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 tenth 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 tenth edition explores some of the innovative changes restaurants made to survive the pandemic. Part eleven will explore some of our writers favorite stores and products.
Favorite General Store Addition to a Restaurant
Local Foods, multiple locations: To shore up sales and be more useful to customers, many Houston restaurants added grocery sections, offering multiple products for retail sale. In some cases, those products came from excess inventory that was available because of a sharp reduction in dine-in food sales. Local Foods, though, went the extra mile and owner
Welcome to the ninth 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 ninth edition covers some of the important organizations that have helped hospitality workers survive this difficult year. Part 10 will explore some of the innovative changes restaurants made to survive the pandemic.
Favorite Financial Support to the Hospitality Industry
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.