Here's a look at this week's hottest culinary happenings:

Monday – Thursday

Teacher Appreciation Week at Gloria's Latin Cuisine

Gloria’s Latin Cuisine is celebrating teachers with a 20-percent off promotion on the total bill with purchase of an entrée. To receive the discount, guests can show their valid school or university employee ID.

Monday – Friday

Teachers and Nurses Appreciation at Grimaldi’s Pizzeria

Grimaldi’s Pizzeria is honoring our everyday heroes with 15 percent off all orders for teachers and nurses from May 8–12. Guests must show valid school or office I.D. to get the discount.

Tuesday, May 9

Voodoo Doughnut 20th Birthday Promo

In celebration of its 20th birthday, Voodoo Doughnut will host a series of promotions on Tuesdays throughout the month, with this week’s promotion offering $1 Homers. In addition, guests can enjoy the Birthday Cake doughnut stuffed with a creamy strawberry filling, dipped in vanilla frosting and topped with colorful sprinkles, every Tuesday in the month of May.

Thursday, May 11

Enrica Cotarella Wine Dinner at Roma

Roma, 2347 University, invites guests to an Enrica Cotarella wine dinner at 7 p.m. The wine-paired menu includes suppli alla Romana, pear and pecorino arugula salad, bucatina alla amatriciana and Tuscan beef stew. Cost is $99 per guest. Call 713-664-7581 to book.

Friday–Sunday

Everybody’s Favorite BBQ & Hot Sauce Festival at Discovery Green

This traveling festival is part comedy show, part BBQ and hot sauce competition and part musical experience, taking over the stage and lawn at Discovery Green, 1500 McKinney, all weekend long. Tickets run $20 to $50.
Sunday, May 14

Mother's Day Brunch

From casual kid-friendly affairs to fancy brunches, peruse our Mother’s Day Brunch Guide for a growing list of Houston restaurants celebrating moms this Mother's Day.

All month long

AAPI Restaurant Weeks

OCA-Greater Houston has brought back the fourth annual Asian American and Pacific Islander Restaurant Weeks, a city-wide event held from May 1 through June 15 in celebration of the rich culinary heritage of AAPI communities in Houston. Diners can enjoy special deals and discounts from numerous AAPI and AAPI-owned restaurants, with hotspots including Aka Sushi, Crawfish and Noodles, Himalaya, Kau Ba, Kim Son, Money Cat, Oh My Gogi!, Tiger Den, Fung's Kitchen and more. For each donation of $25 or more, patrons will receive an AAPI Restaurant Week digital passport with QR code to access special deals to all participating businesses.

Lupus Foundation Fundraiser at Molina's

For the second year, Molina’s Cantina has teamed with Lupus Foundation of America’s Texas Gulf Coast Chapter to raise money for research and awareness to help those dealing with lupus (a cause close to the family, as Mary Molina—the daughter of third-generation Molina’s Cantina owners Roberto and Erica Molina—suffers from the disease. This May, during Lupus Awareness Month, 3 percent of proceeds from total Tuesday sales from all three Molina’s Cantina locations will be donated to the foundation.

Enchilada of the Month at Sylvia’s Enchilada Kitchen

Sylvia’s Enchilada Kitchen, 1140 Eldridge, 6401 Woodway, is bringing back its Enchilada of the Month beginning this May, offering the Three Rivers through May 31. Made with corn tortillas rolled around a combination of chorizo, beef fajitas and chicken fajitas and topped with spicy chile de arbol sauce, jack cheese, avocado and cilantro, it comes with rice and beans or a Caesar salad for $18.95 per person.

New and ongoing specials

Mother's Day Treats at Dessert Gallery

Dessert Gallery Bakery & Café is offering Mother's Day treats from hand-decorated butter cookies and cupcakes to confetti cupcake-in-a-jar.

AAPI Dessert Box Pop-up for Mental Health at Money Cat

In honor of May being both Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month and Mental Health Awareness Month, the team at Money Cat, 2925 Richmond, is hosting an encore dessert box pop-up fundraiser. The jewel box-like special will feature eight treats, each highlighting a different Asian nation but crafted with French technique. Boxes are $70 each and available by pre-order only from May 1-13 by calling the restaurant at 281-974-3735. Pick up will be on Saturday, May 20 or Sunday, May 21 from 1 p.m. to close. Twenty percent of proceeds from each box sold will benefit the Asian Mental Health Collective’s efforts to normalize and destigmatize mental health within the Asian community.

Burger Battle at Rodeo Goat

Rodeo Goat, 2105 Dallas, is paying homage to Star Wars with a galactic Burger Battle featuring The Rebel VS. The Empire. Burgers available through May 29. The Rebel is stacked with an all-beef patty, Mexican street corn, chili pepper and lime corn sticks, queso fresco, cilantro and lime mayo on a brioche bun for $13.99; and The Empire rocks two smash patties topped with roast beef, provolone, Guinness Stout onions, sautéed red bell pepper and horseradish mayo on a torta bun, served with Dark Side Dip au jus for $14.99.

Limited-time tacos at Tacodeli

Tacodeli is offering two limited time tacos—the Banh Mi Taco and Freakin’ Beefin’—at all locations in Texas (Austin, Dallas, Plano and Houston) through mid-June; plus a refreshing Limonada drink ($4) through mid-summer. The Banh Mi Taco ($5.25) is available during lunch and dinner and is made with grilled duBreton organic pork, carrot, daikon, jalapeño, basil and cilantro; while The Freakin’ Beefin’ ($4.25) is available during breakfast and is made with Vital Farms scrambled eggs, beef tenderloin with cheese glaze, pico de gallo and queso.

Tiff’s Treats x Baked by Melissa collab at Tiff’s Treats

After announcing a strategic investment, warm cookie delivery service Tiff’s Treats is collaborating with bite-sized cupcake brand Baked by Melissa to release a limited-edition collection of cookie-inspired cupcakes, available in-store or for local delivery at all Tiff’s Treats locations. The assortment features six specialty bite-sized cupcakes–including Red Velvet, Cookie Dough, Triple Chocolate Fudge, Snickerdoodle, Naughty Brownie and Salted Caramel Blondie.