taste the love

San Francisco-based sandwich shop unwraps tasty new Heights location

The popular San Francisco sandwich shop is opening in The Heights.

Photo courtesy of Ike's Love & Sandwiches

When San Francisco import Ike's Love & Sandwiches opens its first Houston location on Thursday, August 29, it's doing so with a fun opening-day deal for diners: the first 50 guests in the door get a free sandwich. That's just part of a two-day celebration to launch the new place.

Located at 1051 Heights Blvd., the shop is a partnership between Ike Shehadeh, company founder and face behind the brand, and former Major League Baseball pitcher Mark Appel, who's a Houston native. (He also signed with the Astros' and played in the club's minor league.) Both will be on hand on opening day to greet guests and share their excitement about opening Ike's in H-Town. Look for Shehadeh from 10 am to 5 pm, and Appel from 11 am to 3 pm.

“I’m thrilled to bring my favorite sandwich chain to my hometown,” said Appel in a press release announcing the opening. “This location marks the third store Ike and I have opened together. Now, my family and friends can experience these amazing sandwiches within reach here in Houston.”

In addition to the free sandwich deal, there are other opening specials. Guests who show they are following Ike’s on Instagram can purchase a sandwich for just $5 all day long on Thursday and Friday. They can also get a free popsicle from Steel City Pops with the purchase of a sandwich, while supplies last. The sandwich menu includes vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options.

Ike's has earned a reputation for having an array of location-specific options for its shops around the country. In Houston, those will include the “Grand Pinkerton,” made with Pinkerton brisket, pastrami, Pinkerton barbecue aioli, and provolone cheese. There's also a vegetarian version called “Robert Woodrow Wilson,” made with vegan brisket, Pinkerton barbecue glaze, and pepper jack cheese.

Ike's opened in San Francisco in 2007 and has steadily expanded. The Houston opening follows the company's push into Texas. Two Ike's locations set up shop in Austin over the last three months. The Heights spot is the first of four set to open in the Bayou City. The company now has 72 restaurants in five states.

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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