Antone's expands

Houston's most famous po'boy sandwiches unwrap in Dallas-Fort Worth

They even have "famous" right in their name.

Courtesy photo

A sandwich maker beloved to Houston is coming to Dallas-Fort Worth: Antone's Famous Po' Boys, known for its cold, grab-and-go sandwiches wrapped in trademark white paper, has expanded its footprint to more than 100 supermarkets in North Texas and East Louisiana.

According to a release, their sandwiches can now be found at select Kroger, Tom Thumb, Albertsons, and Market Street Stores across DFW and Shreveport.

Signature sandwiches include:

The Original: Ham, Salami, Provolone, chow chow relish, mayo, and pickles
Super Original: Same as original but with extra meat and cheese
The Piggy: A blend of chopped ham, salami, pepper jack, and provolone with mayo, pickapeppa sauce, and dill pickles
Tuna: House-made tuna salad, provolone, and pickles
Turkey & Swiss: Oven roasted turkey, swiss cheese, mayo, and sweet & spicy pickles
Premium Roast Beef: Roast beef, sharp white cheddar, creamy horseradish, and sweet and spicy pickles

The po' boy brand has been a Houston institution since it opened in 1962. The expansion comes on the cusp of the company's 60th anniversary.

"We are excited to finally make our po' boys available to folks in North Texas," says Antone's CEO Craig Lieberman in a statement. "It's been a matter of expanding our production facility, which gives us the ability to deliver a consistent, fresh product daily — one that Texans in other parts of the state have come to enjoy."

"We are hoping to provide Antone's to more locations in the Dallas Fort Worth metroplex by the end of 2022," Leiberman says.

The company was founded as Antone's Import Company by Jalal Antone, the son of Lebanese immigrants, and began as a fast-casual sandwich concept known for po' boys, gumbos, and sides made daily. Everyone knows that when it comes to great food, Lebanese people know what they're doing.

In addition to po' boys, their menu includes deli-style sandwiches, seafood platters, and salads.

Antone's has two full-service locations in Houston: near the Galleria at 4520 San Felipe St. and in Shepherd Forest at 2724 W TC Jester. They expanded distribution to Central Texas in 2018. Dallas-Fort Worth is their third major market in Texas.

The sandwiches are sold in grocery stores across Houston and Central Texas including H-E-B, Randall's, Kroger, Brookshire Brothers, and airports including Austin-Bergstrom International Airport and George Bush Intercontinental Airport.

Plus food service outlets in Houston and beyond such as Texas Children's Hospital, MD Anderson's Rotary House, Kyle Field at Texas A&M, and in Austin at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium, and Antone's Nightclub.

So they're currently available in Houston, Austin, Dallas, and Fort Worth, which is four out of the five cities where CultureMap has a bureau. (The only CultureMap city they're missing is San Antonio.) They obviously know what's up.

To find the closest Antone's Famous Po' Boy, consult their Po' Boy Tracker.

trends openings

one last hurrah

Staple downtown Houston bar announces imminent closure

Dean's Downtown/Facebook

Dean's is closing this Sunday, April 26.

One of downtown Houston’s favorite casual bars will serve its last drink this weekend. Dean’s will close after service on Sunday, April 26.

First opened in 1999 as Dean’s Credit Clothing, the bar rebranded as Dean’s when current owner Bobby Stark took over in 2013. He tells CultureMap that Notsuoh owner Jim Pirtle, who also owns the bar’s building at 316 Main Street, offered to buy out the last two years of Dean’s lease so that he could open a new concept in the space.

“[The buyout] allows me, my partners, and my employees to do something else,” Stark writes in a text. “Some staff want to get out of the business. Some want to start their own bars and restaurants. Some just want to continue, and Jim’s new bar will be mostly the same vibe — maybe just a little bit more low-key.”

Dean’s opened at the same time as other game-changing bars and restaurants such as Goro & Gun, the Original OKRA Charity Saloon, and Captain’s Foxheart’s Bad News Bar & Spirit Lodge. Stark says he’s watched the area evolve from an area that people viewed skeptically into one of Houston’s most popular nightlife spots.

“Back then, downtown still had the perception that it was dangerous somehow. I don’t know why,” he says. “Now, it’s more mainstream. In a way, I think Houston is becoming more metropolitan as opposed to just a car city.”

Dean’s will celebrate its last night with “Party Like Its 2013.” Expect a soundtrack powered by songs from the era from artists such as The Weeknd, Rihana, Kendrick Lamar, Drake, Taylor Swift, and more. The party runs from 8-11 pm.

closing nightlife