Houston Restaurant Weeks is back with new features, foods, and restaurants just for you. The annual event, which benefits the Houston Food Bank, runs from August 1 through Labor Day on September 6. Restaurants that participate in the event will offer set menus, and the proceeds of each meal will cover donations of $1 to $5 for the Houston Food Bank.
Many restaurants here in the Memorial District will participate in the event and provide fabulous foods from a wide range of cuisines and cultures. Here in the Memorial District, you can visit restaurants like Liberty Kitchen and State Fare in the Memorial City Mall area and Cyclone Anaya's in the CITYCENTRE area. The first batch of menus is live and ready for you to see at the link at the end of this article. As of now, there are about 110 restaurants on the list, but Houston Restaurant Weeks expects about 200 restaurants to participate. The program will update its website as more and more businesses sign up to participate before the first day of the event.
Houston Restaurant Weeks has raised nearly $17 million to combat hunger in Houston since the establishment of the citywide dining event in 2003. By encouraging Houstonians to support their favorite eateries and try out new restaurants, the event has helped boost business for local restaurant owners, employ area restaurant workers, support the city’s economy, and keep hungry people fed and happy.
Last summer, Houston Restaurant Weeks stepped up to the plate—pun intended—to make sure Houstonians could find great meals and support one another during the pandemic. The program helped businesses inform the community of new dine-in, takeout, and curbside options. This year, you may still see some of the modifications Houston Restaurant Weeks introduced last summer.
You may also notice updates on the event’s website and social media messaging. For example, the event now showcases takeout options with #HRWToGo menus. Plus, there is a new online portal on the website where restaurants can input and update menus directly and in real-time and create printable versions to use at the restaurant. The event plans to continue to make improvements in the coming years.
When Cleverley Stone, founder of Houston Restaurant Weeks, passed away last year, her daughter, Katie Stone, took over the leadership position.
“We are thrilled at the excitement restaurants have expressed about this year’s HRW. 2021 is off to a great start, and we anticipate diners will be quick to make reservations and get a place at the table,” said Katie Stone, president of the Cleverley Stone Foundation.
Learn more at Houston Restaurant Weeks here and the Houston Food Bank here. Happy dining!