Though social distancing is in effect and bars and restaurants are closed for in-house services, the ever-strong Houston food community continues to truck on. This week, support local restaurants by carrying out, fuel up on tacos for Cinco de Mayo, and celebrate all the moms in your life with tasty eats. Here's a look at this week's hottest culinary happenings:
Monday, May 4
The “Mensch Out” Campaign Launch
Houston’s “Mensch Out” Campaign seeks to drive sales and awareness to participating Jewish-owned and Jewish-run restaurants, retailers and businesses, while raising dollars for those in need via the Jewish Federation of Greater Houston and the Houston Jewish Community Foundation’s COVID-19 Emergency Appeal. Many if the participating businesses are donating up to 15-percent of proceeds from sales on Mondays throughout May (May 4, May 11, May 18, and May 25), with the lineup including New York Deli & Coffee Shop and The Bagel Shop Bakery, Dessert Gallery Bakery & Café, Roadster Grill at Eighteen36, Cuteheads, Mostly Chocolate & Catering and Three Brothers Bakery. See the full lineup online. Funds raised through the Mensch Out campaign for the COVID-19 Emergency Appeal will provide urgent basic needs to individuals, families, and seniors including food, medicine, and household supplies as well as rental payments, utilities, and other necessary bills.Monday through Friday
Teacher and Nurse Appreciation Week at Grimaldi’s Pizzeria
Grimaldi’s Pizzeria will honor hardworking teachers and nurses nationwide with its annual appreciation week. Beginning Monday, May 4 through Friday, May 8, teachers and nurses will receive 15-percent off any meal purchase at Grimaldi’s with school or hospital ID.Tuesday, May 5
Cinco de Mayo Specials
Houstonians can celebrate Cinco de Mayo with carryout fiesta kits from Cyclone Anaya's, available to preorder. Get the Fajita Fiesta Kit ($50), with beef and chicken, onions and pepers, rice and beans, cheese, pico, guacamole and tortillas; or the Taco Party Kit ($35), featuring ground beef, crunchy taco shells, lettuce and tomatoes, cheese, sour cream, and rice and beans for four. Make it a party with Margarita Fiesta Kit (six to seven servings) for $60 or a Premium Jumbo Margarita for $10.This is the tenth Cinco de Mayo for El Big Bad, 419 Travis, and its celebrating with a “Cinco at our Place” fiesta from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. (tables will be limited and available on a first come first served basis); and with “Cinco in Place” takeout and delivery orders (with to-go margaritas included).
The Federal American Grill, 510 Shepherd, 8731 Katy Freeway, planning to celebrate Cinco de Mayo with its Fajita and Margarita menu to-go, featuring you choice of beef, Cajun shrimp or chicken (two pounds), plus grilled onion, pepper and jalapeno mix, cilantro rice, beans, flour tortillas, mixed cheese, salsa and tortilla chips. Add on a quart of margaritas for $30. Customers should pre-order 24 hours in advance.
Fuzzy’s Taco Shop invites guests to take at-home fiestas to the next level with fresh Mexican favorites including chips and guacamole, tacos and margaritas. In addition to its regular menu, enjoy packages like the Taco Family Meals package, available in two sizes: regular ($35, serves four to six) and large ($50, serves six to eight). Order online or by calling your local shop.
The Cy-Fair family-owned Herrera Restaurant Group invites you to “Fiesta at home” with family and margarita packs featuring all the essentials. The at-home fiesta kits offer street tacos two ways: Alicia’s Mexican Grille
style or Galiana’s Tex Mex fusion with a sweet pineapple flare. Guests can also order by the entrée, get family packs of 16 tacos with street corn, and choose a margarita pack with Avion or El Jimador tequilas. Available through Sunday, May 10, the Cinco de Mayo kits are available for curbside, takeout, or free delivery within 10 miles at all five Alicia’s Mexican Grille locations and via drive-through and free delivery within 10 miles at the brand new scratch kitchen, Galiana’s Tex Mex and Agave Bar, 4110 US-290 #500.
Hungry’s, 14714 Memorial, 2356 Rice, will be offering Taco Trays now through Saturday, May 9. The Taco Trays come with nine tacos (three spicy beef, three chicken tinga, and three ahi tuna), a side of tortilla ships, salsa, and queso for $45; or get the Seitan Vegan Tacos family feast for $45 (feeds four); and add on frozen mango margaritas to go.
The Original Ninfa’s, 2704 Navigation, 1700 Post Oak, will be offering a variety of specials for Cinco de Mayo weekend, including the Ninfa’s famous fajitas with the option to add grilled Tampico or bacon-wrapped shrimp. On Tuesday, May 5, DJ Felipe Galvan will be playing curbside at the Ninfa’s Uptown location from 5 to 7 p.m.; and the Navigation location will be open for dine-in service from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Guests are encouraged to make a reservation through OpenTable but reservations are not required.
Saturday, May 9
Feges BBQ Pop-Up at Spring Branch Village Shopping
Feges BBQ is continuing to setup the parking lot of its future location in the Spring Branch Village Shopping Center, 8217 Long Point. Head there from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays to stock up on bbq in bulk, including brisket, pulled pork, pork ribs, sausage, smoked pulled chicken and turkey breast, all chilled and vacuum sealed, plus family packs and sides available. Orders must be placed by Friday by 6 p.m. for Saturday pickup. When you get to the parking lot, look for a tent and a Feges BBQ sign. Park and approach the table from a safe distance, and let its staff know the name of your order. They will then place your bag on the table for pick-up.
Drive-Thru at Urban Harvest Saturday Farmer’s Market
The Urban Harvest Saturday Farmers Market is now offering drive-thru service in addition to the open-air market being open every Saturday. Customers can place an order online with their favorite vendor, and guests will go to the second floor of the parking garage near the elevators at the Urban Harvest Farmers Market, 2752 Buffalo Speedway, between 8:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. to pick up their orders.Saturday and Sunday
Sunday Supper Meal Kit Fundraiser with Urban Harvest and Tony’s
Urban Harvest will also be hosting its spring Sunday Supper fundraising event, offering a reimagined at-home family experience in partnership with Tony Vallone’s famed restaurant Tony’s and executive chef Austin Waiter. Supporters are given the opportunity to be the chef, with a Tony’s Meal Kit available for pickup at Urban Harvest Farmers Market Drive-Thru, 2752 Buffalo Speedway, 2nd Floor, on Saturday, May 9 from 8:30 and 11:30 a.m. ($75, deadline to order Thursday, May 6). Then, on Sunday, May 10, Waiter will show you how to prepare the meal and answer any questions on Zoom. All proceeds will support Tony’s staff and Urban Harvest and its Farmers Market vendors.Sunday, May 10
Mother’s Day Dining
From restaurants offering everything from bubbly and brunch to prix fixe feasts and decadent desserts (both for dine-in service and to-go), our 2020 Houston Mother’s Day Dining Guide has you covered this Mother’s Day.Sunday Feges BBQ Pop-Up at Roost
In addition to its expanded hours at Greenway Plaza (Tuesday through Friday), Feges BBQ is hosting a Sunday Montrose Pop-Up in the parking lot at Roost, 1972 Fairview, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., offering chilled and vacuum sealed bbq in bulk, from brisket and pulled pork to smoked turkey and sausage, plus sides including braised collards, sweet potato banana mash and loaded potato salad. Orders must be placed by Friday at 6 p.m.Social Distancing Specials
Shed Market at Woodshed Smokehouse
Levy Park’s Woodshed Smokehouse, 3801 Eastside, is open Wednesday through Sunday with the Shed Market. offering fresh produce, meats and essentials (toilet paper, bleach and gloves) as well as menu offerings of bbq, sides, beer, wine and cocktail kits, available via delivery or pick-up. The full menu is available to-go from Love Shack, also open Wednesday through Sunday.Family Meal Menu at Roka Akor
Roka Akor, 2929 Weslayan, has added a new Japanese Wagyu Package for $99 per person to its Family Meal Menu. The package includes four onces of A5+ Takamori "Drunken Wagyu," Fingerling Potatoes with shiso chimichurri, Wagyu beef and kimchi dumplings, and crispy brussels sprouts with Japanese mustard vinaigrette and bonito flakes.Family Meal Bundle at Corner Bakery Cafe
Corner Bakery Cafe is in the process of reopening two Houston restaurants for takeout, curbside pickup and third-party delivery—Corner Bakery Memorial, 9311 Katy Freeway #H; and Corner Bakery West University, 2615 Southwest Freeway #100. Both locations are offering a family meal bundle option in which guests can mix and match any four entrees for $24 (for breakfast, lunch and dinner), available for pickup, carryout and curbside service when guests mention the offer code “477.”All month long
