Houston Restaurant Weeks 2024 is just around the corner and it’s a welcome event in a time when Houston restaurants and businesses are suffering devastating losses from the May derecho storm and last week’s Hurricane Beryl. While many residents of Southeast Texas are finally getting their power restored, there are still many people suffering the stifling heat and humidity without electricity. For any business that has to close for more than a day or two, the financial hit can be hard and for restaurants that rely on daily sales to keep afloat and make payroll, it’s especially tough.
The month of August tends to be a slow time for restaurants as families begin planning for the school year and folks tighten their budgets after vacations and summer spending. That’s why, in 2003, the late Cleverley Stone, a popular proponent of Houston’s restaurant scene and a well-known media personality, founded Houston Restaurant weeks with the dual mission of drumming up business for local eateries while also raising funds for Houston Food Bank. In the following years, HRW became the biggest fundraiser for Houston Food Bank and has subsequently donated over 21 million dollars to the non-profit which services those in need, with partnerships in more than 18 counties including Harris, Galveston, Montgomery and Brazos Valley.
Now in its 21st year, HRW continues its operation under the guidance of Cleverley’s daughter, Katie Stone. After her mother’s untimely passing from cancer in 2020, Stone took up the mantle and has continued the legacy as the new face of the annual charity event whose motto is “Dine out and do good.” Stone created the Cleverley Stone Foundation which also hosts its sister event Eat Drink HTX. She also serves as president of the foundation.
The list of participating restaurants and their menus went live July 15 with more to be added, from burger joints and pizza parlors to pho spots and fine dining steakhouses. Each business creates a special HRW menu depending on its services, be it brunch, lunch or dinner. Some offer two courses, others offer three. This year’s lunch and brunch prices are $25 and dinner menus are $39 or $55, depending on the restaurant. For each lunch and brunch menu ordered, $3 will be donated. For the dinner menus, $5 and $7 will go to Houston Food Bank, respectively.
While the weather events have caused many of us some financial hardship, Houston Restaurant Weeks offers Houstonians an opportunity to do good while treating themselves to some of Houston’s best cuisine at a reasonable price point. After watching groceries perish in the refrigerator and sweating out our sins in days of unrelenting heat, we deserve some indulgences.
We have a quick peek at some of the menus and dishes that will be available during HRW which runs August 1 through September 2. For the full list and to keep up to date on more restaurants joining the fun, you can check out houstonrestaurantweeks.com.
One of the more enthusiastic participants is H-Town Restaurant Group spearheaded by James Beard Award winning chef Hugo Ortega and his wife, restaurateur Tracy Vaught. The group’s restaurants that will be offering the HRW menus include Hugo’s, Caracol, Xochi, Backstreet Cafe and URBE. Hugo’s will offer a three-course dinner menu ($55) with options such as creamy corn soup, roasted plantain empanadas with stewed rabbit and Tacos Dorados de Papa (pan-fried potato tacos). Caracol will have both a lunch and dinner menu. Some of its lunch options include plantain empanadas, shrimp tostadas, achiote-rubbed fish tacos and a chile relleno with chicken and green pumpkin seed sauce.
Backstreet Cafe will offer a two-course lunch menu with dishes such as Gulf Coast Beignets, Watermelon Salad and its famous Red Corn Chicken Enchiladas. Its dinner menu is separated into red or white wine choices with a beverage pairing at an additional cost. There’s also a vegetarian dinner menu with hummus, watermelon salad, eggplant pappardelle and vegan chocolate cake.
URBE will feature a $39 dinner line-up with three courses that includes choices such as Gorditas de Pollo, Tamal de Cochinita Pibil, Carnitas and Pollo en Mole plus three dessert options. Xochi at the Hilton Downtown will have a $55 dinner menu of three courses and a $25 lunch of two courses.
Underbelly Hospitality’s HRW restaurants include Georgia James Steakhouse with a $55 dinner menu of first course choices like Popcorn Rock Shrimp and Roasted Pork Belly along with second course items such as Braised Beef Short Rib and Roasted Chicken. Dessert options include Carrot Cake, Raspberry Key Lime Tart and Layered Chocolate Cake. Another UH establishment, Wild Oats, will feature items like its Chicken Fried Steak, Pork Belly Pastor Lettuce Wraps, Blackened Snapper and Dr. Pepper Cake on its three-course dinner menu for $39.
For couples looking for a romantic spot for canoodling, Rainbow Lodge will offer three services with HRW menus. Its lunch will be a steal at $25 for two courses starting with choices such as its Smoked Duck Gumbo, Summertime Salad or Leafy Green Salad plus entree options including Pan-Seared Red Snapper, Chicken Fried Chicken and Iberico Pork Bratwurst. For dinner, there are second course choices like Grilled Filet of Beef Tenderloin and Wild Game Mixed Grill plus several desserts from which to choose. Brunch offers many of the same options with a two-course menu.
Toro Toro, located at the Four Seasons Hotel downtown, will have both lunch and dinner menus with lunch firsts including Birria Taco, Kale Salad or Swordfish Dip. For mains, there are options like Cubano Sandwich, Salmon with achiote marinade and the Toro Toro Burger. The HRW dinner menu features Beet Hummus & Burrata, Peruvian Ceviche, Kurobata Pork Chop, Beef Filet and a choice of three desserts.
Another downtown Houston favorite, The Palm, will also offer both lunch and dinner with dishes such as The Palm Caesar, Prosciutto & Mozzarella Arancini, Sicilian Salmon and Pappardelle Wagyu Bolognese.
Ouisie’s Table, will have brunch, lunch, dinner and to-go menus for Houston Restaurant Weeks. Lunch will offer the soup of the day, Mediterranean Salad or Fried Vegetable Rolls to start plus Crispy Flounder with Pomodoro Sauce, 8-ounce Grilled New York Strip or Chicken Crepe for $25, which seems like a very sweet deal to us. Brunch, also $25, will feature choices such as Buffalo Oysters or Orange & Cucumber Salad plus Short Rib Tajine & Eggs or Cheese & Scallion Biscuit & Eggs. Dinner is a three-course delight for $39 with options such as Ouisie’s Crab Cakes, Blackened Mahi Mahi with Shrimp & Mango Relish and desserts such as Vanilla Bean Egg Custard or Chocolate Brownie. Ouisie’s is also offering a Primavera Gluten Free Chicken Pasta on its dinner menu.
Etoile will also be offering lunch, brunch, dinner and to-go with decadent choices and indulgent upgrades. And its lunch menu offers three courses for $25. The first course options include Bisque de Homard, a melon salad with prosciutto and whipped ricotta cheese, Tartare de Bouef Angus or a chilled red beet soup. The second course features tough decisions such as Coq au Vin, Filet de Sole, summer vegetable risotto or mushroom raviolis with truffle port wine sauce. After all of that sumptuousness, guests will have to find room for one of its dreamy desserts like nectarine clafoutis, vanilla panna cotta, and be still our beating hearts, an ile flottante with pistachio custard. Its brunch and dinner offerings are just as fabulous.
Auden at Autry Park is doing its debut HRW this year after opening in October 2023. It will have a brunch and dinner listing. The HRW brunch will feature first course choices of Shakshouka, Auden Hash or Breakfast in the Park which is a plate of soft scrambled eggs, cheddar herb biscuit, fried potato and a choice of bacon or chapli boudin. The second course offers a choice of Funnel Cake, Creme Duo (gelati) or Tres Leches. Its $55 dinner menu starts with options like Paneer & Peanuts, Ricotta Toast or Grilled Asparagus with second and third course choices such as Rib Ragu Rigatoni, Dumplings with spinach cream , Masala Shrimp and Cauliflower with Romesco plus a fourth course of dessert.
This article appears in Jan 1 – Dec 31, 2024.
