Highway 6 is about to pick up a fresh brunch habit. First Watch is headed to Manvel Town Center, where the Florida-born daytime brunch chain plans to turn a 4,000-square-foot vanilla shell into a new café through an approximately $800,000 tenant buildout. Construction is scheduled to kick off on Aug. 17, 2026, with crews aiming to wrap by Nov. 16, 2026, lining the restaurant up to open in time for the holiday rush. The Manvel spot will be run by Mac Haik Restaurant Group and will add another midday dining option to the rapidly filling retail corridor.
City Timeline and the Buildout
According to the City of Manvel, the café is slated for 17315 Hwy 6, Suite 107 and "represents an estimated $800,000 investment" that will "transform a 4,000 square foot vanilla shell into First Watch’s signature bright and welcoming dining space." The city lists Aug. 17, 2026 as the expected construction start and Nov. 16, 2026 as the target completion date. Officials describe Manvel Town Center as a fast-growing retail destination anchored by H-E-B.
Operator, Seating and Local Reaction
Mac Haik Restaurant Group is set to operate the Manvel First Watch, which the Houston Chronicle notes will be the franchise group's 27th First Watch in the region. The Chronicle also reports the restaurant will seat about 150 guests, offer an outdoor patio, and that Manvel Mayor Dan Davis has said he looks forward to updates as construction moves along. The Manvel announcement comes on the heels of several other First Watch openings around Greater Houston.
Chain Footprint
First Watch's corporate materials list more than 630 restaurants across 32 states, a footprint that has helped drive steady growth in Texas. The company relies on a daytime-only model, with typical hours running from about 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., concentrating service on breakfast, brunch and lunch. That national scale makes Manvel one of many suburban communities gaining a closer option for the chain's seasonal and signature menu items.
Where It Will Sit
The Manvel café will plug into the broader lineup at Manvel Town Center, a Highway 6 commercial hub the city and developers are populating with both national tenants and local services. Dropping First Watch into that mix gives nearby residents a brunch choice closer to home, rather than a trek into Pearland or central Houston, and signals more retail momentum for the area. City leaders have framed the project as one piece of ongoing commercial development in Brazoria County.
Closest First Watch for Now
Until the Manvel doors open, the nearest First Watch for local diners is in Pearland at 11625 W. Broadway Blvd., according to the chain's location pages. That Pearland restaurant is one of several First Watch sites in the area operated by the Mac Haik franchise group.
Jobs and Community Notes
Restaurant openings of this scale typically bring a mix of construction work and a few dozen service jobs. A prior Mac Haik and First Watch opening cited roughly 30 employees in press materials, offering a rough guide for what local hiring might look like. For the Manvel location, neither the city nor the franchisee has released an official headcount, so specific job postings and timelines are expected closer to the completion date.
Construction is expected to start Aug. 17, and city officials say they plan to share progress updates as work advances. Residents watching for job announcements or a firm opening date should keep an eye on notices from the franchisee and the City of Manvel as the buildout moves forward.
