King's BierHaus, 2044 East TC Jester
This palatial 400-seat modern beer garden from Pearland's beloved King's Biergarten team comes complete with 31 German and German monastery brews on tap, frozen drinks and a full bar, a menu composed of sausages, German classics and then some, and an outdoor area that is ready to put most to shame, complete with its own small river, hammock seating, bar games, including giant Jenga and pingpong, and, of course, plans for live music, with a focus on German bands. Weekend hours: Opens 5 p.m. every day (will expand hours on May 15).
Cavo Coffee, 3773 Richmond
This new coffee shop is now open on the ground floor of the Regions Financial Center in the bustling Greenway Plaza from a co-owner of Siphon Coffee, Michael Caplan. Cavo offers Amaya coffee drinks along with Portland's Heart Roasters and more artisan pours, plus beer and wine (including a weekday happy hour from 2 to 7 p.m. and bottomless brunch mimosas on the weekend).
The food menu features comfort foods including breakfast sandwiches, avocado toast on breads sourced from Cake & Bacon and elsewhere, along with scones, pastries and lots of healthy grab-and-go options. The stylish space offers lots of lounge-style and hightop seating and tables outside as well, making this a great morning spot for lingering. Weekend hours: Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Inside Better Luck Tomorrow
Photo courtesy of Better Luck Tomorrow
This new Heights bar is from a Houston dream team, Anvil mastermind Bobby Heugel and James Beard award-winning chef Justin Yu. A solid cocktail and wine list are offered alongside a food menu that breathes new life into the pub grub game with inspiration that comes from all over the place, whether in the form of a Tuscan stew, a flatbread with yogurt-marinated cucumber hit with a touch of the Egyptian spice dukkah and lemon, fried chicken in the fashion of Taiwan's Hot Star empire, a plate of raw East Coast oysters, or the bar's signature Party Melt (patty melt) sandwich. Weekend hours: Open daily 3:30 p.m. to 2 a.m.
Monica the Cat wants to watch Saturday morning cartoons with you.
Photo by Gwendolyn Knapp
Houston's first cat cafe is now open and offers everything from Yoga With Cats to crochet classes and even movie nights (find the schedule online). While an attached shipping container coffee bar will officially land at this cat cottage during the summer, an entry fee to visit the cats also includes coffee and free Wi-Fi. Check out El Gato's furry residents right here. Weekend hours: Friday through Sunday, 4 to 8 p.m. Caturday Morning Cartoons (on May 13), 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Starfish, 191 Heights
With a menu that stretches to cover everything from the greatest hits of feel-good seafood — crab cakes, grilled oysters, fried whole snapper —- to pastas, burgers and more meaty items, this new Heights eatery from Cherry Pie Hospitality, the group behind Pi Pizza, State Fare and more local faves, is mainly about two things: the raw bar and martinis. Take a seat at the white-tiled bar for gin-based wonders and a dozen Gulf or East Coast oysters when the sun is setting, as this restaurant's many windows make the space pool with sultry crepuscular light. Also a good bet: the lobster tacos. Just a warning though, it's not cheap. Weekend hours: Friday and Saturday, 4 to 11 p.m., Sunday, 4 to 10 p.m.
