Mardi Gras season is upon us – Fat Tuesday falls on Tuesday, March 4 – and once again, the vibrant energy of New Orleans has made its way to Houston, with local restaurants and bars serving up festive food and drink specials to keep the good times rollin’. From classic Cajun and Creole flavors like jambalaya and beignets to BIg Easy cocktails and sinful Fat Tuesday revelry, here’s where to indulge in Mardi Gras food and drink in Houston this year.
Auden, 3737 Cogdell
Auden has crafted a brunch Mardi Gras brioche, the Cardamom Maritozzo, available through Sunday, March 2. The treat comes filled with cardamom cream, white chocolate and vanilla bean syrup, then dipped in white chocolate and dusted with edible glitter.
Axelrad, 1517 Alabama
Let the good times roll with a special Mardi Gras cocktail, available now through Fat Tuesday. The Bourbon Street Smash is made with Four Roses Bourbon, Lemon, Sugar, Mint and Grapefruit Bitters for $11 a pop.
Bagel Shop Bakery, 5422 Bellaire
The bakery will offer King Cake Mardi Gras Bagels, tasty cinnamon bagels with homemade vanilla frosting and festive Mardi Gras colored sugar sprinkles, available from February 27 through Fat Tuesday for $3 each. Orders more than a dozen should be purchased 24 hours in advance.
Brennan’s of Houston, 3300 Smith
On Fat Tuesday, March 4, iconic NOLA born-and-bred family restaurant Brennan’s invites revelers for a special three-course Mardi Gras dinner featuring live entertainment and a boisterous second line through the dining room. Call 713-522-9711 to book.
Common Bond Bakery & Bistro, multiple locations
To celebrate the season, Common Bond will offer personal-sized Cinnamon and Cream Cheese Raspberry King Cakes and a King Cake Latte in stores through Fat Tuesday. Full sized Traditional Cinnamon and Raspberry Cream Cheese King Cakes will also be available for order with 72-hours advance notice from and DIY Cinnamon King Cakes will be available for preorder to pick up March 3-4. Each King Cake is available $45.99 and $5 from each King Cake sold will be donated to Sky High for Kids. Traditional Cinnamon and Raspberry Cream Cheese King Cakes will be available for pick-up in stores, without advance order from February 25 through March 5.
Daily Gather, 800 Sorella
Daily Gather will offer a celebratory cocktail that is as decadent as the city for which it is named, the NOLA Espresso Martini, made with Flor de Caña blanco rum, Flor De Caña Spresso Coffee Liqueur, Gambino’s King Cake Rum Cream, fresh espresso, house vanilla syrup and a dash of cinnamon. Sip it for $15.
Dish Society, multiple locations
Each order of Dish Society’s indulgent beignets comes showered in powdered sugar and accompanied with a sweet coffee anglaise for dipping. You can even score them for free if you sign up for the Dish Society Loyalty App and select beignets as your complimentary dessert.
Kolache Shoppe, multiple locations
Now through Mardi Gras, all Houston-area Kolache Shoppe locations will feature Mardi Gras-inspired kolaches, featuring a King Cake Kolache with sweetened cinnamon cream cheese and pecans and is finished with almond-vanilla glaze and a dusting of colored sugar, plus a Boudin Kolache in collaboration with La Boucherie out of Spring, filled with fresh pork boudin using Grandma’s recipe. The kolache are available weekends, Thursday to Saturday, at Greenway and Friday through Sunday at Pearland and Heights.
Mardi Gras! Galveston
Kicking off Friday, February 21 and letting the good times roll through Tuesday, March 4, Mardi Gras! Galveston brings the vibrant spirit of New Orleans to the Gulf Coast, rocking lively parades and concerts, balcony parties, festive food and drink, and plenty of bead-throwing excitement.
The Original Ninfa’s, 2704 Navigation, 1700 Post Oak
The Original Ninfa’s is offering a special crawfish dish in honor of Mardi Gras, available throughout March. Get a duo of Crawfish Empanadas with avocado tomatillo salsa for $12. At the bar, customers can also enjoy El Huracán (Mocambo rum, orange juice, passion fruit, and lemon juice) for $13.
Pier 6 Seafood & Oyster House, 113 6th
Grab a table on the waterfront patio and get ready to let the good times roll at Pier 6’s Fat Tuesday celebration. The restaurant will be decked out in lavish Mardi Gras décor, chef Joe Cervantez is featuring Mardi Gras-inspired menu specials — including the return of King Cake Bread Pudding, and the evening will include live music, drink deals and plenty of Mardi Gras beads. Visit Resy or call 281-339-1515 for reservations.
Rainbow Lodge, 2011 Ella
Now through March 4, Rainbow Lodge is offering Clarified Mardi Gras Milk Punch, a unique riff on its standard milk punch which plays true to the history of the French and English. Beverage director Peter Clifton combines Earl Grey tea, granulated sugar, ruby port, Still Austin Cask Strength Rye, Allspice Dram, lemon juice and whole milk, served in a glass rimmed with sugars in the traditional Mardi Gras colors of purple, green and yellow. Cost of the drink is $14 plus tax.
Shipley Do-Nuts, multiple locations
The iconic, Texas-born donut and kolache brand has puts its own twist on New Orleans’ famous beignets, offering the new “YAYs,” available for a limited time through early April. Handmade fresh with Shipley’s signature yeast dough, the new mini beignets are fried to pillowy perfectio, then shaken in powdered sugar and served warm.
Treebeards, multiple locations
Treebeards has the perfect setup for your Mardi Gras parties, with dishes like Chicken & Sausage Gumbo, Shrimp Etouffee, Buttercake and Brownie Squares, Red Beans with Sausage, French Bread, and more available for to-go ordering.
