Inside Buttermilk Baby (photo by Kirsten Gilliam)
Known for its portfolio of upscale and elegant restaurants, the concept represents a new path for Berg Hospitality Group: an all-day family-friendly hangout invested with equal parts Americana and modern-dining know-how. Think of it as a homage to vintage soda-shop ambiance with retro southern fare fit for Instagram fame!
"Buttermilk Baby is a fusion of our traditional fine dining with fast casual to create a new concept of dining I like to call ‘cool casual.’ It’s a place where kids of all ages can get home-cooked comfort food made from top-notch ingredients and just enjoy being a kid again,” says Benjamin Berg, founder and CEO of Berg Hospitality Group.
Buttermilk Baby is the Texas debut of Carvel, the cult classic ice cream brand founded in 1934. As the country’s first retail ice cream company, Carvel is best known for creating The Original Soft Serve, as well as for its iconic ice cream cakes and signature novelties. Carvel’s ice cream cakes, including the Fudgie the Whale character cake, along with 10 flavors of soft-serve and the brand’s fan-favorite Flying Saucer ice cream sandwiches are also on offer.
Chicken fingers at Buttermilk Baby (photo by Brian Kennedy)
Bailey's-and-Oreo boozy shake
Photo by Kirsten Gilliam
Carvel soft serve
Smashburger at Buttermilk Baby (photo by Brian Kennedy)
Start the day with a breakfast of champions: cinnamon rolls, buttermilk biscuits with sausage gravy, buttermilk pancakes and biscuit sandwiches filled with eggs, honey ham and buttermilk-brined fried chicken. The menu also features Ben Berg’s favorite breakfast: an everything bagel with cream cheese and bacon, coined “Ben’s Biscuit.”
Roll up your sleeves for lunch and dinner signatures like diner-style smashburgers, patty melt, chicken finger basket, and a variety of chicken sandwiches (buttermilk, southern-fried, grilled, mushroom-swiss). Smashburgers, hot dogs and corn dogs are made with Texas wagyu beef.
New York-based design firm ICRAVE and longtime Berg collaborator Gail McCleese of sensitori teamed up to produce a dining wonderland where guests are greeted by pink cloud-shaped swings floating from a rainbow-colored arch entrance. You can’t miss the life-size carousel horse, the giant ice-cream-sundae statue (complete with rotating cherry on top), neon signage, and a pastel color palette running through the 50-seat dining room. The kid-friendly ice cream bar has seating for 10.
To drink, adults can sip on frozen frappes, coffee and a limited selection of beer and wine. Carvel’s soft serve ice cream is also incorporated into the menu through the concept’s “boozy shakes” in a variety of adults-only flavors including Espresso Shaketini, Bailey’s Oreo Cookie, and Piña Colada.
Cheers to that!
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Kat Pressly and Reagan Bregman
Smith and LaForce established their nonprofit HelpCureHD, which provides support for those suffering from the progressive brain disease. Huntington’s Disease hereditary, and there’s a 50 percent chance of passing the gene along to offspring. However, going through IVF and screening embryos before implantation is one way to eliminate the risk, and HelpCureHD has committed to help couples cover the cost of that process. More than 60 babies have been brought into the world HD-free thanks to the nonprofit’s grant program, and there are many more on the way!
As has become tradition at this annual event, the raffle and live auction touted truly covetable prizes: Presenting sponsor Shaftel Diamonds donated a stunning diamond necklace created in collaboration with LaForce, and there was Astros swag aplenty — autographed items, an opportunity to throw out the first pitch at a home game (and sit in Jim Crane's personal seats!), and tickets to all of the playoff games at Minute Maid Park.
Among those raising a glass for the cause were Adrienne and Jared Crane, Kat Pressly, Sue Rogers, Reagan Bregman, Sam Tucker and Jordan Seff.
Sydnee Hilburn Davis and Jared Davis
Alexander Kelly and Kristin Foteh Kelly
Bobby Dees, Hallie Vanderhider, Fady Armanious and Bill Baldwin
Sue Rogers, Kat Pressly, Tory Graveman, Kim Seitler
Carrie and Austin Stanton
Danny and Iris Shaftel, Allie LaForce and Joe Smith
Reggie Jackson and Johnny Bravo
Kevin and Brooke Lee
Emily Carruth and Ashton Bremer
Michael and Ileana Trevino
Jo Furr, Erin Furr Stimming, Erin Goldman
Maxx Chewning and Taylor Kessler
Joan Purcell, Dorothy Roach, Darcy Morgan, Jennifer Browining
Matthew and Katherine Kardesch and Erin and Brian Goldman
Jody Merritt, Angela Hernandez
Emily Carruth and Ashton Bremer
Jamie and Chris Garner
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