Eat Houston: Mo’ Better Brews in Museum District

Dig into records, coffees and a 100% vegan brunch menu at Mo’ Better Brews in Museum District.

In a city brimming with barbecue, burgers and virtually any other global cuisine, Houston’s offerings for vegan diets have traditionally lagged when it came to the restaurant scene.

But over the last decade, the landscape has broadened and the husband-and-wife duo of Courtney and Chasitie Lindsay are helping to expand the city’s culinary horizons with their latest vegan effort, Mo’ Better Brews in the Museum District.

Opened across Juneteenth weekend of 2021, the Black-owned coffee shop and brunch haven is the first brick-and-mortar eatery from the couple, and follows their previous vegan ventures that include Houston Sauce Co., the Sauce Co. Shoppette on Wayside Drive, and The Green Zone on Almeda, which hosts their food trailers, Houston Sauce Kitchen and Trill Phillies, among other vegan vendors.

But as the sign out front implies, it’s more than just vegan food as Mo’ Better offers up a special coffee blend from Three Keys Coffee (locally run by Tio and Kenzel Fallen), and a curated music selection from Houston’s preeminent ethnomusicologist and resident DJ, Flash Gordon Parks.

These three beats combined, Mo’ Better Brews hits a sweet spot of comfy indoor and outdoor digs with a stellar brunch menu that packs the patio on the weekends.

Vegan Fried Fare & Other Grub

The menu at Mo’ Better Brews is 100% vegan and offers a spectrum of fried, sauced and smothered fare from the lighter to the heavier side. Whichever direction you head, the menu is full of items that deliver the kinds of first bites that sit in your mouth for a few extra beats, filling it with flavor and mumbled “mmm”s.

Get things started with the Naked Fried Brussels; a bowl of delicate, ultra crispy sprouts in a savory fig demi glace that’s light on the fork and heavy on flavor.

Then take your pick from featured items like the Johnny Nash Sweet Potato Hash with kale, quinoa, black beans and avocado in a cilantro lemon vinaigrette; the Chik’n Fried Shrooms & Grits with fried oyster mushrooms nestled in a bed of grits and drizzled with Trill Sauce; a Dilla Donut Sandwich that marries breakfast sausage, eggs, tomato, spinach and cheddar cheeze in a fresh, fried donut; or dig into the sweet, mouth-watering waffles and pancakes topped with peach cobbler, strawberry cheezecake, pecan pie, or hot honey–tossed Chik’n Fried Shrooms.

Flatbread pizzas and other light bites and kids’ offerings round out the menu, but don’t skip out on Mo’ Better’s beverages, from locally roasted coffee drinks to juices, smoothies and mimosas kissed with flavorings like elderberry, hibiscus and pineapple.

Crate Digging & Patio Sitting

From the bright, wood-lined interior and the leafy outdoor patio that sprawls toward the edge of San Jacinto Street, there’s a handful of nooks to be found where visitors can carve out space.

With the doors open at 7:30am on six days of the week, Mo’ Better Brews positions itself as a cozy spot to hang out with work, friends or colleagues during quieter mornings and weekday afternoons.

And, if you want to bring home some vinyl, head inside to the “Wrecka Stow” and flip through a few bins of curated records chosen by Flash Gordon Parks, where you’ll find selections of classic soul, funk, hip-hop and Houston-grown talent. A unique addition to the coffee shop and brunch vibes, you’ll find notes from the insightful DJ that clue you in on samples featured in other songs, special drum breaks, and obscure connections to H-Town.

If you’re swinging by for brunch on the weekend, plan it in advance as the patio gets packed and guests are limited to two hours per table. Large groups (6 to 15 guests) are encouraged to send an email and a deposit with 48-hour notice, while smaller groups can hop on the waitlist via Yelp.

To learn more about Mo’ Better Brews, check out their website where you can see the menu and place online to-go orders.

Mo’ Better Brews in Museum District

• Location: 1201 Southmore Boulevard, Houston, TX 77004
• Contact: 832-740-4297
• Parking: Attached lot; limited street parking in surrounding area.
• Hours: Tuesday to Thursday 7:30am to 3pm; Friday to Sunday 7:30am to 6pm