Fat Tuesday is fast approaching, which means it time to revel in the joys of Cajun and Creole fare, king cakes and all the goodness of a traditional celebration. Despite the downsizing required due to COVID-19, there are still plenty of ways to enjoy the day. These local spots have all the trappings for a memorable Mardi Gras (February 16) with food deals and cake — lots of cake — and options for for dine in, takeout and delivery.

B&B Butchers, 1814 Washington: Party by day with a Mardi Gras brunch at this luxe steakhouse. In addition to regular menu items, there is a special New Orleans-inspired menu that includes Cajun Boudin with two poached eggs, biscuits and gravy ($18),  Duck and Andouille Gumbo ($10) and a Crawfish Étouffée Omelet ($22), which are available for dine-in, takeout and delivery. Dine-in guests can enjoy extra perks such such as cocktails by Beam Suntory, dueling pianos — requests welcomed — and holiday swag. Brunch is Saturday, February 13 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Seating is limited. To make a reservation, which are required, call (713) 862-1814 or reserve online. 

Bread Man Baking Co.:, Multiple locations: Try a twist on tradition with the King Cake Babka! It is made with a rich brioche dough spiked with a cinnamon-swirl filling and topped with icing and festive sprinkles. Each 10×5 loaf feeds six to eight people and costs $10. Find it at these area farmers markets through the month of February. 

Brennan’s of Houston, 3300 Smith: Mark the holiday with an upscale dinner and entertainment at this Houston classic. The event is February 16 and costs $65 per person for a package that includes a three-course menu of starter, entrée and dessert; a balloon display for photos and performances from Vincent Trio Jazz Band and Sin City Drag. Dishes are dependent on availability but may include starters such as snapping turtle soup, Mardi Gras Salad and Louisiana Crawfish Pie and mains such as Bayou City Shrimp Chippewa and Creole Mustard Crusted Lamb Chops. Desserts might include Mardi Gras Mambo King Cake with Creole cream cheese filling, and brandy milk punch ice cream; Mississippi Mud Pie and NOLA Praline Tres Leches Cake. Reservations are available only by calling 713-522-9711. Visit the website for more information. 

For celebrating at home, pre-order king cakes from one of Houston’s most iconic restaurants. This housemade confection is spiked with a cinnamon sugar filling then finished with icing and festive sugar sprinkles. Each cake serves six to eight people and costs $24. Place orders online for pickup with at least one day’s notice.  

Feges BBQ, 3 Greenway Plaza: King Cake Cinnamon Rolls are on the menu for one week only. Grab the sweet and gooey treat Monday through Friday, February 15 through 19 at the barbecue counter, or order online for pickup and delivery.

Harold’s Restaurant, Bar & Rooftop Terrace, 350 West 19th: Spice up your Fat Tuesday with savory specials at this neighborhood locale. Look for fried catfish with French fries and hushpuppies, chicken & sausage gumbo with rice, Harold’s Jambalaya and beignets with café au lait anglaise. Mark the occasion with a cocktail and choose from a Hurricane, Vieux Carre and D’Artagnan. Revelers can enter a Mardi Gras mask contest, too, either in person or by posting a photo wearing their mask and tagging #HaroldsMardiGras on social media. There will be one winner drawn every hour from 6 to 9 p.m. and the prize is a swag basket sponsored by Desert Door, Jameson, Deep Eddy and Absolut Vodka that includes t-shirts, glassware, 50-milliliter bottles, mixers and a $10 gift certificate to Harold’s. Make reservations for in-house dining or place to go and delivery orders online or by calling (713) 360-6204. 

Max’s Wine Dive, 4720 Washington and 214 Fairview: Nosh on King Cake French Toast through the month of February available for brunch, lunch, dinner and dessert. The special treat is made with Max’s traditional Crème Brûlée French Toast but kicked up a notch with king-cake-cream-cheese frosting, bourbon-caramel sauce and cinnamon. It costs $15 for a full order that includes four pieces of French toast or $20 for three pieces of French toast and three fried chicken wings. It is available for dine in, to go and delivery. Make reservations online for the Montrose location and Washington location or order online for takeout.

Moeller’s Bakery, 4201 Bellaire: This neighborhood favorite has served sweet delights since 1930. Pick up Mardi Gras-themed desserts such as cupcakes and cookies starting at $1.75 for singles and $19.50 for a dozen. There are full cakes, too, starting at $35. King cakes are available in two sizes: the small feeds 10 to 15 people for $33.68 and large feeds 20+ and costs $38.68. Add choice of raspberry, cream cheese or raspberry cream cheese filling for $5 more. Visit the seasonal menu for more information.

One Fifth Southern Comfort, 1658 Westheimer: The Fat Tuesday dine-in, to go and delivery menu includes one-night-only gumbo ($10), plus crawfish by the pound ($13), shrimp by the half-pound ($15) and snow crab clusters ($32). All come with corn, potatoes and andouille sausage. King cake is available for dessert and if you get the baby in your cake you’ll win 20-percent off your next visit. For those dinning in, Jesse McBride, a contemporary jazz, funk and R&B musician, will perform on the patio. Visit the website to make reservations and to order online.

Orleans Seafood Kitchen,  20940 Katy Freeway: Pick up a Mardi Gras TO-GO package on February 16 filled with holiday goodies for home enjoyment. It costs $60 and includes five pounds of boiled crawfish, half-gallon frozen Hurricanes and festive costume beads. This special is available for to-go orders only from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Place orders online or call (281) 646-0700.

Pier 6 Seafood & Oyster House, 113 6th, San Leon: Live zydeco music accompanies a Cirque du Soleil-style acrobatic performance during this waterfront locale’s patio party. In addition to entertainment, there are house cocktails and Veuve Clicquot Brut plus Creole-inspired delights like King Cake Bread Pudding. Reservations are encouraged for seatings from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; make reservations online and visit the event website for more information. Order a celebration to go with king cakes; preorder through February 10 with pickup February 12, 13, 14 or 16.

Southside Flying Pizza, 2240 Navigation: On Fat Tuesday receive a free dessert when you pick up a pizza such as The Southsider topped with pepperoni, ham, sausage, red onions, bell peppers, mushrooms, mozzarella, Parmesan and Romano cheese; Athena with spinach, kalamata olives, red onions, tomatoes, feta, mozzarella, Parmesan and Romano; or Flyin’ Hawaiian with barbecue sauce, chicken, ham, red onions, pineapple, jalapeños, mozzarella, Parmesan and Romano. Choose from gluten-free options and pizza-by-the-slice, too. Call (832) 799-3006 for more information.

Three Brothers Bakery, Multiple locations:  If festive fare is your pleasure, this long-standing family bakery has you covered. Choose from elaborately decorated Mardi Gras cakes including cheesecake and regular cake, petit fours, cookies and cupcakes. There are king cakes in three flavors, too: plain, cream cheese or fruit. View the full holiday lineup and order online. 

The Toasted Yolk, Multiple locations: Most Mardi Gras specials end after Fat Tuesday, but the new Creole-inspired dishes at this café will extend for the foreseeable future. Get in the holiday spirit with an assortment of crawfish-based bites. Choose from Tails and Grits with jumbo crawfish tails, veggies and Creole sauce over cheese grits; the Zydeco Omelette filled with crawfish tails and topped with housemade remoulade, the Bourbon St. Arnold sandwich of fried crawfish with tomato and eggs, Mardi Gras PoBoy with fried crawfish, and a Toasted Hurricane cocktail. For more information visit the website of your preferred location.

Disclosure: Harold’s is a valued Houston Food Finder sponsor that ensures we can pay our writers and keep publishing articles such as this one! Consider sponsoring our work. Email us for details. 

Ellie Sharp