A look at Houston Restaurant Weeks 2024 menus

Houston Restaurant Weeks 2024 is just around the corner, and it’s a welcome event at a time when Houston restaurants and businesses are suffering devastating losses from May’s derecho storm and last week’s Hurricane Beryl. While many in Southeast Texas are finally getting their power back, many people are still suffering from the sweltering heat and humidity without power. For any business that has to close for more than a day or two, the financial hit can be severe, and for restaurants that rely on daily sales to stay afloat and pay their salaries, it’s especially difficult.

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The roast duck at the Etoile is a magnificent HRW treat.

Photography by Deborah Smail

August is typically a slow time for restaurants, as families begin planning for back-to-school and people tighten their budgets after vacations and summer spending. That’s why, in 2003, the late Cleverley Stone, a popular advocate for Houston’s dining scene and well-known media personality, founded Houston Restaurant Weeks with the dual mission of boosting local restaurant traffic while raising money for the Houston Food Bank. Over the next few years, HRW has become the largest fundraiser for the Houston Food Bank and has since donated more than $21 million to the nonprofit that serves those in need, with partnerships in more than 18 counties, including Harris, Galveston, Montgomery and Brazos Valley.

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Katie Stone holds her son Luca in a family photo with his mother Cleverley.

Photography by Katie Stone

Now in its 21st year, HRW continues under the leadership of Cleverley’s daughter, Katie Stone. Following her mother’s untimely death from cancer in 2020, Stone took up the torch and continued the legacy as the new face of the annual charity event, which is run under the motto “Dine Out and Do Good.” Stone established the Cleverley Stone Foundation, which also runs its sister event Eat Drink HTX. She also serves as the foundation’s chair.

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Bari Ristorante offers a superb branzino option on its $55 3-course dinner menu.

Photography by Becca Wright

The list of participating restaurants and their menus went live on July 15, with more to come, from burger joints and pizzerias to pho Fine dining restaurants and steakhouses are offering HRW special menus. Each establishment creates a special HRW menu based on their service, whether it’s brunch, lunch or dinner. Some offer two courses, others three. This year, lunch and brunch are priced at $25, and dinner menus are priced at $39 or $55, depending on the restaurant. For every lunch and brunch menu ordered, $3 will be donated. For dinner menus, $5 and $7, respectively, will be donated to the Houston Food Bank.

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Georgia James offers a delicious wedge salad option to start her dinner menu.

Photography by Becca Wright

While weather events have put many of us in financial difficulty, Houston Restaurant Weeks offers Houstonians the opportunity to do good while treating themselves to the best Houston cuisine at a reasonable price. After watching our groceries spoil in the fridge and sweating out our sins during days of unrelenting heat, we deserve a little indulgence.

We have a quick look at some of the menus and dishes that will be available during HRW which runs from August 1st to September 2nd. For the full list and to keep up to date with new restaurants joining in on the fun, you can check out houstonrestaurantweeks.com.

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Hugo’s Filete Oaxaqueno is a grilled strip of grass-fed Black Angus beef.

Photography by Paula Murphy

One of the most enthusiastic participants is the H-Town Restaurant Group, led by James Beard Award-winning chef Hugo Ortega and his wife, restaurateur Tracy Vaught. The group’s restaurants that will feature HRW menus include Hugo’s, Caracol, Xochi, Backstreet Cafe and URBE. Hugo’s will offer a three-course dinner menu ($55) with options such as creamy corn soup, roasted plantain empanadas with slow-cooked rabbit and Tacos Dorados de Papa (pan-fried potato tacos). Caracol will offer a lunch and dinner menu. Among its lunch options are plantain empanadas, shrimp tostadas, achiote-rubbed fish tacos and a chile relleno with chicken and green pumpkin seed sauce.

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Striped bass is on the white wine menu at Backstreet.

Photography by Paula Murphy

Backstreet Cafe will offer a two-course lunch menu, including Gulf Coast fritters, watermelon salad and its famous chicken and red corn enchiladas. Its dinner menu is split into two wine choices, red or white, with a complimentary drink. There is also a vegetarian dinner menu, with hummus, watermelon salad, eggplant pappardelle and vegan chocolate cake.

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Camarones al Chipotle are a second course option at URBE.

Photography by Paula Murphy

URBE will offer a $39 three-course dinner menu, including Gorditas de Pollo, Tamal de Cochinita Pibil, Carnitas y Pollo en Mole, and three desserts. Xochi at Hilton Downtown will offer a $55 three-course dinner menu and a $25 two-course lunch.

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Wild Oats has a Texas favorite, chicken fried steak, on its HRW list.

Photography by Becca Wright

Underbelly Hospitality’s HRW restaurants include Georgia James Steakhouse with a $55 dinner menu featuring appetizers like Popcorn Rock Shrimp and Roasted Pork as well as entrees like Braised Beef Short Ribs and Roasted Chicken. Dessert options include carrot cake, raspberry-key lime pie and chocolate layer cake. Another UH location, Wild Oats, will offer dishes like its chicken-fried steak, pork Pastor lettuce wraps, blackened snapper and Dr. Pepper cake on its three-course dinner menu for $39.

Rainbow Lodge’s Summer Salad makes great use of summer peaches with creamy burrata cheese.

Photography by Paula Murphy

For couples looking for a romantic spot to cuddle up, Rainbow Lodge will offer three courses with HRW menus. Its lunch will be a steal at $25 for two courses, starting with choices like its smoked duck gumbo, summer salad or leafy green salad, along with entree options like seared red snapper, chicken fried chicken and Iberian pork sausage. For dinner, there are main course choices like grilled beef tenderloin and wild game mixed grill, as well as several desserts to choose from. Brunch offers many of the same options with a two-course menu.

Toro Toro, located at the Four Seasons Hotel downtown, will offer lunch and dinner menus, with lunch entrees such as the Birria Taco, kale salad and swordfish dip. For entrees, there are options like the Cubano sandwich, salmon with achiote marinade and the Toro Toro burger. HRW’s dinner menu includes beet hummus and burrata, Peruvian ceviche, Kurobata pork chops, beef tenderloin and a choice of three desserts.

Another downtown Houston favorite, The Palm, will also offer lunch and dinner with dishes such as the Palm Caesar, Arancini with Prosciutto and Mozzarella, Sicilian Salmon and Pappardelle Wagyu Bolognese.

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Ouisie’s steak and fries version is a great deal during HRW.

Photography by Adam Dinari

Ouisie’s Table will be offering brunch, lunch, dinner and takeout menus for Houston Restaurant Weeks. Lunch will feature the soup of the day, a Mediterranean salad or fried vegetable rolls as an appetizer, plus crispy flounder with pomodoro sauce, an 8-ounce grilled New York strip or a chicken crepe for $25, which we think is a pretty good deal. Brunch, also $25, will feature choices like Buffalo oysters or an orange and cucumber salad, as well as a short rib tagine and eggs or a cheese and scallion biscuit and eggs. Dinner is a three-course delight for $55 with options like Ouisie’s crab cakes, blackened mahi mahi with shrimp and mango relish and desserts like vanilla egg custard or chocolate brownie. Ouisie’s also offers Gluten-Free Chicken Pasta Primavera on its dinner menu.

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Etoile diners can opt for the Foie Gras Torchon on the dinner menu for an additional $6.

Photography by Deborah Smail

L’Etoile will also offer lunch, brunch, dinner, and takeout with decadent choices and indulgent upgrades. And its lunch menu offers three courses for $25. First-course options include Lobster Bisque, a melon salad with whipped prosciutto and ricotta cheese, Angus Beef Tartare, or chilled red beet soup. Second-course options include tough choices like Coq au Vin, Sole Filet, summer vegetable risotto, or mushroom ravioli with truffle port sauce. After all that luxury, guests will have to find room for one of its dreamy desserts like nectarine clafoutis, vanilla panna cotta, and let our hearts still beat, a floating island with pistachio cream. His brunches and dinners are equally fabulous.

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Auden’s Tres Leches is a lovely finale.

Photography by Jordan Hughes

Auden at Autry Park will make its HRW debut this year after opening in October 2023. It will offer brunch and dinner. HRW Brunch will feature a choice of appetizers: Shakshouka, Auden Hash or Breakfast in the Park, a plate of fluffy scrambled eggs, herbed cheddar biscuits, home-fried potatoes and a choice of bacon or Chapli boudin. The second course offers a choice of Funnel Cake, Creme Duo (gelati) or Tres Leches. Its $55 dinner menu starts with options like Paneer & Peanuts, Ricotta Toast or Grilled Asparagus with second and third course choices such as Rib Ragu Rigatoni, Creamed Spinach Dumplings, Masala Shrimp and Cauliflower with Romesco plus a fourth dessert course.