The Best New Restaurants in Houston, December 2024

"Ready for a dose of nostalgia? Located in M-K-T in the Heights, this cute and colorful family-friendly hangout serves Carvel’s iconic soft-serve ice cream, cakes, milkshakes, boozy creations, and comforting diner-style fare among its kitschy, vintage-style decor. Settle in next to its soda fountain or under its massive ice cream sundae sculpture while digging into stacks of buttermilk pancakes and stuffed biscuit concoctions for breakfast. Buttermilk’s lunch and dinner menu is just as enticing, with buttermilk and Southern-fried chicken sandwiches, baskets of tenders, smash burgers, corndogs, and hot dogs made with Texas wagyu beef. Then, unwind with a boozy Bailey’s Oreo shake while swinging on the patio in one of its pink cloud chairs." - Brittany Britto Garley