Owner of Michelin Bib Gourmand Whoopsie’s opening an all-day cafe in East Lake

A new restaurant from Chef Hudson Rouse will open next spring in East Lake, giving the neighborhood an all-day cafe serving breakfast and lunch daily.

Called Babygirl, the restaurant will take over the former Mix’d Up Burger space at Hosea & 2nd behind Gene’s and Poor Hendrix.

Rouse, who owns Rising Son in Avondale Estates, Michelin Bib Gourmand Whoopsie’s in Reynoldstown, and Pure Quill Superette in Edgewood, hopes to open Babygirl by April 2026. But don’t expect the menu here to mimic the breakfast and lunch dishes found at Pure Quill or Rising Son. 

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Opening at 8 a.m. each day, Babygirl’s menu will skew vegetable-heavy and “health-conscious,” Rouse said, rather than the typical Southern breakfast fare found at Rising Son and Pure Quill. That doesn’t mean, however, that there won’t be dishes like a biscuit sandwich or a carby blue plate special at Babygirl. 

“This may have more of an intercontinental breakfast and lunch feel, with salads, soup and sandwich combos, that sort of thing,” Rouse told Rough Draft. “[Babygirl] is more cafe or bistro-inspired, kind of a modern diner and snack-oriented with small, concise plates.”

Rouse will eventually relocate the soft serve machine at Pure Quill to Babygirl, where he’ll offer a tight menu of desserts throughout the day. Along with coffee and smoothies, look for cocktails, beer, and a robust wine list from the bar. 

Rouse likens Babygirl to a cafe with diner-esque menu options. That might include a burger and fries, a club sandwich, or pasta. Those reliable constants you can always find on the menu. Some dishes will reflect elements of cuisines enjoyed during Rouse’s travels abroad.

“I recreate food that I love and draw inspiration from other chefs and restaurants and from my travels. Pure Quill and Whoopsie’s menus are limited by the size of the kitchens, so they don’t change as much as I would like them to,” Rouse said. “The Babygirl kitchen is much bigger, and I will have an actual hand in designing it, which will allow me to get more creative with the menu.” 

Babygirl is meant to fill the gap in hours before restaurants like Gene’s and Poor Hendrix open for dinner and drinks later in the day. The point, Rouse said, is to give East Lake residents a place to grab breakfast and lunch without leaving the neighborhood, and provide a hangout spot for a glass of wine and snacks in the afternoon. 

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Rouse hadn’t settled on the name until a few days before pulling permits for Babygirl. Like the story behind Pure Quill Superette, inspired by his grandfather’s former hardware and grocery store in West Virginia, Rouse wanted to incorporate some sort of family connection in the name for the East Lake restaurant. 

He has two baby girls and a son, and the name of his restaurant group is Rising Sons and Daughters. Rouse also likes how “babygirl” rolls off the tongue, a term of endearment you’ll hear frequently at Whoopsie’s, used by the staff to greet one another as well as some of the regulars there.

Leaning into that sense of familiarity and informality, Rouse will keep the vibe at Babygirl relaxed and casual, opting for a Danish or Japanese design aesthetic with clean lines and a neutral color palette. 

Inside, Babygirl will feature a 10-seat bar with two- and four-top tables seating up to 50 people. A covered patio and an outdoor area on the side of the restaurant will offer additional seating.

“I love that corner of East Lake. I have history there since I sold my first vegetables at the East Lake Farmers Market across the street, where the townhomes are now,” explained Rouse. “I helped clean up the back area of the parking lot, which has become the neighborhood garden behind it.”

“I’ve been a big fan of Poor Hendrix since it opened and knew the owners of Mary Hoopa’s and Salaryman, and now Gene’s,” he added. “It’s a fun corner and I wanted to bring a restaurant serving breakfast, especially. I want regulars coming here to have breakfast and sit with their neighbors and chat with their friends.”

And while opening another restaurant so soon after Pure Quill wasn’t on his 2026 agenda, Rouse said the opportunity to come full circle in East Lake was just too hard to pass up. 

Babygirl, 2371 Hosea L. Williams Dr., East Lake. Opening April 2026.

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