Lefty's on the move

Deshaun Watson-backed cheesesteak restaurant opens new Houston location this week

The second Houston location of Deshaun Watson's new cheesesteak restaurant opens this week. Lefty’s Famous Cheesesteaks will open its doors this Tuesday, January 5, in East Houston at 1010 Federal Rd.

Founded by Sam Berry, Lefty’s features cheesesteaks named for left-handed celebrities such as Oprah Winfrey and Sylvester Stallone. Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson has become one of the company's owners, helping to drive its expansion to Texas.

The Federal Rd. location will be oriented towards takeout with a drive-thru for speedy service. Designed by MG Construction Pros, it will seat approximately 15 people.

The menu features cheesesteaks made with USDA Choice ribeye served on a soft hoagie roll. Lefty's classic cheesesteak is topped with a blend of white American and Swiss cheese and cherry peppers. Other options include the Southpaw (topped with cheese sauce and crushed Hot Cheetos) and The Winfrey (seasoned shaved chicken, grilled onions, pepper jack cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, jalapeños, and chipotle aioli).In addition to cheesesteaks, diners may opt for corned beef, cold sandwiches, burgers, or salads. Appetizers such as cheesesteak egg rolls and fried mushrooms round out the menu.

“If you want to do something big, you’ve got to do it in Texas,” Berry said in a statement. “We are the hottest franchise in America, and we are excited to continue our growth in the great city of Houston, which has been tremendously welcoming to the Lefty’s family thus far.”

Berry and Watson opened Houston's first Lefty's in December. The Pro Bowl quarterback made a surprise appearance at the grand opening, incurring a fine from the NFL for violating COVID protocols that limited gatherings to three players or fewer. Watson has also helped market the restaurant by donating meals to workers at Methodist Hospital.

Lefty's has aggressive growth plans for Houston with plans for 150 stores across Texas and 1,000 nationwide. A third Houston location will open at 5588 North Fwy. by the end of January.

Deshaun Watson with Lefty's founder Sam Berry.

Lefty's Cheesesteaks Sam Berry Deshaun Watson

Photo by Charles Rostamloo

Deshaun Watson with Lefty's founder Sam Berry.

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NYT best dishes

Houston Mediterranean restaurant makes NY Times' best desserts list

Sayad Mediterranean Kitchen/Facebook

Sayad Mediterranean Kitchen is the only Houston restaurant on either list.

The New York Times included four Texas restaurants among its favorite dishes of 2025. Divided into two lists — The 23 Best Restaurant Dishes We Ate Across the U.S. in 2025 and The 14 Best Restaurant Desserts We Ate Across the U.S. in 2025 — the dishes are:

Bad Honey Bunny at Mercado Sin Nombre (Austin)
Ketan Hitam at Yeni’s Fusion (Austin)
Konafa Naama at Sayad Mediterranean Kitchen (Houston)
Picadillo Macaroni and Cheese at 2M Smokehouse (San Antonio)

Times food writer Priya Krishna, who authors the entries for all four Texas dishes, traveled to far west Houston to visit Sayad Mediterranean Kitchen. “The konafa, a signature here, arrives with a molten layer of cheese under a sticky-sweet layer of golden, nutty semolina. The craft is evident, the konafa gone in a few bites,” she writes.

Sayad Mediterranean Kitchen Konafa Naama Don't skip dessert at Sayad Mediterranean Kitchen.KSayad Mediterranean Kitchen/Facebook

In Austin, Krishna praises the rice pudding at Yeni’s Fusion. “This barely sweet version, lush with coconut milk, aromatic with pandan and as soothing as warm porridge, is the gentlest way to end a meal,” she states.

Already hailed as one of America’s best breakfast spots by Bon Appetit, Krishna singles out a honeybun at Mercado Sin Nombre. “The coiled honey bun at this semi-clandestine cafe looks almost cartoonishly perfect, and the heady scent of cardamom and honey hits you before you even take a bite. Somehow, it tastes every bit as plush and elegant as it appears,” she writes.

The picadillo mac and cheese at 2M Smokehouse showcases how the San Antonio restaurant incorporates Mexican flavors into traditional Texas barbecue. “Imagine Hamburger Helper, but spicier, punchier and even more luxuriously creamy. It’s not easy to one-up the singular, thickly spiced brisket here, but the picadillo mac and cheese — which runs as an occasional special — holds its own and then some,” Krishna writes.

The New York Times regularly shines its spotlight on Texas restaurants, In September, it named four establishments — ChòpnBlọk (Houston), Isidore (San Antonio), Lao’d Bar (Austin), and P Thai’s Khao Man Gai & Noodles (Austin) — to its list of America’s 50 Best Restaurants.

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