This week in dining

These are the 13 best food and drink events in Houston this week

Wine dinners are the thing this week, with offerings from Sclavos Wines of Greece, Caymus from Napa, and De Wetshof Estate of South Africa. One of Houston's most popular newcomers is celebrating its one-year anniversary with a blowout party, and a Bayou City favorite throws a fifth anniversary dinner with tequila. There's also a cooking class for those who want a little inspiration of how to create some of the city's best flavors at home.

Monday, July 22

Wine Dinner at Helen Greek Food and Wine
The restaurant's Rice Village location hosts an evening showcasing Sclavos Wines from Greece's Ionian Islands. Chef William Wright's five-course offerings include salt cod fritters with summer squash and almond garlic sauce paired with Sclavos' 2016 Alchemiste; a Cephalonian meat pie of beef, lamb, pork, cheese, phyllo crust, and marjoram accompanied by Sclavos' 2015 Efranor; and “pantespani” pound cake with Texas peaches paired with Sclavos' 2015 Orgion. The cost is $150 per person. To reserve, call 832-831-7133 or email the restaurant.

Wednesday, July 24

National Tequila Day
From 4 pm to midnight, La Grange is running drink specials to help celebrate the beloved spirit, including $1 off all tequila-based cocktails. There's also a $12 Casamigos tequila flight of Blanco, Reposado, and Anejo tequilas, and a $9 top-shelf Casamigos frozen margarita. Downtown's El Big Bad will host "Introductions are the New Black," a speed dating event that includes a tequila tasting. Find two drink specials at El Real Tex-Mex Cafe: the Mexican candy shot (Playa Real Tequila with fresh watermelon and pineapple juices, $5) and the watermelon-basil margarita (El Jimador Tequila with fresh watermelon, fresh basil, agave nectar, and lime juice, $7). Classic Tex-Mex restaurant Molina's will feature its signature frozen margaritas for just $6.50. Get a preview of Candente, the new Tex-Mex restaurant from the owners of The Pit Room, at The Patio at the Pit Room from 5-9 pm; menu selections include beef and chicken fajitas, chile con queso, and smoked cheese chile rellenos.

Far Niente Wine Tasting at Brennan's
From 6:30-8 pm, enjoy light bites and selections from the renowned Napa winery. The cost is $25 per person, and tickets can be purchased online.

Thursday, July 25

De Wetshof Estate Wine Dinner at Riel
The restaurant partners with Broadbent Selections and Johann de Wet to profile the Chardonnays of De Wetshof Estate, served with a multi-course meal prepared by chef Ryan Lachaine. Diners will get to try De Wetshof's Limestone Hill, Lesca, Bon Vallon, and Bataleur Chardonnays. Dinner starts at 5:30 pm, and tickets are $78 per person. To reserve a spot, email vanessa@rielhouston.com.

Anniversary Dinner at Sylvia's Enchilada Kitchen
The Eldridge location of the popular Tex-Mex restaurant marks its fifth birthday with a special tequila dinner. The four-course meal features selections from Sylvia's mesquite-fired grill, such as quail, fajita steaks, and baby back ribs. All will be paired with a tequila or tequila-based cocktail, using Tres Generaciones and Código tequilas. Dinner begins at 5:30 pm, and the cost is $55 per person. Call 713-334-7295 to reserve a spot.

WhistlePig Dinner at Bayou & Bottle
The evening begins with a welcome reception in the Top Golf Swing Suite, before segueing into a four-course dinner with whiskey pairings. Menu highlights include Black Hill Farm suckling pig with nectarine-bourbon sauce served with WhistlePig’s 15 Year Straight Rye, as well as tastes of Farmstock Crop 2, 10 Year Rye, and 12 Year Rye. The cost for dinner is $120 per person, and seating is extremely limited. Dinner guests may also purchase The Boss Hogs Flight at a special price of $150, which includes limited edition top shelf ryes from the late master distiller Dave Pickerell, including The Independent (III), The Black Prince (IV), and The Spirit of Mauve (V). Dinner starts at 6:30 pm. To purchase tickets, call 713-652-6244.

Friday, July 26

8th Wonder Collabor8tion Dinner at Poitín Bar & Kitchen
Chef Dominick Lee has created a four-course menu paired with some of the EaDo brewery's most popular beers. Courses include passed appetizers (Andouille Corn-Dogs with Comeback Sauce, Shrimp Toast Marinated with Creole Mustard Glaze) paired with Haterade Gose, marinated tomato salad paired with People’s Champ - Kristalweizen, and family-style main dishes (deep-fried yard bird, braised rabbit, and pot roast with sides) paired with both a cream ale and a helles lager. Tickets, $58 plus tax and tip, are available at poitinhouston.com by selecting a reservation for 5:30 pm.

Date Night Cooking Class at Brennan's
Discover recipes highlighting great Gulf Coast ingredients at this installment of the popular summer series. Tonight's class focuses on shrimp, and includes a reception, cooking demonstration by executive chef Joe Cervantez, and a seated three-course menu of barbecue shrimp shortcake, Gulf shrimp etouffée and (shrimp-free) bourbon-glazed peaches, pecan granola, and chantilly cream. The class takes place from 6:30-9 pm, and costs $150.00 per couple, plus tax and gratuity.

Caymus Wine Dinner at Federal American Grill
Guests can sample several of the Napa winery's selections, along with a three-course dinner that includes samples of four wines. There's even a surprise tasting to end the evening. Tickets are $140 per person, plus tax and gratuity. To purchase tickets, call 713-863-7777.

Saturday, July 27

Whisky Flights at Jonathan's the Rub
The Memorial Green location marks National Scotch Whisky Day with three special flights, available from open to close. The Macallan Flight is a 12-year Sherry, a 14-year triple cask, and a 17-year fine oak, for $48. The Balvenie Flight is a 12-year single malt, a 14-year Caribbean, and a 17-year double cask, selling for $32. A Japanese Flight of Yamazaki 12-year, Nikka Coffee, and Suntory Toki costs $25.

Creme Brûlée Day at Bistro Provence
Diners can begin and end their meals with versions of iconic dessert at this casual chic Memorial restaurant. To begin, there's the foie gras crème brûlée appetizer, similarly made only with rich foie gras, instead of custard, available for $12. And at the end of the meal, opt for the restaurant's honey-alvender crème brûlée, complete with its brittle top crust of caramelized sugar, for $8.

Lone Star Spotlight Dinner at Morton's Grill
Starting with a happy hour at 6 pm, this five-course dinner showcases the creations of Pedernales Cellars Winery, Garrison Brothers Bourbon Distillery, and Saint Arnold Brewing Co. paired with red meat selections, such as filet mignon tartare, eye of ribeye carpaccio, 44 Farms beef & barley consommé, and 44 Farms braised beef shank. The cost is $100 per person, and reservations may be made by calling the restaurant at 832-585-0794.

Sunday, July 28

Indigo Anniversary Block Party
To mark turning one, the Trinity Gardens spot is throwing a big bash, complete with a cookout spread and epic domino tournament. Chef Jonny Rhodes is joined by executive chef Fermín Nuñez from masa-obsessed Austin restaurant Suerte, who's bringing along his signature handmade tacos and salsas to augment Indigo's African-infused soul food. Tickets are $35 per person, and portions of the day's sales will go back to the community Indigo calls home. Purchase tickets online.

Bayou & Bottle will host a WhistlePig dinner on Thursday.

Photo courtesy of Four Seasons Hotel Houston

Bayou & Bottle will host a WhistlePig dinner on Thursday.

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Oh, Donna

New Houston cocktail bar serves up a house party fueled by music and martinis

Courtesy of Donna's

People are flocking to Donna's.

It hasn’t taken long for Houston cocktail fans to discover Donna’s. Ever since it opened Thanksgiving weekend, the new cocktail bar in the Heights has been packed with people eager to check out the new project from Anvil owner Bobby Heugel and veteran Houston bartender Jacki Schromm.

Named for Schromm’s grandmother, both partners use the word “house party” to describe the kind of atmosphere they want to create at Donna’s. That party can be very energetic on busy weekend nights and a little quieter and more intimate during the week — allowing patrons to choose what kind of experience they want to have.

Heugel and Schromm worked with collaborators on the design, music, and art for Donna’s. So far, people seem to be enjoying themselves.

“It’s really f---ing awesome,” Schromm tells CultureMap. “It has been really remarkable to have people in this building. To see the room full is a rewarding experience. The feedback we’ve received has just been really positive.”

To transform the former Ready Room into Donna’s, the partners collaborated with Brittany Vaughn of Garnish Design. Known for her work at establishments such as Tiny Champions, Maximo, and Milton’s, Vaughn helped divide the retro-styled cocktail bar into two distinct interior spaces. The main bar area is defined by high-top, organically-shaped tables that allow large groups to congregate or smaller groups to share without being on top of each other. The more intimate living room section features a large couch and a spacious booth.

“There’s a lot of smart utility in the space,” Heugel explains. “We kept talking about how it’s a small space. We want to find a seat for everybody as much as possible.”

To honor the space’s history of hosting live music, the partners worked with Chicago-based firm Uncanned on a powerful vintage stereo that includes both a reel-to-reel tape deck and a turntable. Known locally for their work at restaurants such as Nancy’s Hustle and Nobie’s, the Uncanned team gave Donna’s the ability to kick out the jams with ultra-clear sound while not being so loud that people can’t talk to each other. It also opens up the possibility of people playing their favorite albums on select nights.

“Jacki and I both had the bold opinion when we started talking about Donna’s that cocktail bars were boring. We wanted to add more layers to the onion,” Heugel says. “Having music be here as an additional component to the bar makes the room feel really good. That’s important to us, and we’ll have some programming related to that.”

Keli Hogsett of Austin’s CoCollect helped Schromm and Heugel select the room’s distinctive art on its walls. Heugel describes the works as museum-quality, contemporary pieces from regional artists that are a cut above what’s usually seen in bars. Hogsett will also source the art for the new restaurant Heugel and chef Justin Yu are opening next year in the former Vibrant space.

Schromm, who partnered with Heugel after working at Anvil and Reserve 101, created the opening cocktail menu herself. One highlight is the Jacki’s Martini, a nod to the “Bobby’s Martini” served at Refuge and the “Terry’s Martini” served at Squable. It’s a 50-50 mix of gin with Cocchi Americano and Dolin Blanc vermouth. She describes it as more “sessionable” than a traditional martini.

“I think this cocktail menu has a lot of personality,” she says. “Some of my flair, whether it’s a spirit I chose or a flavor I like.”

Although parking on the property is limited, Heugel notes that street parking on White Oak is relatively plentiful. A nearby pay lot is available, or people can skip the issue altogether by using their favorite rideshare service.

Of course, the adjacent restaurant space won’t stay empty for long. As CultureMap has previously reported, Austin-based pizzeria Home Slice has claimed the building for its second Houston location that will open in fall 2026.

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Donna's, 2626 White Oak Drive. Open daily from 2 pm-2 am

Courtesy of Donna's

People are flocking to Donna's.

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