this weekend in dining

These are the 8 best food and drink events in Houston this weekend

The Perry's pork chop costs $39 on Sunday night.

Courtesy photo

This weekend’s best pop-ups and restaurant discount deals include the return of a classic dish, care packages for hospitality workers, and the provisions to make blood orange margaritas. Most of these events feature curbside pickup or other procedures that promote social distancing, so put that mask on and get out there.

Thursday, April 23

Food truck pop-up at The Annie Café & Bar
Get a taste of chef Robert Del Grande’s elegant cuisine, as prepared on The Annie’s food truck, at this pop-up taking place Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Thursday’s menu includes Del Grande’s signature coffee-crusted filet mignon (served with choice of vegetable and soup or salad). On Friday, get prime rib, chicken paillard, and bacon-wrapped quail breast. Saturday’s lunch menu features barbecue ribs, chicken and dumplings, and a roast beef sandwich. Pre-order available via The Annie’s website. Hours are 4-8 pm Thursday and Friday and 12-4 pm on Saturday.

Beef Wellington special at Tony’s
Chef Austin Waiter will serve this classic dish — two, 10-ounce beef filets wrapped in puff pastry with mushroom duxelles and pâté — Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. The $95 meal feeds two and comes with bordelaise, a mixed green salad, and Italian-style vegetable medley. Tony’s regular to-go menu will also be available. Free delivery available within 5-miles for a minimum of $75. To order, call 713-622-6778, 3-8 pm.

Friday, April 24

Care Package Distribution at Ouzo Bay
The River Oaks District restaurant will distribute food boxes with ingredients sourced in collaboration with local non-profit Urban Harvest, plus recipes that offer guidance with how to use them. The boxes are free to unemployed hospitality workers and first responders (2020 paystub or other proof recent of employment required), 10 am - 12 pm or until all are distributed.

Curbside pop-up at La Grange
The Mexican-themed, Montrose patio bar has been temporarily closed, but it will return for one night only with a menu of family-style meal packs. Get 3-pound fajitas packs (choice of beef, chicken, tilapia, or mixed), beer-battered fish and shrimp, quesadillas, and more. Beer, wine, and cocktails will also be available. To order, call 832-962-4745, 3-8 pm

Taco and Margarita pop-up at Johnny’s Gold Brick
The popular Heights cocktail bar has teamed up with A Comer Tacos and upcoming cocktail bar Night Shift to sell taco packs and blood orange margarita kits on both Friday and Saturday. Choose from chicken tinga, green chile pork, or the vegetarian rajas con queso (roasted poblano, corn, calabaza squash) tacos plus margarita ingredients with or without a bottle of tequila. Must order in advance online for pickup between 5-9 pm.

Saturday, April 25

Khói Barbecue pop-up at Baileson Brewing Company
The Vietnamese-influenced barbecue pop-up will serve its signature smoked meats from 12-3. Some of the specialty items have sold out, but brisket, beef ribs, and pork ribs are still available. Order in advance online.

Dumpling Magic cooking class
Learn the secrets of dumplings from chef Evelyn Garcia (Decatur Bar, Kin at Politan Row) at this online cooking class that’s sponsored by I’ll Have What She’s Having. In addition, bartender Sarah Crowl (Penny Quarter) will teach participants how to make an original cocktail. Kits with ingredients have sold out, but participants may watch the presentation for $10.

Sunday, April 26

Pork Chop special at Perry’s Steakhouse
On Sunday nights, purchase the restaurant’s signature pork chop — plus choice of salad and dessert — for just $39. Available at all locations. Order online for curbside pickup.

news-you-can-eat

head east

Eagerly-anticipated Houston barbecue joint hosts weekend preview pop-ups

Courtesy of Eastbound Barbecue

Get a first taste of Eastbound Barbecue this weekend.

One of Houston’s most eagerly anticipated new barbecue joints is giving diners a preview of what’s to come. Eastbound Barbecue will host “Sneak Peak Weekends” every Saturday and Sunday beginning this Saturday, December 20, until the restaurant opens in early 2026.

Held at the restaurant’s location in the East End (1105 Sampson Street) from 12-4 pm (or sold out), the weekend service gives diners their first chance to try Eastbound Barbecue’s smoked meats, sides, and desserts. That includes, smoked brisket, baby back ribs, jalapeno & cheese sausage, hatch chili lasagna mac & cheese, herbed potato salad, and more. Save room for the two dessert offerings, salted caramel banana pudding and cookie butter cake.

To distinguish Eastbound’s barbecue, chefs Lopez and Granville use different seasonings than other restaurants, such as rosemary salt in the brisket rub and a miso-caramel sauce that gives its ribs a sweet and savory bite. During the preview, Eastbound’s prices are noticeably lower than many other Houston barbecue joints, with brisket priced at $29 per pound, ribs at $26 per pound, and pulled pork at $22 per pound.

As CultureMap reported in August, Eastbound unites four friends, Ryan Penn, Ryan Powell, Luis Lopez, and Jake Granville, who also held senior roles at various restaurants owned by prominent Houston chef Ronnie Killen. Since then, the four partners have finished many of the improvements they needed to make prior to opening, including closing in the patio and installing offset smokers on the property.

For Penn, leaving the Killen’s organization after almost 20 years was a difficult decision, but one he felt he had to make. “I could have worked for [Killen] forever and been happy. It was more along the lines of, if I don’t do this now, I don’t want to be 70 and wish that I had,” he said at the time.

Courtesy of Eastbound Barbecue

Get a first taste of Eastbound Barbecue this weekend.

news-you-can-eat barbecue openings