Located on Washington Avenue, BB Lemon, the cozy sister restaurant to the masculine B&B Butchers, is Benjamin Berg’s new restaurant that is brightening up the Houston restaurant scene – and no, not just because of the neon yellow sign out front. Like an old-school lemonade stand, there is something refreshing and nostalgic about BB Lemon upon first glance. The green, wood paneling mixed with the vintage-inspired marquee give a retro feel that’s immediately welcoming.
The friendly vibe follows indoors with green-and-white checkered tablecloths, tufted banquettes and plaid green wallpaper. The old-fashioned style follows with the red, tin ceiling and even a working pay phone – to our younger readers or may not know what that is, Google it – illuminated by a neon lemon on the wall. Outside on the patio, there are 14 tables with potted lemon trees sprinkled around.
The menu at BB Lemon is a marriage between Houston and New York featuring upscale, comfort food. For those with a sweet tooth, BB Lemon serves plenty dessert meets brunch items like a decadent Banana Pudding French Toast with caramel and candied walnuts, and the Limoncello & Mascarpone Pancakes with blueberry syrup and maple butter, that are both rich and filling. The Houston-inspired side of the dishes shines in the Chili Omelet with red onions and cheese, and a southern Crawfish Hash with poached egg and blackened hollandaise, sure to please any Houstonian who is constantly marking down the days until crawfish season.
The cocktail menu offers an array of specialty cocktails that brighten up any meal. Like the Belle of the Ball, a mixture of gin, lemon, lavender and bubbles, or the Blushing Italian, made with vodka, Aperol, Cipriani, peach and orange syrup. Of course, the standard Bloody Mary and Micheladas are anything but with their own tangy house-made mix.
BB Lemon is located at 1809 Washington Ave. and open Saturday and Sunday for brunch
