Attention Foodies! It’s Time for Houston Restaurant Weeks

couple dines at restaurant

August in Houston is hot. It is also the end of the summer when I’m limping toward the end of my kids being home 24/7. Given the heat and my exhaustion, the last thing I want to do is cook. Lucky for me, August is also when a fantastic fundraiser benefiting the Houston Food Bank takes place. Well over 200 restaurants are participating this year in Houston Restaurant Weeks which begins August 1 and runs through Labor Day weekend.

Houston Restaurant Weeks was started by Cleverley Stone in 2003, and in the years since this event has raised over $18 million, which has equaled over 56 million meals! If you participate in Houston Restaurant Weeks, not only will you be aiding the Houston Food Bank, but you will also eat delicious food. Travel & Leisure recently named Houston as one of the top 10 best food cities in America and our city has several James Beard finalists and winners. (A James Beard award is basically like an Oscar for a chef.) We are so fortunate to live in a city with great food!

Each year Houston Restaurant Weeks ups it game. This year, I have been impressed by the search function. At www.houstonrestaurantweeks.com you can see the full list of restaurants that are involved, view the menus, but you can also search based on neighborhood, cuisine, and menu types which include vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free. Every restaurant will showcase a combination of brunch, lunch and dinner, ranging from two to four courses. This year, brunch and lunch will cost $25 and dinner will cost either $39 or $55. Restaurants will donate between $2-6 from each meal to the food bank. You can also eat off the regular menu at every restaurant if you’d like to add something on. 

couple enjoys restaurant mealThe menus are usually two to four courses, and with each course, you typically have several options to choose from. In my experience, the dishes offered tend to be the most popular or well known to that restaurant, but perhaps at a touch smaller portion. 

In-Town Options

I always take advantage of Houston Restaurant Weeks to try out some classic Houston restaurants and nicer in-town dining options our city has to offer. This year on my list are:

Brennans

Brennans is a family favorite of ours for celebrations! Their weekend brunch is delicious, but their lunch and dinner are also top notch. Classics like turtle soup (don’t knock it until you have tried it!) and shrimp and grits are on their Restaurant Week dinner menu. And for dessert, order the bananas foster for some entertainment at your table!

family at restaurant looking behind them at large flame

Flora

Flora is housed in the old Dunlavy space, and the location alone is worth the visit. Floor to ceiling glass windows look out over Buffalo Bayou while 40 chandeliers sparkle inside the restaurant. The red snapper ceviche appetizer and enchiladas caymus caught my eye from their restaurant week dinner menu.

Ousie’s Table

Ouisie’s Table, was opened by Eloise Adams Jones, in 1973. Let’s take a moment to recognize what a feat it was for a woman to open a restaurant in the early 70’s! Ouisie’s Table is one of my most favorite spots for a ladies brunch or lunch. Try the pecan crusted chicken breast for lunch or the beef tenderloin salad for brunch!

Tony’s

This restaurant is a Houston staple. It has been in business for over 50 years! The menu is traditional Italian cuisine inspired by the coastal flavors of Naples and the sophistication of Milan. They are offering a 3 course $55 dinner option which has a wide array of choices as well as add-ons and wine pairings. Very impressive! You won’t be disappointed dining out here.

group toasting with cocktails

Suburban Dining

You don’t have to travel in town for a nice meal though! More and more critically acclaimed restaurants are opening up in the suburbs. Here are a few that caught me eye! I can only speak for Vino & Vinyl as it is in my neck of the woods, but I know several Houston Mom Collective contributors also love Pearl & Vine in Katy!

Sugar Land: Vino & Vinyl

Vino & Vinyl has good food, a great wine list and a DJ who spins records while you eat. It’s a small, but fun space, so I recommend reservations.

group of friends at restaurant table

Katy: Pearl & Vine

Our owner, Meagan, sent me these photos of her brunch at Pearl & Vine. What a view and look at those waffles! These pictures have me scheduling a trip up 99 one Saturday for my own Pearl & Vine experience.

plate of food and glass of wine on outdoor table

chicken and waffles

The Woodlands: Hearsay on the Water

Friendswood: Bistro 313

Cypress: Dario’s Steakhouse

Casual Spots (AKA reliable chain restaurants I can take my kids to)

While I love using Houston Restaurant Weeks to try out restaurants I haven’t been to before, it’s also nice to go to some tried and true casual dining options. When I say casual I mean I can take my kids there without a second thought knowing they won’t complain or the maitre’d won’t give me side-eye when I walk in with children. PF Changs, State Fare, BB Tex-Orleans and Saltgrass are all participating in HRW! No complaining from my kids, no cooking for me and helping out a great cause? That’s a win/win!

child eats burger and fries on patio of restaurant

Be sure to check out all the dining options Houston Restaurant Weeks offers and comment on this post to let us know which restaurant you are most looking forward to trying this year! Bon Appetit!


 

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Sarah High
Sarah High is a Texan through and through. Born in Waco and raised in Houston, she attended school at the University of Texas in Austin and now lives in Sugar Land with her husband, Jordan, and two children, Hudson {2012} and Lucy {2014}. After working in legal marketing and business development, she stayed home after the birth of her first child determined to be the perfect stay at home mom. Reality set in, expectations were lowered, and now her main goal is to get her children to school on time with clean teeth and hair. Sarah likes to work out, enjoys the arts and restaurants Houston offers, loves to read and dance, and is always on the lookout for the best patio or French 75 in town. A recovering perfectionist, she continually seeks more grace for herself and others.

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