Rodeo Best Bites

Upstart restaurant stuns established eateries at Houston Rodeo's Best Bites competition

"A Houston restaurant I've never heard of won the rodeo best bites," Chronicle barbecue columnist J.C. Reid tweeted this morning.

Indeed, the crowd of 5,000 attendees who packed NRG Hall for the event that's officially dubbed the "Uncorked Best Bites Competition" may have been surprised to hear that four month-old Davis St. at Hermann Park emerged as the judges' favorite in the Trailblazing Appetizer/Entree award for its crispy Thai shrimp — ahead of popular restaurants like Pappas Bros. Steakhouse, Brennan's and Glass Wall.

The modern American restaurant also took Reserve Grand Champion honors in both the People's Choice ballot behind perennial favorite Royers Round Top Cafe and showmanship behind Mister French's Gourmet Bakery.

Creole institution Brennan's scored Reserve Grand Champion with its classic turtle soup, as did Italian restaurant Brio Tuscan Grille with a crab cake. A panel of media judges selected the winners from entries by 91 different restaurants, which is a record for the event. The judges also selected favorites for the categories of Two-Steppin Bread/Cheese/Dessert and Tasty Tradition.

Attendees also had the opportunity to sample hundreds of different wines that are part of the Rodeo's annual International Wine Competition.

The event serves as the kickoff of Rodeo season that shifts into high gear Thursday night with the World Championship Bar-B-Que cook off.

The full list of winners from Best Bites is below:

Popular Choice
1st: Royers Café, Round Top
2nd: Davis Street at Hermann Park

Two-Stepping Bread/Cheese/Dessert Award
1st: Mostly Chocolate & Catering, Goat Cheese Truffle
2nd: Joyce's Seafood & Steaks, White Chocolate Bread Pudding

Trailblazing Appetizer/Entrée Award
1st: Davis Street at Hermann Park, Crispy Thai Shrimp
2nd: Brio Tuscan Grille, Crab Cakes
3rd: Brennan's of Houston, Turtle Soup

Showmanship Award
1st: Mr. French's Gourmet Bakery
2nd: Davis Street at Hermann Park

Tasty Traditions Award
1st: Joyce's Seafood & Steaks, White Chocolate Bread Pudding
2nd: Taste of Texas, Certified Angus Beef Tenderloin

Rookie Award
Sweet, Mini Pies

Shepard Ross, left, and Erin Hicks attended on behalf of Ross's restaurants Glass Wall and Brooklyn Athletic Club.

Rodeo Best Bites Shepard Ross Erin Hicks

Courtesy photo

Shepard Ross, left, and Erin Hicks attended on behalf of Ross's restaurants Glass Wall and Brooklyn Athletic Club.

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news you can eat

Growing national pizza chain will bring halal pies and pastas to Katy

Vocelli Pizza/Facebook

Vocelli Pizza will open its first Houston-area location in March.

A Pittsburgh pizzeria has set its sights on Houston. Vocelli Pizza will makes it Bayou City debut next year with a location in Katy.

Scheduled to open in March 2026, the restaurant will be located at 2941 W. Grand Parkway. Although pizza is part of the restaurant’s name, the menu also includes wings, pizza rolls, salads, sandwiches, pasta, and more. Specialty items include mac and cheese pizza, spinach mushroom rolls, and a chicken parmesan sub.

"We are thrilled to continue our growth into new communities that share our passion for quality, service, and authentic Italian-inspired food," Vocelli Pizza CEO Toni Bianco said in a statement. "Our expansion into Dalton and Houston reflects the strong demand for our brand, and we look forward to delivering an exceptional experience to guests in both markets."

For its expansion into Houston, Vocelli’s will debut an all-halal menu that’s designed to appeal to Houston’s diverse community.

"The team is excited to introduce Vocelli Pizza to Houston with a full halal menu," Bianco added. "There is a clear demand for high-quality Halal pizza and delivery options, and we are proud to meet that need while bringing our brand to a new and dynamic market."

Founded by Turkish immigrant Varol Ablak in 1988, Vocelli began franchising in 1993. The restaurant currently has more than 80 locations.

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