Greasy Spoon Grows

Innovative soul food restaurant serves up second Houston-area location

One of Houston's top soul food destinations has brought its signature fare to Pearland. After a trial run last weekend, The Greasy Spoon made its official debut on Thursday, January 20 at 10009 Broadway St.

First opened in Cypress Station in 2020 by restaurateur Max Bozeman II, the restaurant has earned a devoted following for dishes such as a turkey leg stuffed with mac and cheese, collard greens, and dirty rice as well as its signature "The Boss Seafood Stack," a decadent meal that combines a fried lobster, fried catfish, sauteed shrimp, and crabmeat over rice and collard greens. Other favorites include oxtails, smothered porkchops, and Cajun jambalaya pasta.

The restaurant has earned wide acclaim in its two years of operations. Recently featured on an episode of the Food Network show Food Paradise, it also earned a mention on CultureMap's "What's Eric Eating" podcast from Black Restaurant Week founder Warren Luckett as a must-visit destination.

"Expanding The Greasy Spoon is a goal that I am happy to achieve," Bozeman said in a statement. "My team and I plan to continue to bring a unique menu, great experience, and memories to Houston and surrounding areas. Our expansion is just beginning, and we are thankful!"

Bozeman brings more than just a can-do attitude to his business. He beat Stage 3 colon cancer, a journey documented in a recent Houston Chroniclearticle about the restaurant. Sharing the news of his diagnosis and treatment helped fuel the restaurant's growth and ultimately led to the recent Food Network appearance.

Now cancer-free, Bozeman celebrated his 38th birthday on January 15 by opening the doors to the Pearland location. A brisk turnout demonstrated the community's interest in the new dining destination.

"Thank you for allowing The Greasy Spoon to invade the city of Pearland," Bozeman told the crowd, according to a release. "Thank you so much to everyone. I appreciate you all, everybody has been great to me out in the community of Pearland!"

The restaurant serves classic soul food.

Photo by JRMH Photos

The restaurant serves classic soul food.

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burger bodega expands

Houston food influencer brings smash burger sensation to Katy

Photo by Michael Ma

Burger Bodega is coming to Katy.

Abbas Dhanani has a special Christmas present for burger lovers in Katy. He’s opening a second location of his smash burger restaurant, Burger Bodega, there next year.

Located at 21904 Franz Rd. (near the intersection of Mason Rd. and the Katy Fwy.), the new restaurant will build on the success of Dhanani’s first location, which opened on Washington Avenue in 2022. The restaurant distinguishes itself with a colorful interior that’s inspired by New York City bodegas. Its shelves are lined with cheeky, Houston-inspired products as well as goods from local restaurants such as Bludorn and Pudgy’s Cookies.

Burger Bodega serves a double-patty cheeseburger that’s smashed on a griddle, topped with grilled onions, pickles, and “bodega sauce,” and served on a Martin’s potato bun. It also serves a chopped cheese sandwich, fries with burger toppings, and milkshake flavors such as Vietnamese coffee and a mango lassi.

Regulars know to request off-menu specials like the “Choppy Joe,” a chopped cheese served on a burger bun, or to get their burgers spicy. True to its pop-up roots, Burger Bodega has hosted numerous collaboration pop-ups with Houston chefs such as Raffi Nasr (Craft Pita) and the late Alex Au-Yeung (Phat Eatery).

Dhanani, whose @houstoneatz account has almost 40,000 followers on Instagram and more than 100,000 on TikTok, created Burger Bodega after visiting smash burger restaurants in New York and Los Angeles. Ahead of its opening, he built a following for the restaurant with a series of sold-out pop-ups, including appearances at the Southern Smoke Festival.

Burger Bodega has earned considerable acclaim in its two years, including winning Best Burger in the 2023 CultureMap Tastemaker Awards and Neighborhood Restaurant of the Year in the 2024 CultureMap Tastemaker Awards — all of which should contribute to excitement in the Katy area for its arrival.

"We are thrilled to announce our second location in Katy," Dhanani said in a statement. "Katy is such a vibrant and welcoming community, and we are excited to bring our concept to even more people in the area. The past two years at our first location have been incredible, and we are deeply grateful for the unwavering support from our customers. This support has been the driving force behind our growth, and we cannot wait to share this new chapter with everyone in Katy."

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