Credit: Bagel Shop Bakery, Becca Wright
Several local businesses are stepping up and showing the Houston LGBTQ+ community major love throughout the month of June! Not only are these bars, restaurants, bakeries, and other establishments perfect places to visit throughout the year, but during Pride they sweeten the deal by giving back to local organizations financially. Check out the list of places below that we recommend stopping by in June for fun and easy ways to celebrate and show your support this Pride!
Picos, a favorite for Mexican food in H-Town, is celebrating Pride Month by partnering with the Montrose Center. Customers are invited to book the Picos Pride Donation Table via Resy or over the phone. The restaurant, located at 3601 Kirby Drive, Houston, TX 7709, will donate 20% of the check (before tax and tip) to The Montrose Center. Additionally, $1 from each of Picos’ Pride drink specials will be donated to The Montrose Center. Specials include the Baby Mojito Buckets (Bacardi Superior, lime, mint, topo chico *regular, coconut or mango*) for $15 and the Pride Paloma (hornitos reposado, amaras mezcal, squirt, lime) for $15.
Koffeteria is continuing the spirit of collaboration for Pride Month with some exciting collaborations and givebacks! Every weekend, the upscale bakery will be offering the “Being Gay is Funfetti” croissant, with all proceeds going to Grace Place, a non-profit with a mission of empowering and supporting vulnerable youth and young adults of all sexualities and genders who are experiencing homelessness.
On June 8 and 29, the bakery partners with Chef Henry Lu of JŪN as he serves up his General Lu’s Chicken Danish, fried rice, and Chinese sausage croissant, and Chef Sasha Grumman of Sass Hospitality, who serves up Kreung Focaccia Pistachio, brie, and honey danishes.
Frost Town Brewing is pouring local pride by the pint with their Pride Series. The queer-owned brewery will feature five beers on tap all to raise funds for the local LGBTQ+ community. Available at the brewery’s taproom throughout the month of June, the series includes the following flavor options: Hibiscus benefiting Tony’s Place, Limeade Shandy benefiting Legacy Community Health Center, Peaches & Cream benefiting Grace Place, Hoppy Pineapple benefiting Tony’s Place, and Pea Flower Lemonade benefiting individualized gender-affirming care. Cheers!
Velvet Taco
Velvet Taco is tasting the rainbow this Pride 2024 — literally. Tie-dye tacos, anyone? The national taco joint best known for its funky global flavors is honoring Pride Month with its themed Weekly Taco Feature (WTF), the Pride Brunch Burger taco, featuring fan-favorite ingredients inspired by each letter in LGBTQ+ and a special charity partnership with Lambda Legal to give back to the community. The rainbow dish blends the best of both worlds — tacos and burgers — to craft a unique “LGBTQ+” blend of Lemon chile aioli, Green onion, Bacon, Tater tots, Queso blanco, medium egg, and candied pepitas all on a rainbow waffle tortilla. A portion of proceeds from each Pride Brunch Burger taco sold will be donated to Lambda Legal, the oldest and largest legal organization in the U.S. dedicated to protecting the civil rights of the LGBTQ+ community.
Elder Son Brewing Co. is collaborating with the H-Town Beer Guys for a Pride-themed beer for a cause! The “Sammy Wayne DeSoto” is a crispy West Coast Lager made with Citra, Incognito Mosaic, Riwaka, and Eureka! Hops. The brewery is thrilled to donate $1 from every taproom pour to Grace Place to further support its mission of empowering youth of all genders and sexualities experiencing homelessness.
Betelgeuse Betelgeuse is giving back with a shimmery cocktail for Pride. The Washington Ave. and Montrose bar is serving up the Yass Queen! composed of vodka, fresh strawberries, lemon, simple syrup, edible glitter, and sparkling wine. The cocktail can be made individually for $11 or in a large format that serves 4-6 people for $45. For each drink served throughout June at the Washington location $1 will be donated to Grace Place, with $1 from each drink served at the Montrose location going to The Montrose Center. Stop in for a delicious cocktail and do your part to support the LGBTQ+ community!
Bagel Shop Bakery offers the perfect pop of color for customers celebrating Pride! Stop in for the classic, plain-flavored Rainbow Bagel for $2.50 for a festive and delicious way to show your pride or surprise friends and loved ones with a colorful treat.
Brand new Montrose cocktail lounge, Jethro’s, will be serving the Lavender Blair throughout the month of June. The $14 cocktail is made of flor de cana eco, coconut, orgeat, lavender, and lemon, while the accompanying shot consists of vodka, peach puree, Cointreau, and sweet & sour. Jethro’s is located at 95 Tuam Street, Suite 102, Houston, TX 77006 and Grace Place will receive $1 from every Lavender Blair sold.
Known for fabulous events and monthly drag brunches, it's no surprise that Chapman & Kirby will be celebrating Pride extra this month. With two dazzling events, Chapman & Kirby is sure to bring the sparkle to Houston. First up, on June 15, Chapman & Kirby will host their monthly drag brunch, which will be unsurprisingly Pride-themed. The doors will open at 11:30 a.m. with brunch kicking off at 12:00 p.m. For just $35 per person, guests will enjoy an all-you-can-eat brunch, new featured drinks, and themed performances that will make their glittery hearts sing. Guests can make a reservation on Resy for this 21+ event and make plans to stick around for the free after-party from 2:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m., featuring a themed market that's hotter than a drag queen's contour.
Next up, on June 29 is the ultimate Pride Parade Party from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. takes place at Chapman and Kirby. The free event will feature live DJs, burlesque performances, a tattoo artist, a glitter bar, themed drinks, Pride market, and more fabulous surprises. This event benefits The Montrose Center & Grace Place, so get ready to party with a purpose. Partygoers can reserve their spot here.
North Shepherd Brewing has launched their Houston Proud Pilsner as of June 6. The “refreshingly uncomplicated” brewery will donate $1 of every pint or 4-pack sold to Grace Place. The fundraiser will last until the beer is completely gone, not just within the month of June, which the brewery anticipates could be a couple of months before it is tapped out. On June 14th, Kindred Kitchen food truck will be on site selling delicious bites that will pair perfectly with the beer!
Axelrad is partnering with Pride Houston 365 this year, with plans to donate 10% of proceeds from their Pride-themed cocktail "Category is: Prickly for Pride" (Frozen Prickly Pear Margarita with Tequila, Cointreau, Prickly Pear syrup and Lime Juice) for $12 throughout the month of June. Head to the Midtown bar for hammocks, music, and a delicious cocktail for a cause!
The Original Ninfa’s on Navigation
The Original Ninfa’s on Navigation and Uptown is celebrating Pride Month with a Watermelon Mojito for $13. This summery cocktail will be available exclusively in June, with $1 of every drink sold donated to Allies in Hope. The Watermelon Mojito combines the crisp, clean taste of Bacardi Superior Rum with the juicy sweetness of fresh watermelon, invigorating mint, and a splash of lime for a delightful balance of fruity and zesty flavors. Allies in Hope is dedicated to ending the HIV epidemic in the Greater Houston area. The Original Ninfa’s two locations are open Monday through Thursday from 11 am-10 pm, Friday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. | Navigation: 2704 Navigation Blvd + Uptown: 1700 Post Oak Blvd #I-190
Auden is donating a portion of its profits from its Funnel Cake dish and Butterfly Effect cocktail to PFLAG Houston during Pride Month. The Funnel Cake, available only during Sunday brunch, is a crispy, frosted funnel cake with creamy dulce de leche and fresh berries for $14. The Butterfly Effect cocktail, available for dinner and brunch, is a refreshing concoction of Reyka vodka, St. Germain, Singani, lemon, and lychee-lemongrass soda for $14. PFLAG Houston is a nonprofit dedicated to supporting the LGBTQ community and strengthening connections between them with family members, friends, and allies. Auden is open Tuesday through Saturday from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Sunday from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. | 3737 Cogdell St.
Echoes, located at 900 Richmond Ave. Houston, TX 77006, will have a Pride Month special on their Lavender Country cocktail, which is named after the Lavender Country, the first openly gay country music album. The cocktail is infused with lavender and anise-infused sotol, italics bergamot liqueur, Cocchi Americano, and lime yuzu soda. For June, Echoes will donate 20% of the Lavender Country sales to the Montrose Center and Grace Place. Additionally, on Friday, June 28, from 9 p.m. to close, Echoes will host their Cosmic Queers Dance Party to celebrate Pride with music by DJ Hustle Cry. Throughout the night, there will be drink specials, including the Lavender Country.
The Heights Social is an upscale bar and restaurant owned by the renowned Clé Group. The chic interior, including an awe-inspiring 101-foot chandelier, provides an extravagant backdrop for a memorable Pride Sunday Funday on Sunday, June 23, for the 6th Annual Pride Brunch & Montrose Center Fundraiser!
Enjoy a wide selection of craft cocktails and "virgin" mocktails, brunch by Chef Cameron Caine, music by DJ Chad Guidry, and drag performances on the hour by Sinema LaRue and Lucy Paradisco. 100% of all funds raised go to the Montrose Center. Brunch packages start at just $60 per person. Tickets and tables are available for purchase here.
Be sure to check out the two Houston Pride celebrations at the end of the month. Plan ahead by checking out our post about Houston’s New Faces of Pride and Pride Houston 365.
Photos: Courtesy of restaurants mentioned in this post.
