Need another reason to dine at your favorite restaurant or try a new one in town? You’re in luck because August marks the start of Houston Restaurant Weeks (HRW), a five-week-long event where participating restaurants offer prix fixe menus and a portion of the proceeds benefit The Houston Food Bank.
From August 1 through September 4 (Labor Day), participating restaurants will donate $3 from the $25 lunch and brunch menus, $5 from the $39 dinner menus and $7 from the $55 dinner menus. With more than 200 restaurants participating, we know it can be hard to choose. Here are our top 10 menus to get you started. For a full list of participating restaurants and menus, visit houstonrestaurantweeks.com. Reservations are recommended.
BLOOM & BEE
Serving fresh, locally-inspired cuisine, Bloom & Bee is at the $55 price point for restaurants weeks and invites guests into a lush garden to appease their appetite. Heirloom Tomato Salad or Mixed Pepper Seared Tuna are on deck for first course, followed by red fish, a New York Strip or risotto for the main course. Finish it all up with the turtle cheesecake, and you've had yourself a pretty epic meal.
TRAVELER’S TABLE
At Traveler’s Table diners can explore the world when they order from the global-inspired three-course dinner menu at $55 per person. For the first course, you must try the Warm Indian-spiced Mango Salad and Shiitake Edamame Dumplings. For the second course, travel to Nigeria with the Nigerian Suya Skewers with marinated steak and jollof rice. You can also explore Mexico when you order Chiles en Nogada with dry roasted poblano pepper, vegan goat cheese-walnut crema, tofu chorizo, quinoa, refried beans and pomegranate seeds. Treat your tastebuds to desserts like Mango Lassi Panna Cotta, New Orleans Bourbon Bread Pudding and Hawaiian Haupia Coconut Pudding to complete your trip around the world.
YI PENG THAI DINING
Yi Peng Thai Dining in CityCentre offers northern Thai cuisine for diners to enjoy. Start your $39 three-course dinner with crispy pork belly or crab cakes. For your second course taste the Thai railroad fried rice, high flame wok curry, or the cast iron wok noodle. You also can’t go wrong with either the rice pudding or creme caramel.
THE ANNIE CAFÉ & BAR
Located in the Galleria area, The Annie Café & Bar offers Texas-inspired American cuisine in a bright and coastal-like ambience. Order from their $25 two-course lunch menu and try The Annie Tortilla Soup or Kale Salad for the first course. For the second course, order the TX Chili Burger, the Chicken Paillard or Scottish Salmon. Diners can also order from the $55 three-course dinner menu and choose starters like Shrimp Cocktail and The Annie Steak Tartare. We recommend the Mushroom Rigatoni with homemade pasta, vegetarian bolognese & ricotta as well as the Coffee Crusted Filet Mignon with mushroom duxelle & aligot potatoes for the second course. For dessert try the Flourless Chocolate Cake, Vanilla Bean Cheesecake or Lemon Cake.
DA GAMA CANTEEN
Looking for a lunch option during HRW? da Gama Canteen is an Portuguese-Indian inspired cafe in the Heights with a great $25 two-course lunch menu. For your first course order Power Bowl, filled with hummus, chilled roasted vegetables, tandoori chickpea & quinoa, arugula, avocado, crispy seev and radish. For the second course choose from these savory dishes: Serradura: layered mango chutney, cardamom pudding, parle-g cookie “sawdust”...a goan specialty; Gulab Jamun: warm cardamom scented cake spheres, soaked in rose syrup, crushed pistachio; Ras Malai Cake: sponge cake soaked in saffron milk, cardamom chantilly, pistachio crumble.
THE NASH
You’ll find The Nash, a modern American restaurant in the historic Star and former Texaco Building in downtown Houston. Here you can enjoy a three-course dinner menu for $55 with delicious starters like the Wild Mushroom Toast and Yellowfin Tuna Crudo. Second course offerings include Atlantic Salmon, Herb-Roasted Chicken, Short Rib Pappardelle, Filet Mignon, or a Four Cheese Ravioli. End on a sweet note with desserts like Bread Pudding or Lemon Basil Cheesecake.
MAISON PUCHA
Executive Chef Manuel Pucha’s Maison Pucha restaurant serves up French and Ecuadorian cuisine in the Houston Heights. This year, the restaurant is offering brunch, lunch and dinner menus for Houston Restaurant Weeks! Both the two-course brunch and lunch menus are $25 per person. Choose Tomato Gazpacho or Empanadas for starters and French Toast or Pork & Grits for the second course. If you’re ordering from the three-course $55 dinner menu, we recommend starting with the Ecuadorian Style Shrimp Ceviche. Taste the Blackened Salmon with applewood smoked salmon, asparagus risotto, harissa pesto, parsley and lobster foam for the second course and end with a Vanilla Cardamom Crème Brûlée.
B&B BUTCHERS & RESTAURANT
B&B Butchers & Restaurant is an upscale steakhouse attached to a traditional butcher shop with a terrace overlooking the city. This spot is perfect for your next Houston Restaurant Weeks lunch or dinner reservation. For a $25 two-course lunch you can order Brisket Ravioli or B&B Beef & Barley Soup for a starter and choose The Washington on baguette, b&b roast beef, turkey, deluxe ham served with house-made potato chips or the The Butcher Chop Burger with white cheddar and applewood smoked bacon, served with steak fries. Diners can also treat themselves to a $49 three course dinner and select B&B Meatballs or B&B “Steak” House Salad as a first course. For the second course, you can try the Steak à La Berg with sliced sirloin over hash browns or Surf & Turf with filet medallions and two bacon wrapped crab stuffed shrimp. For dessert order a New York Cheesecake or a Classic Crème Brûlée.
BRENNER’S ON THE BAYOU
Situated along Buffalo Bayou, Brenner's on the Bayou offers a one of a kind dining experience in the bayou city. Dine indoors or on their terrace for brunch or dinner. The $25 two-course brunch menu includes options like Garden Romaine Salad for the first course and the Texas Breakfast with smoked brisket, nueske’s bacon, sausage, potato & poblano hash and scrambled eggs or Country Fried Chicken & Biscuits with house made biscuits, sausage gravy and crispy bacon for the second course. The $55 three course dinner menu also offers soup or salad for the first course. For the second course, the menu offers choices like a 6 oz Filet Mignon with marbled potatoes, spinach and wild mushroom demi-glace and a 10 oz Pork Chop with cornbread dressing, bacon and jalapeno bourbon glaze. Be sure to end with a decadent dessert like a German Chocolate Cake or Brenner’s Sundae.
Pacha Nikkei
This Nikkei cuisine concept is offering a $55 three-course menu for HRW. Start with the Ceviche Clasico, Kampachi Tiradito or Quinoa Salad. Next up, take your pick of Lomo Saltado, Shrimp Mac N Cheese or Vegan Saltado. Finally, end your meal with churros, an ice crem trio or panettone bread pudding. These colorful dishes will not disappoint!