Houston’s bagel wars just got a serious New York accent. Longtime Manhattan favorite H&H Bagels is headed to River Oaks Village, marking the brand’s first Texas outpost and planting a flag on Westheimer Road. A recent state permit points to a spring-to-summer buildout, which would slide the opening into the not-too-distant future and add yet another East Coast import to a busy local bagel scene.
Permit filed for River Oaks storefront
A filing with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation details a $150,000 interior buildout and a May through August renovation window for a Westheimer address, according to the Houston Chronicle. The permit lists 2880 Westheimer Rd., while H&H’s own site gives 2802 Westheimer Rd.; the two storefronts sit only about 144 feet apart, so whichever one it is, River Oaks neighbors will not have far to walk.
How H&H plans to keep it New York
To keep its trademark New York chew intact, H&H says it will stick with its original recipe and kettle-boil dough in New York City water before finishing the bake in Houston, per H&H Bagels. The company also touts all-natural, non-GMO ingredients and traces its bagel pedigree back to 1972, when it first fired up ovens in Manhattan.
Where it fits in Houston’s bagel boom
The River Oaks shop is arriving in the middle of a full-on bagel boom, as both national brands and indie bakers grow across the metro. Another buzzy entrant, planning a Town & Country Village shop, is on the way too, according to a Town & Country Village shop, adding yet more competition to longtime neighborhood favorites already slinging East Coast-style rounds.
When to expect it and what to watch
With the permit filed and a contractor window sketched out, the River Oaks location could open later in 2026. H&H did not immediately respond to media requests, the Houston Chronicle reported. The Houston expansion also lines up with the chain’s broader franchising push; H&H has been in deal-signing mode as it grows beyond New York, according to Fast Casual.
