Houston's 5 Best Weekend Food Bets: Pumpkin Dessert and Socially Distanced Patio Dining

This weekend, we’re sharing five fantastic dining options from restaurants around town, covering dine-in, takeout, delivery and curbside service.

Curbside Pickup and Socially Distanced Dining at Doris Metropolitan

Friday-Saturday, 5 to 10 p.m

2815 South Shepherd

In addition to its indoor dining space and free curbside pickup, the Israeli steakhouse recently introduced socially distanced outdoor dining for up to six people, offering a patio complete with fans and umbrellas for Houston’s warmer days. Happy Hour offers $9 signature cocktails, $8 wines by the glass and eats from the $16 Doris Burger with truffle fries and an $18 artisanal cheese to small plates for $6-$8; and the fall cocktail menu has just been released as well. 

20th Anniversary at Flying Saucer Houston

Friday-Sunday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

705 Main

Flying Saucer invites beerknurds to celebrate 20 years with in-person or at-home festivities. Try the latest barrel aged collaborations with Saint Arnold and Southern Star; get take home bundles on sale starting Friday at 11 a.m.; hit the anniversary pre-party featuring Ommegang 3 Philosophers Flights at 5 p.m. on Friday; and look out for anniversary specials on Saturday and Sunday, with over a dozen tappings from Texas and beyond, beers from Prairie, Sigma, Jester King, The Bruery, Saint Arnold, Untitled Art and more, and flights including Fifty Fifty Brewing Eclipse Flights, Pastry Stout Flight and Best of 2020, among others. 

Old Fashioned Week at Jonathan’s The Rub Memorial Green

Friday-Satuday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

12505 Memorial

Now through Sunday, October 25, Jonathan’s The Rub Memorial Green will be pouring and donating for Old Fashioned Week, which was created by Elijah Craig in partnership with PUNCH magazine to show off Old Fashioned cocktails and raise money to help hospitality workers whose lives have been disrupted by the pandemic. During the run, Jonathan’s will donate $1 of every Old Fashioned sold to a special fund set up and administered by Elijah Craig. Money raised in each community will go to a charitable service for hospitality workers in that community. 

Raclette Party on the Patio at Montrose Cheese & Wine

Saturday, 1 to 5 p.m.

1618 Westheimer

Montrose Cheese & Wine is celebrating its love of raclette — the fondue-like cheese that is a typical après-ski meal invented in Switzerland — with a raclette party on the patio. The team will have a full wheel of cheese just waiting to be torched and scraped onto your plate. Plates are $18 and come with caramelized onions, frisée, cornichons and baguette slices ($22 with charcuterie). 

Seasonal Drinks and Pumpkin Dessert at Tobiuo Sushi & Bar

Friday- Saturday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Sunday,11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.

23501 Cinco Ranch 

Katy’s popular Japanese spot is getting into the fall spirit with a brand-new cocktail and dessert. General manager and beverage director Le Chau created The Tobiuo Toddy ($12), offering a nod to Japan through his use of jasmine green tea alongside whiskey, lemon, honey, cinnamon clove and torched star anise. Now through Halloween weekend, The Frankenstein is a grown-up treat of gin, Midori, lemon, lemongrass, crème de banana and a black lava salt rim, garnished with lychee. Pair the drinks with the Pumpkin Patch Dessert ($12), pumpkin-shaped sweet comprised of kabocha Bavarian cream, clove anglaise, cocoa crumb, honey-butter pumpkin seeds and horchata ice cream.