Top 11 Food & Drink Events in Houston This Month: September 2024

Dine on delicious dishes and enjoy our picks for the top food and drink events taking place around Houston in September 2024.

While September may not bring that cool fall weather we so desire, it does bring plenty of seasonal culinary happenings.

Enjoy a fall-inspired, beer-paired meal to celebrate the 30th anniversary of two Texas titans, welcome back fan-favorite events from an island-style wine fest to a farm-fueled chef’s tasting experience, and close out summer with one last Houston Restaurant Weeks meal.

Here’s how to eat, drink, and have a good time in Houston this September.

Note that events are listed chronologically by date and are not ranked.

Top 11 Food & Drink Events in Houston This Month: September 2024

• Houston Restaurant Weeks Around Greater Houston | Through Labor Day, Monday, September 2 | Final Days – The Houston Food Bank’s biggest fundraiser wraps for another year after Labor Day, but there’s still time to enjoy a few more days of tasty and charitable food and drink at about 400 restaurants across the Greater Houston metro. $25 for brunch and lunch, $39 or $55 for dinner. Times and locations vary.
• Galveston Island Wine Festival at Moody Gardens | Friday, August 30 to Sunday, September 1 – The weekend-long Galveston Island Wine Festival brings fun and flavor to the island, with signature events including the Seven on Seven Seafood Extravaganza, Penguins & Pinot: Grand Tasting at the Aquarium Pyramid and Wine’d Down After Hours (Saturday), Bourbon Dinner (Sunday), and more. This year’s impressive list of culinary talents includes David Cordúa, Bryan Caswell, and Paul Miller, among others. Pricing and times vary.
• 26th Anniversary Specials at El Bolillo Bakery | Monday, September 2 through Friday, September 6 – In honor of 26 years, El Bolillo Bakery will be offering patrons five days of specials at all five locations. On Monday, celebrate with an all-day Agua Frescas Happy Hour and free Galleta de Grajea; Tuesday brings a buy two packages, get one free special on tortillas purchased in-store; Wednesday offers a buy one, get one free offer on traditional conchas; Thursday gives away a free slice of tres leches with any same-day purchase of $15 or more; and Friday features in-store tres leches cake samples, while supplies last.
• Viet Cultural Fest 2024 at NRG Center | Saturday, September 14 – Folks are invited to immerse themselves in Vietnamese culture at the largest Vietnamese festival in Texas, with traditional games, exciting competitions like a blind boba tasting contest and pho eating contest, tasty food and drink, rich cultural entertainment, and more. $10. 10am to 7pm.
• 3rd Annual Rock & Roll Picnic at Last Concert Cafe | Sunday, September 15 – I’ll Have What She’s Having, a food and beverage industry healthcare nonprofit, hosts its third Rock & Roll Picnic, celebrating music, food, cocktails, and art while raising funds for preventative, reproductive and mental healthcare for women and men in the food and beverage industry. Guests can enjoy inspired classic picnic fare from rockstar chefs including Dawn Burrell, Evelyn Garcia, Nick Wong, Josh Deleon, and more; alongside sips from top mixologists, live music, and fun stuff including lawn games, Champagne sabering, artistic poetry activations, and more. $45; $95 with picnic upgrade; $950 for VIP table. 1pm to 6pm.
• 30 Years with Central Market & Saint Arnold Brewing Company at Central Market | Thursday, September 19 – Saint Arnold Brewing Company and Central Market have teamed up to celebrate their respective 30th anniversaries with a special dinner. Chef Chase Reid of Saint A’s Beer Garden & Restaurant has crafted a five-course, beer-paired menu of fall favorites—a meat and cheese board with focaccia made with beer; a fall salad featuring roasted pumpkin with truffle-infused feta; golden scallops and beer-braised beef ribs with shaved truffles; and sweet potato cheesecake with truffled marshmallow fluff. $110. 6:30pm.
• Platinum Wine Vault Luxury Tasting at Bayway Cadillac of The Woodlands | Friday, September 20 – Wine and Food Week’s luxurious Platinum Wine Vault tasting features flighted ultra-premium wines from around the globe alongside chef-inspired food pairings in an intimate setting with a cocktail attire dress code. $150. 6pm to 9pm.
• Houston BBQ Throwdown Fall ’24 at Saint Arnold Brewing Company | Sunday, September 22 – Bar-A-BBQ (defending People’s Choice winner), Brett’s BBQ Shop (defending Judge’s Choice winner), Fire Craft BBQ, J-Bar-M Barbecue, and Reveille BBQ are just some of the talented competitors at this year’s annual Houston BBQ Throwdown. Each of the local pitmasters will be offering their take on the “next great barbecue dish that represents Houston-style barbecue,” and if you score a ticket, you can happily taste and judge for yourself. Saint Arnold will provide beer at no added charge and the competition will take place in its air-conditioned beer hall to keep things cool. $60. 1pm to 4pm.
• 15th Annual Galveston Island Wild Texas Shrimp Festival in Downtown Galveston | Friday, September 27 and Saturday, September 28 – The annual festival offers a seafood lover’s paradise, kicking off with the—sure to sell out—Friday Kick-Off Party featuring a fried shrimp dinner, open bar, and live entertainment for $65; and followed by Saturday afternoon’s main event, the Shrimp Gumbo Cook-Off and Gumbo Stroll on the island’s Historic Strand, with sampling cups available for pre-purchase for $13 and shrimp dinner plates for $20. Other festivities include the Shrimp Scamper 5K Fun Run, Ron Hoover Boat Show, Strand Merchant Walkabout, the Lil’ Shrimps Parade, and live music. Times and prices vary.
• 3rd Annual Chefs For Farmers at Autry Park | Saturday, September 28 and Sunday, September 29 – This epic food and wine festival returns to Houston for its third year, offering an all-inclusive tasting as local top chefs and culinary personalities serve curated, locally sourced dishes that showcase family farms across Texas. Guests can also enjoy live entertainment, wines from top vineyards, craft cocktails, and immersive experiences from custom hats and jewelry to line dancing. Tickets are $125 to $175 for each of the events. 2pm to 5pm.
• Paella Sunday at Mutiny Wine Room | Sunday, September 29 – Chef Eduardo Alcayaga will be cooking up his famous seasonal seafood paella over a live fire on the patio. Folks can pair the paella mixta priced at $38 with a Spanish wine pairing for $15 by the glass; $56 by the bottle. Seatings at 4pm and 6:30pm.

Don’t Miss Out on Tomorrow’s Fun!