Dine on delicious dishes and enjoy our picks for the top food and drink events taking place around Houston in August 2020.
Everyone could use a little comfort these days and, although this summer is undoubtedly different than others, Houston restaurants and hospitality professionals are ready to bring a taste of delicious dishes to at-home diners all month long.
This month, we’ll see the return of the highly anticipated, mouth-watering event known as Houston Restaurant Week—the citywide fundraiser where your dining out (or at home) helps support the Houston Food Bank, whose services are needed now more than ever before.
In addition, hungry Houstonians can take advantage of everything from Virtual Wine Dinners and the Spritz Patio to Rosé Staycations and a family-friendly Drive-In Dinner & Movie Night. Here are our picks for the top culinary happenings to check out this month:
Top 14 Food & Drink Events in Houston This Month: August 2020
- Houston Restaurant Weeks | Saturday, August 1 through Monday, September 7 – After the passing of founder Cleverly Stone, this month-long charitable event will carry on her incredible legacy—one that has raised over $12.2 million to help the Houston Food Bank in its fight against hunger over the years. The annual citywide fundraiser that supports Houston Food Bank features a growing list of Houston-area restaurants that will offer prix fixe lunch, brunch, and dinner menus for dine-in, takeout, and delivery. That list includes fan favorites like Coltivare, Fung’s Kitchen, Ouisie’s Table, and Rainbow Lodge, plus newcomers like Kin Dee Thai Cuisine and Guard and Grace.
- Deli Month at Kenny & Ziggy’s New York Delicatessen Restaurant | All month long – Part of a nationwide deli event, the Post Oak location of Kenny & Ziggy’s will offer a three-course menu for $38, with 10% of each meal sold going to Holocaust Museum Houston’s education programs. Dig into choices from stuffed kishka, spinach knish and matzo ball soup to Roumanian steak, Hungarian goulash and 7-layer cake. As an added bonus, for each meal purposed, the museum is donating one complimentary ticket to its upcoming United States debut of the exhibition Mandela: Struggle for Freedom, running from Friday, September 11 through Sunday, January 3, 2021. The special menu is available for both curbside pick-up or dine-in.
- Wine Packages To-Geaux at Brennan’s of Houston | All month long – This summer, Brennan’s is offering locals the chance to get a peek into its wine cellar with Wine Packages To-Geaux. Sip on the “Burgundy Summer Survival Pack,” a “Sonoma is for Lovers” tour through Pinot Noirs, and the “Just Add Sunshine” rosé trio. Order online by selecting the “Wine Guy Picks” option through Friday, August 31.
- 50 Cent First Wednesday at Kolache Shoppe | Wednesday, August 5 – This year, Kolache Shoppe is celebrating its 50th anniversary by offering 50-cent kolaches at its Heights location and drive-thru on the first Wednesday of each month. Pop by to get the $1.65 varieties of kolaches (such as small sausage, peach, and cream cheese) for just $0.50, along with a special cream cheese and fruit kolache flavor of the month. The feature is limited to two dozen specially priced kolaches per party and call-in orders are excluded. 7am until supplies last.
- Drive-In Dinner and Movie Night at Island Grill Rice Village | Wednesday, August 5 – The Rice Village location of Island Grill will present a socially distanced night at the movies with a drive-in showing of Disney’s Moana and a Mediterranean dinner. Cars will be parked six feet apart from one another and guests can order off the full menu, with an outdoor bar for beer, wine, and specialty Moana-themed cocktails and kiddie mocktails. Cost is $40 per car, which will go towards the $40 minimum food spend required. Tickets are limited. “Doors open” at 7:30pm, movie at 8:30pm.
- CultureMap Tastemaker Awards – Virtual Edition | Thursday, August 6 – This year’s CultureMap Tastemaker Awards is going virtual, with a live awards show and celebration hosted by Bun B and streamed on CultureMap. Tickets ($75 on sale through July 31) bring the Tastemakers experience to your home, complete with bites from featured nominees, complimentary premium beverages, swag, access to interactive games and prizes, and more. 7pm.
- Astros Dollar Dog Night at Monkey’s Tail | Tuesdays and Wednesdays during Astros games – This Mexican-American dive invites you to cheer on the ‘Stros from a safe social distance while enjoying $1 hot dogs. The “Dollar Dog Night” special is available during Astros games on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Dig into dogs with your choice of mayo, mustard, ketchup, relish, and/or onions, and add on things like chili and queso (+$1) and jalapeños and cheddar jack cheese (+$.50).
- Rosé Staycation with Berg Hospitality | Tuesdays and Wednesdays through September 2 – Berg Hospitality restaurants B&B Butchers & Restaurant, B.B. Lemon, The Annie Café & Bar and B.B. Italia will each be celebrating summer with Rosé Staycation specials. Guests can visit to sip half-off bottles of Château D’Esclans rosés and half-off Whispering Angel by the glass (while supplies last). Tuesday and Wednesday 4pm to 9pm.
- Wednesday Blind Tastings with MARCH Restaurant | Every Wednesday this summer – In preparation for the Court of Master Sommelier examinations, the sommelier team at Goodnight Hospitality’s upcoming MARCH Restaurant is doing live blind tastings on Instagram (@marchhtx) every Wednesday this summer. You can join in on the fun by purchasing a wine kit complete with a sealed envelope of tasting notes to open after you taste through the wines. Every Wednesday at 6pm.
- Spritz Patio at Rosie Cannonball | Wednesdays through Sundays – You can dine al fresco at Rosie Cannonball as the restaurant adds a Spritz Patio service for the summer. The chefs at Rosie Cannonball and MARCH have collaborated on a special selection of aperitifs, light snacks, frozen treats and a few more filling options—from n’duja & burrata and fritto misto with shrimp, mussels, summer squash and eggplant to lobster crudo and frozen dreamsicles. No reservations needed, just wear a mask while you are brought to your seat and enjoy the patio. Wednesday through Friday 3pm to 10pm; Saturday and Sunday 1pm to 10pm.
- Virtual Wine Dinners with ROMA | Weekly on Thursdays – Since late April, the Rice Village Italian eatery has hosted weekly virtual wine dinners that sell out every time. For $119 per couple or $89 per individual, the multi-course menus include three bottles of wine, moderated by local wine guru Jeremy Parzen. Guests will receive a Zoom link and can pickup the goods from 5pm to 7pm ahead of the 7:30pm dinner.
- Bars Across Houston Patio Pop-Up Series at Lucille’s | Weekly on Thursdays – In support of bars across Houston facing another round of closures due to COVID-19, Museum District eatery Lucille’s and its executive chef/owner Chris Williams have launched a weekly Thursday night Patio Pop-Up series. Every Thursday, bar teams from across Houston are taking over the restaurant’s patio for a full evening of service, and the featured staff will collect 100-percent of the sales and tips generated by their curated cocktails (find out which bar will be featured next on Lucille’s IG each Tuesday). The pop-up series is only available via the restaurant’s patio bar, with the Lucille’s team enforcing strict social distancing in the open-air environment. Reservations (available via Resy or at 713-568-2505) are required. 6pm to 10pm.
- Saturday Virtual Wine Dinner at Backstreet Cafe | Weekly on Saturdays – Every week, Backstreet Café hosts a Virtual Wine Dinner featuring a 4-course takeout dinner for two, along with a Zoom invite for the virtual dinner led by a wine expert. Look out for rotating selections like black pepper tagliatelle, crispy carnitas pork and grits, and chocolate tart with drunken cherries. Orders can be placed online for pick-up on Saturdays from 10am to 6pm. Virtual dinner takes place at 7:30pm.
- Saturday Date Night Package at Caracol | Weekly on Saturdays – Chef Hugo Ortega’s coastal Mexican Seafood kitchen wants to make Saturday date nights easy, offering a Saturday-only dinner package for two. The three-course meal (along with to-go wine and cocktail kits) can be ordered online or by calling 713-622-9996 for curbside pick-up. Orders can also be delivered via Favor, Postmates, GrubHub, UberEats and Waitr.
Social Distancing & COVID-19 Precautions
Businesses around Greater Houston and the State of Texas are opening up and individual social distancing practices vary from location to location. Masks are still strongly encouraged and recommended to help reduce the spread of the virus and help protect our community.
Please contact this organizer directly if you have any questions about their operational guidelines during this time.
Find More Things to Do in Houston All Year Long
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