Welcome to the 12th and final part of a series where we showcase the noteworthy food and drink experiences of a very weird year. In the spirit of the holidays, it s also a very special collaboration between the food writers of the Houston Press and Houston Food Finder, the online publication founded by former Houston Press restaurant critic and food editor Phaedra Cook. This final edition will highlight some of our writers favorite restaurant experiences.?
Favorite Dine-In During The Pandemic
The spread at Burger Joint in the Heights.
Photo by Becca Wright.
With restrictions on guest occupancy and social distancing requirements placed on restaurants this year due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, many establishments created safe outdoor dining experiences.
Photo by Hunter Jones.
Phoenicia Specialty Foods, 1001 Austin Street and 12141 Westheimer: This locally owned and operated grocery store has served Houston for more than 30 years. Both the downtown and original West Houston locations offer a diverse selection of pantry staples, fresh produce, deli and bakery items, plus unique gifts perfect for cooks, many of which are sourced from around the globe. Shop in store or select curbside and delivery. Those latter two services have been particularly welcome options this year.
Ellie Sharp, managing editor, Houston Food Finder
Favorite Local Hand Sanitizer
Gulf Coast Distillers, 5610 Clinton: In the early days of the pandemic, folks in Houston (and across the country) started buying hand sanitizer as if it was the last smoked brisket in Texas. Soon, there was a nationwide shortage, as well as a price-gouging black market. To fill the gap, area distilleries swerved to produce and supply this important commodity. As Houston’s largest
Welcome to the eighth part of a series where we showcase the noteworthy food and drink experiences of a very weird year. In the spirit of the holidays, it s also a very special collaboration between the food writers of the Houston Press and Houston Food Finder, the online publication founded by former Houston Press restaurant critic and food editor Phaedra Cook. This eighth edition covers some of our writers favorite cocktails and spirits. Part nine will cover some of the important organizations that have helped hospitality workers survive this difficult year.
Favorite Distillery
Photo by Gulf Coast Distillers.
For a town with a brewery on seemingly every corner, Houston had, until recently, suffered from a distinct lack of local distilleries. Luckily, that has changed a bit in recent years with a handful of notable spirits producers popping up around town.
Welcome to the sixth part of a series where we showcase the noteworthy food and drink experiences of a very weird year. In the spirit of the holidays, it s also a very special collaboration between the food writers of the Houston Press and Houston Food Finder, the online publication founded by former Houston Press restaurant critic and food editor Phaedra Cook. This sixth edition features one of our favorite pick-me-ups: coffee. Part seven will cover some of our writers favorite delivery and to-go experiences.
Favorite Coffee Shop Evolutions
With temporary closures, limited capacity and more people working from home, coffee shops, like bars and restaurants, had to adapt to a landscape disrupted by COVID-19. Some shops added new safety features and some, such as Antidote Coffee and Black Hole, began selling basic pantry items. Here are a couple of our favorites that made clever changes for the times.
Welcome to the fifth part of a series where we showcase the noteworthy food and drink experiences of a very weird year. In the spirit of the holidays, it s also a very special collaboration between the food writers of the Houston Press and Houston Food Finder, the online publication founded by former Houston Press restaurant critic and food editor Phaedra Cook. This fifth edition showcases chefs who made the best of a bad year. Part six will cover coffee. In case you missed it, here s Part 4: Beer.
See the list at the end of this article for other installments of the series.