Dine on delicious dishes and enjoy our picks for the top food and drink events taking place around Houston in May 2022.
May brings the return of tasty events, from a springtime wine festival on the bayou to a charitable Celebrity Chef takedown against cancer. There’s also a “May the Fourth Be With You” dinner for Star Wars fans, mint julep–fueled Kentucky Derby parties, and a wild game bbq cook-off.
Here’s a look at this month’s culinary fun:
Top 10 Food & Drink Events/Offers in Houston This Month: May 2022
- 2022 Celebrity H-Town Chefs Against Cancer at Four Seasons Hotel Houston | Wednesday, May 4 – Following a two-year hiatus, Four Seasons Hotel in Downtown will once again host this culinary occasion, featuring a dozen of Houston’s best restaurants joining for a night of food, drink, entertainment, and impactful fundraising. This year’s participating restaurants and chefs include Richard Sandoval and Rafael Villalpando of Toro Toro, Bayou & Bottle’s Richard Sandoval and Godstime Ebeagbor, Jose Arevalo of Brennan’s of Houston, Guard & Grace’s Troy Guard, Uchi’s Kevin Tien, and more. $175. 6:30pm to 9pm.
- Star Wars Dinner at MAX’s Wine Dive: Washington | Wednesday, May 4 – Star Wars fanatics can go on a culinary journey with Max’s themed dinner inspired by the iconic film. The four-course menu features a Millennium Falcon black bean cake with romesco sauce and an arugula salad; the Dianoga Tentacles octopus dish with roasted fingerling potatoes and chorizo; a third course Tauntaun Ribs with cheese grits; and the Carbonite Caramel, made with coffee jelly drizzled with salted caramel, almond brittle, and whipped cream. $100 per person. 7pm.
- Talk Derby to Me at the Rustic Downtown | Saturday, May 7 | No Cover – The Rustic will be hosting its annual “Talk Derby to Me” Kentucky Derby watch party, featuring live music kicking off after the race, plus drink and food specials, and a best dressed contest with prizes. 10am to 1am.
- Kentucky Derby Day Party at Julep | Saturday, May 7 – Julep on Washington Avenue invites locals to break out their best hats and bowties for its annual Kentucky Derby Day Party, featuring house cocktails (including mint juleps!), Champagne, a Topo Chico station, two main bars, a whiskey bar, tacos from Cochinita & co., a live DJ set and a Vinyl Ranch pop-up shop, along with the live stream of the Kentucky Derby. $10 and up. Noon to 6pm (bar open until 2am).
- Brenner’s Wine Fest at Brenner’s on the Bayou | Saturday, May 7 – Head to Brenner’s on the Bayou for its annual spring Wine Fest, where you’ll be able to sample a wide variety of award-winning wines alongside live music and bites from Landry’s concepts in a beautiful, bayouside atmosphere. This year’s event will be celebrated Kentucky Derby–style, with a Derby Hat Contest and the Derby shown at Blue Bar. $150. 2pm to 6pm.
- Kentucky Derby Tasting at the Tasting Room: CityCentre | Saturday, May 7 – Chef Beto Gutierrez’s decadent Kentucky Derby menu is inspired by the widely-known race, with expert bourbon pairings to go along with it. Dine on Bacon Wrapped Scallops with watermelon salad and a chipotle honey glaze paired with Maker’s Mark 46; Pan Seared Pork Belly served with white cheddar grits and smoked pecan cajeta and Basil Hayden’s; Roasted Ribeye with horseradish whipped potatoes and bourbon-peppercorn demi paired with Buffalo Trace; and a Blueberry Cobbler topped with vanilla ice cream and a salted bourbon caramel sauce, paired with Angel’s Envy. $75 per person. 4pm.
- Monthly Wine Tasting: Tour of Argentina at Rainbow Lodge | Wednesday, May 11 – The classic lodge restaurant’s monthly wine tasting is a fun and educational walk-around happy hour and tasting that showcases three premium wines from a specific winery or region alongside paired bites; with May’s tasting featuring a tour of Argentina. Tickets include two tasting portions of each wine, and two tasting portions of each of the paired bites, plus the opportunity to purchase the wines at a discount. $55. 5:30pm to 7:30pm.
- Yaga’s Children’s Fund Wild Game BBQ Cook-Off at Galveston’s Pier 21 | Friday, May 13 & Saturday, May 14 – The annual wild game cook-off returns to the island, offering a two-day, family-friendly event to benefit the Yaga’s Children’s Fund and its support of more than 25 Galveston County organizations. The fun kicks off with a VIP Sponsor Party on Friday, followed by a Saturday morning 5k fun run with the cook-off and beer tasting to follow. $25 and up. Times vary.
- The Taste of Louisiana Festival 2022 at Crown Festival Park | Saturday, May 21 – Festival goers are invited to experience 360 degrees of Louisiana food, music, and culture at the annual Taste of Louisiana Festival. Expect a lineup of Louisiana food vendors, arts and crafts, live entertainment across two stages, the Bayou Crawfish and Beer Garden, chef demos, a kid zone and more. $15 and up. 2pm to 9pm.
- CultureMap Tastemaker Awards at Silver Street Studios | Wednesday, May 25 – This annual foodie event celebrates Houston’s top restaurant and bar talent, as selected by their peers, offering a signature tasting event and awards ceremony, hosted by the legendary Bun B. $75; $125 for VIP. 7pm (6pm for VIP).
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