The Houston Cocktail Lounge That Caters To A Wellness-Minded Clientele

What if your night out didn’t need to derail your wellness goals? That was the question that Morgan Hansen, CEO and owner of Best Regards in Houston, asked when she began designing the bar and restaurant’s new menu. With beverage trends suggesting a shifting consumer focus towards wellness, functional beverages and healthier food and drink choices, the concept is poised to join the ranks of the city’s most forward-thinking dining spots.

Located in The Heights neighborhood of a city that’s often at the forefront of culinary innovation, the upscale cocktail lounge with a playful business-theme is already making a name for itself as the first in Texas with wellness as the focus of its food and cocktail program.

“People are no longer willing to choose between a night out and their goals,” says Hansen. “I live that same balance, and I know our guests do too. We’re not just serving food and drinks—we’re redefining what fun can feel like.”

A Culinary Collaboration Backed By Wellness Experts

The food menus were designed in partnership with former Houston Texans nutritionist Jacob Mertens and private chef Andre Nieves to combine performance-driven nutrition with culinary expertise, which means the food is anything but boring. The lineup includes a variety of macro-friendly dishes, a term that describes food or recipes that have a balanced ratio of the three main macronutrients—protein, carbohydrates, and fats—to meet a person’s specific daily goals.

“At Best Regards, our mantra has always been work hard, play smart,” says Hansen. “We all push so hard in our day-to-day lives, and we deserve to indulge without losing the momentum of everything we’ve built during the week. It’s nightlife for a new era – where people are counting macros instead of rounds and choosing options that support their goals.”

The concise food menu is separated into two categories: Deductions and Write-Offs. The Deductions section will appeal to calorie-conscious diners, with items like empanadas and carne asada fried rice made with filet mignon, jasmine rice and vegetables. Each dish description also includes the item’s nutritional content, such as the shrimp campechana with avocado, cucumber and smoked cocktail sauce, a macro-friendly favorite that balances flavor and function with only 263 calories, 11 grams of fat, 12 grams of carbs, and 29 grams of protein.

Guests looking to indulge can turn to the Write-Offs for more decadent dishes like birria “crunchwrap supremes,” braised short rib sliders with caramelized onions and Gruyere, and savory churros with a trio of dipping sauces.

“We treat the menu like a balance sheet,” says Hansen. “For guests who want to enjoy a night out while meeting their health goals, there are dishes that are macro-friendly but still delicious, and our Write-Offs section is for the times our guests want indulgences that are unapologetically worth it. Whether they’re looking for a calorie-conscious meal or to satisfy their cravings, there are elevated selections for both.”

Cocktails Reinvented For The Modern Wellness Movement

Similar to the food menu, the cocktail menu has Signature cocktails and low-calorie Slim Margins options, along with a Zero Liability mocktail section for guests choosing to moderate or abstain. All are designed for the mindful drinker who wants to toast life events, catch up with friends over cocktails, or meet a date for drinks and still feel good the next day. Notably, the menu includes a frozen cocktail, the Frozen Assets, that manages to stay low-calorie, as these cocktails are traditionally difficult to execute in low-calorie form.

The mocktails are all made with Seedlip non-alcoholic spirits, with many featuring fresh juices and spicy flavor profiles. There’s even a coffee-based mocktail for the guest that wants a pick-me-up without the alcohol. As more people are staying away from alcohol for a variety of reasons, these thoughtful alternatives are the cornerstone of the bar’s commitment to wellness.

“Guests might be ordering fewer drinks, but they’re being more selective,” says Hansen. “They’re choosing a crafted cocktail over a round of shots, or a nicer bottle of wine to share. We’ve seen a huge response to our skinny cocktail menu and our mocktails. People want options that feel elevated, whether that’s lower-calorie or zero-proof, and that’s exactly what we’re giving them.”

As Best Regards carves a niche in the affluent Houston neighborhood of The Heights, health conscious partygoers across the city are starting to pay attention, thanks to Hansen’s forward vision to redefine nightlife, aiming to show that fun and discipline don’t have to exist in separate spheres.