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    5 nights of steak

    Chris Shepherd heats up Houston with new weeklong Southern Smoke spring bash

    Eric Sandler
    Jan 28, 2019 | 10:30 am

    Update 3/1: Information about the finale dinner at One Fifth and a cocktail pop-up at UB Preserv has been added to this article.

    By any measure, Southern Smoke has become one of Houston's premier food events. Chris Shepherd's one day festival attracts top culinary talent from across the country and raises a lot of money for charity — over $1.3 million in four years.

    Now, Shepherd and team have launched a spring edition of Southern Smoke. Instead of a one day bash, the week-long event will feature a series of guest chef dinners and a citywide steak night sponsored by Texas beef purveyor 44 Farms. Southern Smoke Spring will take place from Sunday, April 14 to Thursday, April 18; proceeds will benefit the Southern Smoke Foundation, which provides emergency financial assistance to people in the restaurant industry.

    “We’re really fortunate to work in an industry that enables us to give back,” Shepherd said in a statement. “I love cooking with my friends, and I love cooking with them even more when we’re raising money to take care of our own. Southern Smoke Spring will give our guests the opportunity to spend more time with our visiting chefs than is possible during the festival. Instead of one bite, you’ll get multiple courses and a lot of conversation. Each dinner will be a celebration—of friendship, great food and wine and community. Let’s do this!”

    Tickets for the guest chef dinners go on sale March 5 via the Southern Smoke website. Here's the schedule:

    Sunday, April 14: Steak with Aaron Franklin at Georgia James. One week after Texas' most famous pitmaster publishes a cookbook devoted to steak, he will host what a press release calls "the ultimate steak dinner" at Shepherd's Montrose steakhouse. Attendees will also receive a signed copy of Franklin Steak. $350.

    Monday, April 15: Dinner with chef Jamie Malone at UB Preserv. Like Shepherd, Malone is a member of Food & Wine magazine's Best New Chef class of 2013. The three-time James Beard Award semifinalist for Best Chef: Midwest owns The Grand Café and Eastside Restaurant in Minneapolis. She'll demonstrate "her modern interpretation of classic French cuisine" with a dinner at Shepherd's Montrose restaurant. $200.

    Tuesday, April 16 and Wednesday, April 17: Citywide steak night. At least 20 top Houston restaurants will serve steak dishes featuring 44 Farms beef during this two extravaganza. Participants include most of the chefs in the HOUBBQ Collective that contributes to Southern Smoke. They include: Beaver's, Brennan's, Cafe Annie, Quattro at the Four Seasons, Goodnight Charlie's, Coltivare, Hugo's, Xochi, The Pass & Provisions, Kata Robata, The Original Ninfa's on Navigation, Uchi, Tris, and all four of Shepherd's restaurants.

    Wednesday, April 17: Bar Takeover with Dave Arnold at UB Preserv: For one night only, one of the country's most inventive culinary minds will pop-up behind the bar at UB Preserv. Arnold, known for his work at acclaimed New York cocktail Booker and Dax and inventions such as the Searzall, will serve cocktails from his bar Existing Conditions. Walk-ins are welcome, so expect a crowd.

    Thursday, April 18: Finale dinner with Jamie Bissonnette and Chris Cosentino at One Fifth: To wrap up the week, Shepherd has invited two of the country's most-acclaimed chefs, both of whom will be cooking in Houston for the first time, to join him for an epic meal at One Fifth. Bissonnette is the chef and co-owner of Boston restaurants Toro, a tapas bar, Coppa, an Italian enoteca, and Little Donkey, a global tapas restaurant; he won the James Beard Award for Best Chef: Northeast in 2014.

    Cosentino is best known for Incanto, the San Francisco restaurant devoted to charcuterie and whole animal cooking that he operated for 12 years. Currently, he owns Cockscomb in San Francisco, Jackrabbit in Portland, OR, and Acacia House at Las Alcobas, a hotel in Napa Valley. He won season four of Top Chef Masters, raising over $140,000 for the The Michael J. Fox Foundation. $250.

    Aaron Franklin and Chris Shepherd headline Southern Smoke Spring.

    Chris Shepherd Aaron Franklin Southern Smoke
      
    Photo by Catchlight Photography
    Aaron Franklin and Chris Shepherd headline Southern Smoke Spring.
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    Drop it like it's hot

    Houston farmers market adds new indoor pickleball court with food and cocktails

    Brianna Griff
    Jun 18, 2025 | 1:00 pm
    Drop Shots HTX indoor pickleball courts
    Photo by Abante Photography
    Drop Shots HTX celebrates its grand opening this Saturday, June 21.

    Pickleball isn’t going anywhere — the racquet sport continues to score with Houstonians. The newest player on the city’s crowded court, Drop Shots HTX, stands out for one big reason: it’s entirely indoors.

    Drop Shots HTX indoor pickleball courts
      

    Photo by Abante Photography

    Drop Shots HTX celebrates its grand opening this Saturday, June 21.

    Opening June 21, Drop Shots HTX is the brainchild of hospitality veterans Roveen Abante (Conservatory Galleria, Duchess), Chase Lovullo (Conservatory Galleria), and Shawn Outlaw.

    “We didn’t just want to open a bar,” co-founder Roveen Abante said in a statement. “We built a space where people connect, whether they’re playing or not. There’s something for everyone here.”

    Drop Shots HTX is marking its grand opening on June 21 from 12-11 pm, offering all-day open play for $5 along with $5 food and drink specials. Live DJs and giveaways will add to the experience.

    Patrons can soak up the A/C while slapping balls across one of the six professional-grade indoor courts. Off the court, guests can engage in friendly competitions of skee-ball, ping pong, arcade basketball, and cornhole in the second-floor lounge. Nine screens make up one wall in the mezzanine, ideal for catching the latest game, or can be expanded into one 195-inch television.

    Clutch City Kitchen will keep the players' appetite at bay with pizzas, sandwiches, and acai bowls. For hydration, an indoor/outdoor full bar will have 10 signature pickleball-themed cocktails, mocktails, and fresh juices crafted from local fruits and veggies.

    “Some venues lean into serious competition, we lean into fun,” added co-founder Shawn Outlaw. “We’re the only indoor pickleball facility inside the Loop with a full bar, kitchen, lounge, and patio. But more than that, we’re the only one that feels like your new favorite neighborhood hangout, even if you never touch a paddle.”

    Events like Glow-in-the-Dark Fridays, Tacos and Tequila Saturdays, and Pancakes and Pickball mornings add a twist to the typical pickleball match. Bring the kids—the venue is family-friendly until 10pm.

    “We created Drop Shots HTX because we fell in love with a game that brings generations together,” Outlaw said. “From our 10-year-olds to our 65-year-old parents, pickleball is for everyone. And so is this space.”

    Drop Shots HTX is located at 2520 Airline Drive, Building A, Suite 100. It’s open Monday through Thursday from 12-11pm, Friday from 12 pm-12 am, and Saturday and Sunday from 11 am-11 pm.

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