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Battle of the Breakfasts: Dandelion Café Wins Good Morning America’s Competition

Jordan Magaziner Steinfeld
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Live on GMA

Dandelion Cafe's Sarah Lieberman and JC Ricks holding the golden cup. The United States of Breakfast Competition took place at Saint Arnold Brewing Co., and dishes were prepared for celebrity judges Eddie Jackson, Erica Simon, and Owen Daniels. (Photo: POP Studios PR)

Good Morning America’s “United States of Breakfast” competition spotlighted Houston this week, pitting Dandelion Cafe vs. The Breakfast Klub. Dandelion’s chef JC Ricks beat The Breakfast Klub’s Marcus Davis in the competition for the best chicken and waffles dish, prepared for celebrity judges Food Network star Eddie Jackson, KTRK-ABC13's Erica Simon, and former Texans football player Owen Daniels. The breakfast battle took place at Saint Arnold Brewing Co., and dozens of community members gathered to cheer on the restaurants. 


Dandelion Cafe's Dandy Chicken and Waffle dish beat out The Breakfast Klub's famous wings and waffle dish on Good Morning America. (Photo: Becca Wright)

Next up, Dandelion Cafe will head to New York for the national round where they’ll compete against three other cities for the title of Best Breakfast in America and a chance to win $10,000. The Dandy Chicken and Waffle dish is a “cornbread” waffle made with house made buttermilk, topped with a fried chicken thigh that was marinated for 24 hours in house creole and house chorizo spice blends, then breaded in a mixture of rice flour and all-purpose flour. It is topped with a dollop of house whipped spicy maple butter, drizzled with maple syrup and dusted with powdered sugar.

The Breakfast Klub (3711 Travis St.), famous for their chicken and waffles, participated in a similar GMA breakfast challenge in 2010, which helped fuel the frequently-long lines outside of the restaurant’s doors downtown, with visitors waiting to taste their famous “wings & waffle” dish. The Breakfast Klub opened in 2001. 


Good Morning America filming at Dandelion Cafe prior to the "United States of Breakfast" competition. (Photo: POP Studios PR)

Dandelion (5405 Bellaire Blvd.), an all-day breakfast café, is owned by Sarah Lieberman and chef JC Ricks, has grown to become a staple in the Bellaire community since it opened in August 2016. Read more about Dandelion’s Sarah Lieberman and husband JC Ricks in our February 2023 Chef’s Corner column written by Dai Huynh.  

Tune in to cheer on Dandelion as they compete on the national round of “United States of Breakfast” on Friday, June 30. 

  • JC Ricks, Sarah Lieberman, Juniper Ricks,

    Chef JC Ricks, Sarah Lieberman, and daughter Juniper in the golden cup on Good Morning America. (Photo: POP Studios PR)

  • Sarah Lieberman, JC Ricks,

    Dandelion Cafe's Sarah Lieberman proudly holds up the golden cup next to chef JC Ricks. (Photo: POP Studios PR)

  • JC Ricks, Sarah Lieberman, Juniper Ricks, Libby Ricks,

    Chef JC Ricks, Sarah Lieberman, and daughters Juniper (left) and Libby (right) all smiles at Dandelion Cafe. (Photo: POP Studios PR)

  • Dandelion

    Dandelion (5405 Bellaire Blvd.), an all-day breakfast café, is owned by Sarah Lieberman and chef JC Ricks, and has grown to become a staple in the Bellaire community since it opened in August 2016. (Photo: POP Studios PR)

  • Paper flower art

    Paper flower art decorates the wall at Dandelion Cafe. 

  • JC Ricks, Sarah Lieberman, Juniper Ricks,
  • Sarah Lieberman, JC Ricks,
  • JC Ricks, Sarah Lieberman, Juniper Ricks, Libby Ricks,
  • Dandelion
  • Paper flower art

JC Ricks, Sarah Lieberman, Juniper Ricks,

Chef JC Ricks, Sarah Lieberman, and daughter Juniper in the golden cup on Good Morning America. (Photo: POP Studios PR)

Sarah Lieberman, JC Ricks,

Dandelion Cafe's Sarah Lieberman proudly holds up the golden cup next to chef JC Ricks. (Photo: POP Studios PR)

JC Ricks, Sarah Lieberman, Juniper Ricks, Libby Ricks,

Chef JC Ricks, Sarah Lieberman, and daughters Juniper (left) and Libby (right) all smiles at Dandelion Cafe. (Photo: POP Studios PR)

Dandelion

Dandelion (5405 Bellaire Blvd.), an all-day breakfast café, is owned by Sarah Lieberman and chef JC Ricks, and has grown to become a staple in the Bellaire community since it opened in August 2016. (Photo: POP Studios PR)

Paper flower art

Paper flower art decorates the wall at Dandelion Cafe. 

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