• Home
  • popular
  • EVENTS
  • submit-new-event
  • CHARITY GUIDE
  • Children
  • Education
  • Health
  • Veterans
  • Social Services
  • Arts + Culture
  • Animals
  • LGBTQ
  • New Charity
  • TRENDING NEWS
  • News
  • City Life
  • Entertainment
  • Sports
  • Home + Design
  • Travel
  • Real Estate
  • Restaurants + Bars
  • Arts
  • Society
  • Innovation
  • Fashion + Beauty
  • subscribe
  • about
  • series
  • Embracing Your Inner Cowboy
  • Green Living
  • Summer Fun
  • Real Estate Confidential
  • RX In the City
  • State of the Arts
  • Fall For Fashion
  • Cai's Odyssey
  • Comforts of Home
  • Good Eats
  • Holiday Gift Guide 2010
  • Holiday Gift Guide 2
  • Good Eats 2
  • HMNS Pirates
  • The Future of Houston
  • We Heart Hou 2
  • Music Inspires
  • True Grit
  • Hoops City
  • Green Living 2011
  • Cruizin for a Cure
  • Summer Fun 2011
  • Just Beat It
  • Real Estate 2011
  • Shelby on the Seine
  • Rx in the City 2011
  • Entrepreneur Video Series
  • Going Wild Zoo
  • State of the Arts 2011
  • Fall for Fashion 2011
  • Elaine Turner 2011
  • Comforts of Home 2011
  • King Tut
  • Chevy Girls
  • Good Eats 2011
  • Ready to Jingle
  • Houston at 175
  • The Love Month
  • Clifford on The Catwalk Htx
  • Let's Go Rodeo 2012
  • King's Harbor
  • FotoFest 2012
  • City Centre
  • Hidden Houston
  • Green Living 2012
  • Summer Fun 2012
  • Bookmark
  • 1987: The year that changed Houston
  • Best of Everything 2012
  • Real Estate 2012
  • Rx in the City 2012
  • Lost Pines Road Trip Houston
  • London Dreams
  • State of the Arts 2012
  • HTX Fall For Fashion 2012
  • HTX Good Eats 2012
  • HTX Contemporary Arts 2012
  • HCC 2012
  • Dine to Donate
  • Tasting Room
  • HTX Comforts of Home 2012
  • Charming Charlie
  • Asia Society
  • HTX Ready to Jingle 2012
  • HTX Mistletoe on the go
  • HTX Sun and Ski
  • HTX Cars in Lifestyle
  • HTX New Beginnings
  • HTX Wonderful Weddings
  • HTX Clifford on the Catwalk 2013
  • Zadok Sparkle into Spring
  • HTX Let's Go Rodeo 2013
  • HCC Passion for Fashion
  • BCAF 2013
  • HTX Best of 2013
  • HTX City Centre 2013
  • HTX Real Estate 2013
  • HTX France 2013
  • Driving in Style
  • HTX Island Time
  • HTX Super Season 2013
  • HTX Music Scene 2013
  • HTX Clifford on the Catwalk 2013 2
  • HTX Baker Institute
  • HTX Comforts of Home 2013
  • Mothers Day Gift Guide 2021 Houston
  • Staying Ahead of the Game
  • Wrangler Houston
  • First-time Homebuyers Guide Houston 2021
  • Visit Frisco Houston
  • promoted
  • eventdetail
  • Greystar Novel River Oaks
  • Thirdhome Go Houston
  • Dogfish Head Houston
  • LovBe Houston
  • Claire St Amant podcast Houston
  • The Listing Firm Houston
  • South Padre Houston
  • NextGen Real Estate Houston
  • Pioneer Houston
  • Collaborative for Children
  • Decorum
  • Bold Rock Cider
  • Nasher Houston
  • Houston Tastemaker Awards 2021
  • CityNorth
  • Urban Office
  • Villa Cotton
  • Luck Springs Houston
  • EightyTwo
  • Rectanglo.com
  • Silver Eagle Karbach
  • Mirador Group
  • Nirmanz
  • Bandera Houston
  • Milan Laser
  • Lafayette Travel
  • Highland Park Village Houston
  • Proximo Spirits
  • Douglas Elliman Harris Benson
  • Original ChopShop
  • Bordeaux Houston
  • Strike Marketing
  • Rice Village Gift Guide 2021
  • Downtown District
  • Broadstone Memorial Park
  • Gift Guide
  • Music Lane
  • Blue Circle Foods
  • Houston Tastemaker Awards 2022
  • True Rest
  • Lone Star Sports
  • Silver Eagle Hard Soda
  • Modelo recipes
  • Modelo Fighting Spirit
  • Athletic Brewing
  • Rodeo Houston
  • Silver Eagle Bud Light Next
  • Waco CVB
  • EnerGenie
  • HLSR Wine Committee
  • All Hands
  • El Paso
  • Avenida Houston
  • Visit Lubbock Houston
  • JW Marriott San Antonio
  • Silver Eagle Tupps
  • Space Center Houston
  • Central Market Houston
  • Boulevard Realty
  • Travel Texas Houston
  • Alliantgroup
  • Golf Live
  • DC Partners
  • Under the Influencer
  • Blossom Hotel
  • San Marcos Houston
  • Photo Essay: Holiday Gift Guide 2009
  • We Heart Hou
  • Walker House
  • HTX Good Eats 2013
  • HTX Ready to Jingle 2013
  • HTX Culture Motive
  • HTX Auto Awards
  • HTX Ski Magic
  • HTX Wonderful Weddings 2014
  • HTX Texas Traveler
  • HTX Cifford on the Catwalk 2014
  • HTX United Way 2014
  • HTX Up to Speed
  • HTX Rodeo 2014
  • HTX City Centre 2014
  • HTX Dos Equis
  • HTX Tastemakers 2014
  • HTX Reliant
  • HTX Houston Symphony
  • HTX Trailblazers
  • HTX_RealEstateConfidential_2014
  • HTX_IW_Marks_FashionSeries
  • HTX_Green_Street
  • Dating 101
  • HTX_Clifford_on_the_Catwalk_2014
  • FIVE CultureMap 5th Birthday Bash
  • HTX Clifford on the Catwalk 2014 TEST
  • HTX Texans
  • Bergner and Johnson
  • HTX Good Eats 2014
  • United Way 2014-15_Single Promoted Articles
  • Holiday Pop Up Shop Houston
  • Where to Eat Houston
  • Copious Row Single Promoted Articles
  • HTX Ready to Jingle 2014
  • htx woodford reserve manhattans
  • Zadok Swiss Watches
  • HTX Wonderful Weddings 2015
  • HTX Charity Challenge 2015
  • United Way Helpline Promoted Article
  • Boulevard Realty
  • Fusion Academy Promoted Article
  • Clifford on the Catwalk Fall 2015
  • United Way Book Power Promoted Article
  • Jameson HTX
  • Primavera 2015
  • Promenade Place
  • Hotel Galvez
  • Tremont House
  • HTX Tastemakers 2015
  • HTX Digital Graffiti/Alys Beach
  • MD Anderson Breast Cancer Promoted Article
  • HTX RealEstateConfidential 2015
  • HTX Vargos on the Lake
  • Omni Hotel HTX
  • Undies for Everyone
  • Reliant Bright Ideas Houston
  • 2015 Houston Stylemaker
  • HTX Renewable You
  • Urban Flats Builder
  • Urban Flats Builder
  • HTX New York Fashion Week spring 2016
  • Kyrie Massage
  • Red Bull Flying Bach
  • Hotze Health and Wellness
  • ReadFest 2015
  • Alzheimer's Promoted Article
  • Formula 1 Giveaway
  • Professional Skin Treatments by NuMe Express

    Eat Local

    Surprising Houston restaurants get creative with locally grown food served with a Texas swagger

    Eric Sandler
    Sep 1, 2015 | 12:52 pm

    Have you noticed one of the biggest trends at Houston restaurants lately? More and more chefs are cooking with ingredients that are fresh and locally grown.

     

    Of course, the first issue is one of definition. Certainly, restaurants that purchase ingredients from within Texas are keeping things "local," but, when El Paso is farther away than New Orleans, is that too broad? Urban Harvest limits vendors at its weekly farmers market to those whose farms are within 180 miles of Houston. That seems like a better fit.

     

    The other perk of the Urban Harvest market is that diners can get a sign of which chefs "walk the walk" of local sourcing by seeing who shows up. Some of the city's biggest names like Monica Pope, Chris Shepherd and Justin Yu are all regulars. Other times sous chefs like Coltivare's Vincent Huynh represent their restaurants. Their restaurants — Sparrow Bar + Cookshop, Underbelly and Oxheart — are all well-known for their use of local ingredients.

     

    Today's list focuses on those restaurants whose presence at the market might surprise some people.

     

    While the restaurants below don't make up a comprehensive list, it does shine a spotlight on a few places that don't get enough attention for their commitment to sustainability and serves as a reminder that this ethos has become far more widespread than a few stand bearers. Check out LocalLocal for more information; the recently launched website documents which local producers supply specific stores and restaurants.

     

     Benjy's/Local Foods
    Chef/Partner Dylan Murray is a market regular who purchases produce from high-quality purveyors like Gundermann Farms, Atkinson Farm and Animal Farm for the company's four restaurants. The items get featured as specials at Benjy's or as side dishes and sandwiches at Local Foods.

     

    "The operative word is community," Murray writes in an email. "Not only from a financial standpoint, but from a truly local neighborhood community standpoint, by buying the local product, it ensures that a) We get the freshest product that hasn’t traveled very far, but also b) We’re re-investing in the community. We buy our farmers’ product and often see those same farmers in our restaurants eating. It’s kind of a win-win-win; it’s great for the farmer, great for the community and great for us."

     

     Canopy/Shade
    Diners value Claire Smith's duo of casual, Southern-influenced restaurants for their vegetable preparations that utilize a host of nearby farmers. Black Hill Ranch supplies pork to both restaurants, as well. Market shoppers line up at the restaurants' stand that features quiche and other breakfast treats to patrons.

     

     Dish Society
    Not everything at this two outpost mini chain comes from Texans (hello, citrus-glazed salmon), but owner Aaron Lyons and operations director Trent Patterson do utilize local produce from Atkinson Farms, locally roasted Greenway Coffee and locally baked breads from Slow Dough Bread Co. (among other suppliers). Despite the reputation that local means expensive, most dinner entrees at Dish Society only cost between $10 and $15.

     

     Down House/CHOAM
    Down House executive chef Mark Decker can be regularly found at the market. His restaurant uses produce places that include Gundermann Acres, Knopp Branch and Plant-It-Forward as well as proteins from Black Hill Meats and others. Fitting for a restaurant that won Neighborhood Restaurant of the Year at the 2014 CultureMap Tastemaker Awards.

     

    In addition, Treadsack, the restaurant group that owns Down House, operates the CHOAM distribution company that supplies Gulf seafood to Revival Market, Coltivare, Rainbow Lodge and Harold's in the Heights. It grew out of the Gulf by-catch distribution business begun by Foreign Correspondents chef PJ Stoops.

     

     Indika/Pondicheri
    ​Part of what makes chef Anita Jaisinghani's restaurants two of Houston's most reliable destinations for creative Indian cooking is their use of local produce. Both restaurants offer vegetarian options that go far beyond the grilled vegetables plates of days gone by. Jaisinghani is a market regular, but she usually arrives close to the 8 am opening before the crowds descend.

     

     KUU
    ​The popular sushi restaurant in the Gateway Memorial City complex still gets most of its fish from Japan, but sous chef Martin Weaver visits the market weekly to source ingredients that become specials at both the sushi counter and in the kitchen. These unexpected ingredients enhance KUU's Japanese perspective with a little Texas swagger.

    Local Foods turns market vegetables into side dishes and sandwich fillings.

    Local Foods Houston March 2014 produce and pasta
      
    Photo by Eric Sandler
    Local Foods turns market vegetables into side dishes and sandwich fillings.
    unspecifiedseries568795497
    series/htx-renewable-you
    news/restaurants-bars
    CULTUREMAP EMAILS ARE AWESOME
    Get Houston intel delivered daily.

    Eco-Friendly Holiday Gifts

    Eco-friendly gifts: Holiday guide to sustainable shopping, from scarves to homemade pasta

    Marcy de Luna
    Marcy de Luna
    Dec 16, 2015 | 11:32 am
    Eco-friendly gifts: Holiday guide to sustainable shopping, from scarves to homemade pasta
    ihopeicomebackalive.com
    Texas Hill Country Olive Oil is sold at the Urban Harvest Farmers Markets.

    This holiday, shop for the earth-conscious person in your life using our guide to eco-friendly gifts, sustainably produced and/or made with organic materials. From artisanal mustard to edible landscaping, read below for eight standout holiday gift options, available on-line or at Houston's Urban Harvest Farmers Markets, located at Eastside Farmers Market, 3000 Richmond, Saturdays from 8 am - noon.

     

     Olive Oil — The Texas Hill Country Olive Company

     

    Not all olive oils are created equally. The Texas Hill Country Olive Company, organic olive orchard in Dripping Springs, Texas, uses sustainable production methods to produce top-notch extra virgin olive oils in flavors from jalapeno-infused to a floral-slash-fruity signature blend.

     

     Mustard — The Grateful Bread

     

    Reduce the environmental footprint with high quality artisanal goods from the local small batch producer including an assortment of meats and must-try mustards available in two flavors: chardonnay and tart cherry.

     

     Lavender products — Lavande

     

    Lavande transforms consumable and sustainable crop, lavender, into multiple products. Handmade products range from body lotion and bath salts to soy candles and organic tea.

     

     Handmade pasta — Tavola
     
    Load up on vegan-friendly, artisan pasta made using all locally sourced ingredients including mostly-organic grains, spring water and local vegetables for color and nutrition.

     

     Beeswax candles — Bee Wilde

     

    Bee Wilde’s nontoxic and non-allergenic candles, 100 percent natural and a renewable resource, make the perfect small gift. The family-owned company out of Montgomery, Texas, boasts more than 2,000 colonies of honeybees, selling only what it can produce.

     

     Scarves — The Community Cloth

     

    Made locally by refugee women, these hand-knitted, hand-woven and handcrafted scarves will keep your loved ones warm this winter. Better yet, your dollars go to non-profit organization, The Community Cloth, which empowers refugee women with skills so that they can sustain their families.

     

     Fruit trees, — Edible Earth Resources

     

    The gift that keeps on giving, grow your own food in a sustainable manner, while also increasing the beauty of your space, with fruit trees from Edible Earth Resources.

     

     Subscription, — CSA Animal Farm

     

    For just $25 per week, receive a box of same-day-harvested fruits and vegetables from Houston's certified organic farm, which uses solar power and organic, sustainable farming practices. Drop off/ pick up points are located throughout Houston on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. As well, office delivery is available for orders of 10 boxes or more.

    Texas Hill Country Olive Oil is sold at the Urban Harvest Farmers Markets.

    Urban Harvest Eastside Farmers' Market Texas Hill Country Olive Oil booth
      
    ihopeicomebackalive.com
    Texas Hill Country Olive Oil is sold at the Urban Harvest Farmers Markets.
    sustainabilityholidaysshopping
    series/htx-renewable-you
    news/restaurants-bars

    most read posts

    2 Houston universities declared among world's best and more top stories

    2 Houston universities named among world’s best in 2026 rankings

    Houston influencer opens an antiques-filled boutique hotel in Montrose

    Loading...