Here’s a look at this week’s hottest culinary happenings:
All week long
35th-Anniversary Specials at Abuelo’s Mexican Restaurant
Abuelo’s Mexican Restaurant is celebrating its 35th anniversary through August 4, offering $5 churros, plus an iconic past dish, Chicken Alcaparrada made with mushrooms and a lemon caper sauce.
Monday, July 29
Gnocchi Day at Piola
From noon to 11 p.m., both the Memorial and Midtown locations of Piola will offer all-you-can-eat gnocchi for $18.95 per person. The handmade potato dumplings come in sauces from four cheese and classic tomato and basil to bolognese and rosate, a smoked salmon tomato-cream sauce.
Tuesday, July 30
Spirit Round Table at Brennan’s of Houston
Brennan’s, 3300 Smith, will host a Spirit Round Table: American Cocktail Storytime from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Brennan’s bar manager Thomas Cordes will share stories surrounding four influential cocktails in American history, each representative of an iconic city — the Cosmo (NYC), Southside (Chicago), Sazerac (New Orleans) and Mojito (Miami). Light bites will be served and guests are encouraged to stay for dinner following the session. Tickets are $50 per person, plus tax and gratuity.
Wednesday, July 31
Houston Chef Series at Morton’s The Steakhouse
With this year’s theme taking inspiration from “Presidential State Dinners,” Landry’s continues its summertime Houston Chef Series. This week, chef Frank Lewis will present “Dinner with Presidents of the Past: A Patriotic Dinner” at Morton’s The Steakhouse, with features including oysters two ways, shrimp and gouda cheese grits, filet mignon and more. Price is $125 per person for five courses with beverage pairings.
Friday–Saturday
Diaspora Dinner Series with Chef Tristen Epps at Guard and Grace
Chef Tristen Epps, a 2024 James Beard Semifinalist for Best Chef South, is making his Houston return with a new Afro-Caribbean tasting menu concept, Buboy, an Afro-Caribbean, expected to debut in 2025. In the meantime, Epps will be hosting a pop-up dinner series in a private dining space at Guard & Grace, 500 Dallas, on Friday and Saturday nights through August 3, presenting seven-course meals highlighting Afro-Caribbean foodways through modern cuisine and global influences. Tickets are $165 per person.
Saturday, August 3
“Comin’ in Hot” Hot Sauce Pro-Am Competition at Hope Farms
Hope Farms HTX, 10401 Scott, and Recipe for Success invite hot sauce enthusiasts to find out who makes the best hot sauce in town. The fun goes down from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., as heat seekers enjoy samples from the competition, free beer from Saint Arnold, farm-fresh beverages, music and yard games, and more. Limited tickets are available for a $5 donation to Recipe for Success and its efforts to fight childhood obesity through education and community outreach. Amateur chefs who think they can bring the heat against the pros can register to compete online.
Sunday, August 4
Mr. C’s Pop-Up, featuring Chris Shepherd at Four Seasons Hotel Houston
Four Seasons Hotel Houston, 1300 Lamar, continues its Celebrity Chef Pop-Up Series in benefit of the Southern Smoke Foundation, with seatings at 5 and 8 p.m. This summer pop-up will feature chef Chris Shepherd, presenting a “Sunday Supper” inspired by his favorite childhood restaurant in Omaha, Mr. C’s Steakhouse. The throwback family-style dinner features lumache alla vodka and baked cacio e ppepe, strip steak and chicken parmesan, tiramisu and more. Reservations are $195 per person, with optional wine pairings featuring some of Shepherd’s favorite Italian varietals for an additional $130 for standard or $315 prestige.
All month long (August)
Houston Restaurant Weeks
Houston Restaurant Weeks is back this August, raising funds for the Houston Food Bank while championing restaurants around the city from August 1 through Labor Day. Menus are officially live on the HRW site, so take a look and secure your reservations now at old favorites and newcomers, including coastally inspired contemporary kitchen Duchess, eclectic Indian stunner Amrina, hip Thai dining spot MaKiin and more.
Deli Month at Kenny & Ziggy’s
The 9th Annual National Delicatessen Month returns August 1-31, with more than 45 classic delis across the country joining to bring attention to the iconic delicatessen and raise money for charity. Kenny & Ziggy’s, 1743 Post Oak, will be offering a multi-choice, three-course menu during lunch and dinner for $45 plus tax and gratuity, with 10 percent of each meal sold going to the Houston Holocaust Museum, providing funds for the museum’s education programs. Each special Deli Month meal sold will include a complimentary ticket to the Houston Holocaust Museum.
New and ongoing specials
Summer Sushi Experience at Roka Akor
Now through August 31, Roka Akor, 2929 Weslayan, will offer its Summer Sushi Experience for $49 per person, featuring a 12-piece sushi and sashimi chef selection with a variety of maki, nigiri and sashimi. Expect treats like oysters with yuzu jelly, hamachi with shiso and preserved lemon, toro with Ossetra caviar and more.
This article appears in Jan 1 – Dec 31, 2024.
