowers at tables underneath the umbrellas on their outdoor patio. 

Of course, customers can also bring along their furry friends with them since the patio at Barnaby’s Cafe is pet-friendly. By the way, Barnaby’s Cafe even provides a menu tailored to dog-friendly breakfast treats as well. 

While Barnaby’s Cafe was advertised to us as a breakfast place by the people we spoke with, make note they do not serve breakfast all day. Rather, they only serve breakfast from 7 AM till 12 PM on weekdays and on weekends until 2 PM. 

Still, we liked the versatility Barnaby’s Cafe offers its customers by providing both dine-in and take-out. Additionally, we liked the variety of options on the breakfast menu; it was not limited to just standard breakfast classics. 

One item on the menu that caught our eye was their buffalo scramble—yes, it’s actually buffalo meat. They also have healthier options such as a fruit bowl and Greek yogurt. 

Some of their fancier choices include smoked salmon and chipotle barbecue pulled pork with eggs. Needless to say, their breakfast menu caters to both young and old. 

Moreover, they had a nice drink selection varying from organic coffee to freshly squeezed grapefruit juice, orange juice, etc. Unfortunately, we did not see mimosas on the menu. 

Furthermore, the portion size was worth the value of the price. With the buffalo scramble and the classic buttermilk pancakes we ordered, we found ourselves getting full after a few bites—yes, it was delicious. 

We had an entire meal left over to take home by the time we were done. 

Buffalo Grille is notorious for its bacon and pancakes—some customers claim the taste is phenomenal. Others raved to us about their to die for build your own omelets. 

Because Buffalo Grille serves breakfast all day, there’s no time limit for when customers come by and have a bite of their house pancakes or french toast. It’s no wonder why many told us Buffalo Grille is their go-to breakfast spot.  

Outside Buffalo Grille, the tables and the seating area were clean; there wasn’t a single speck of dirt as far as we were concerned. The seats were comfortable as can be for metal chairs.

While the menu appeared to be nothing exciting, just basic American breakfast dishes, the prices were reasonable. There was nothing impressive about their drink selection either. 

Their entrees are served with classic hashbrowns, biscuits, muffins, or toasts. We did note that some of their entrees also offer tortillas and refried beans.

To put customers’ claims to the test, we tried their bacon, pancakes, an omelet, and hash browns. Needless to say, the comments of others weren’t exactly accurate. 

Our hash browns that we ordered crispy were served to us overcooked. Besides this, the omelet looked nothing like an omelet; it was as if the chef failed in flipping the omelet, so he decided on scrambling them instead. 

While the bacon was peppered and crispy, it lacked flavor—more greasy than anything. On the other hand, the pancakes came out fluffy, buttery, and delicious with every bite. 

Moreover, we also liked their vast coffee selection.

Common Bond Bistro & Bakery is a relaxed, casual, lofty breakfast spot perfect for outdoor dining. At least, that’s what we heard. 

Different customers we spoke to loved the variety of pastries available on the menu. Additionally, the people we talked to had no complaints about the freshness of the food. 

From our observations of Common Bond Bistro & Bakery, the comments customers made to us are valid. One of the first things we liked was how easy it was to find parking since Common Bond Bistro & Bakery is located in an area where parking is usually scattered. 

Before noon Common Bond Bistro & Bakery was already bustling with customers. Although they have indoor seating, we recommend outdoor seating as a better option to avoid the line out the door.

Besides this, Common Bond Bistro’s breakfast menu, served from 7 AM to 11 AM during the week, presents a mix of classics with a modern twist. Such as shrimp & grits and Croque madame.  

We ended up choosing their classic biscuits & gravy along with their lox tartine paired with their simple espresso. Yes, our food and drinks arrived within minutes, all hot and fresh; not a single plate was cold. 

Furthermore, we liked the staff’s efficiency despite the long line going out the door. The waiters at Common Bond Bistro didn’t waste time delivering our order. 

Each ingredient in the lox tartine and the biscuits & gravy complimented the next, so we had a wonderful experience with each bite. Indeed, there’s something on the menu for everyone, whether you’re a simple egg and bacon person or prefer salmon for breakfast. 

Tiny Boxwood is an upscale garden cafe that has stolen the hearts of many we spoke to. Some claimed it’s the perfect breakfast/brunch spot to start your day off at.

After our experience at Tiny Boxwood, we can understand why this quaint serene cafe bistro has won over the hearts of its customers. The line to get into Tiny Boxwood was an hour long, but people around us didn’t mind waiting amidst the beautiful gardens surrounding Tiny Boxwood.

One of the first things we noted is that there was only one register, hence the long line. At first, we thought this helped with table flow. 

Until we learned about Tiny Boxwood’s peculiar seating policy. Customers at Tiny Boxwood cannot sit down or even save a seat for their party until they have ordered and received a number.

Despite this, we were efficiently seated within a few minutes after we ordered. 

As for the menu, Tiny Boxwood has something for everyone to enjoy. From meat and cheese platters to avocado toast and smoked salmon—leaving behind the usual breakfast classics for more upscale choices. 

Their avocado toast with smoked salmon and sun-dried tomatoes was proportioned just right and made our tastebuds dance. The sweet, tangy mimosas Tiny Boxwood offers complimented our mid-morning breakfast.

What we like most about Tiny Boxwood are its beautiful greenery and full garden nursery. Not only is it the perfect photo op, but it adds to the relaxing atmosphere. 

Moreover, we also liked how attentive the staff was to the other customers and us nearby. We observed one busy waiter stop what he was doing to take a picture for a nearby table—indeed, Tiny Boxwood staff is focused on their customers no matter what. 

Agora’s rustic Greek atmosphere and laidback outdoor seating create a chill place for busy workers to take a breather while listening to jukebox tunes and enjoy a simple breakfast. At least that’s what we were told. 

First of all, parking was a hassle. We ended up having to park in the adjoining streets, so we recommend getting to Agora early to snag one of the limited parking spaces in the back of the building. 

Getting a simple table at Agora was no easy task. We waited an hour before someone got up and left—their outdoor seating was bustling. 

True to the claims, most of the surrounding customers were people working and studying while drinking coffee and enjoying a pastry or two. 

Still, others were engaged in conversations and taking pictures of Agora’s latte art—we liked the diversity of customers in Agora.

Moreover, the overall Greek-themed atmosphere of Agora felt as if we stepped into the streets of Greece. Pictures of Greece covered the walls, along with Greek mythology references; how can we forget the baklava Agora offers its customers. 

By the way, their baklava was delicious and warm with every single bite. If we weren’t at Agora for breakfast, we would’ve tried their Greek wine selection, which was vast. 

Instead, we settled on trying their vegan cinnamon roll and frappe Greek iced coffee. Upon first biting into their vegan cinnamon roll, the icing was too sweet for our taste, yet, the bold, strong flavor of the Greek iced coffee balanced out the sweetness.