Foodie News

Houston Chef's Table: Benjy Levit is torn between Indika's salads and Hank's IceCream

No one knows Houston restaurants better than the people who run them, own them, and work in the kitchens. In this continuing series, CultureMap is asking our favorite foodie personalities around town where they go for great eats when they're not working.

Benjy Levit has defined the quintessential Houston dining mix of upscale and casual, classic comfort food and global influence since he opened the first Benjy's in Rice Village in 1995. Now with two locations under his belt, Levit spills about his own mix of favorites around town.

He tells CultureMap where he takes his wife, where he lets his kids loose and the meal he seldom gets to enjoy out.

Restaurant for a special occasion: Da Marco. I just went there for my wife's birthday, and had the angel hair pasta with the fresh truffles. It's a little over the top, but delicious.

Restaurant to take out-of-towners to: The Barbecue Inn, for their fried chicken.

Favorite meal: The chaat salad from Indika, a double portion. It's spicy, fresh and healthy.

Breakfast/Brunch favorite: Although it's kinda rare that I get to go out for breakfast, we go to Rustika Bakery or Brasil. The vibe in Brasil feels unlike anything else in Houston, I like its edginess and the people-watching.

Rustika is quick, and it's good for the kids because we make a lot of noise and it just blends in there.

Dessert: Hank's Ice Cream — their butter pecan. I like the banana ice cream with the Nilla wafers, too, and my kids like the vanilla. It's all so good, and they're so nice.

Other articles in the Houston Chef's Table series:

Lee Ellis loves Les Givral

Sugar hooker Rebecca Masson can't get enough of Catalan's Cake

Beachy L.J. Wiley digs the special occasion simple flavors at Dos Brisas

David Grossman goes for Vic & Anthony's crab cake, Yelapa late nights & some Bootsie

Jeramie Robison appreciates Kata Robata's sushi, Beaver's bangin' meatloaf & foodie chicks

Tony Mandola finds breakfast magic at Sunrise Taquitos

Philippe Schmit craves a Picnic romance & Stella Sola's French toast

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Affordable Texas burger joint reaches major milestone for inner loop store

P. Terry's Burger Stand Facebook

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Austin-based burger joint P. Terry’s Burger Stand provided an important update on its first inner loop location. In a post shared on social media on Wednesday, September 2, James Overton, construction manager for P. Terry’s, shows that the site at 4815 Katy Fwy has been cleared and is ready for building to begin.

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A post shared by P. Terry's Burger Stand (@p_terrys)

“If you’re driving by soon, you may see a brand new P. Terry’s pop up overnight,” Overton says in the clip. “We’re incredibly excited to bring P. Terry’s into the heart of Houston.”

First announced last year, the new location at the intersection of Durham Dr. and the Katy Fwy will be the restaurant’s first inner loop outpost and fifth Houston-area store. It is expected to open in early 2027.

Founded in 2005, P. Terry’s has built a devoted following for its burgers, chicken sandwiches, fries, and milkshakes. The restaurant is known for its high quality ingredients such as hormone-free Black Angus beef, Idaho potatoes, and cage-free eggs. Prices are affordable, with a single-patty cheeseburger starting at $3.65.

P. Terry'sP. Terry's is opening near the Heights. P. Terry's Burger Stand/Facebook

Inner loopers with a taste for P. Terry’s Burger Stand will eventually be able to satisfy their cravings without leaving their geographic safe space. The Austin-based fast food restaurant announced it will open a location near the Heights in 2027.

Located at 4815 Katy Fwy., the restaurant will feature a double-drive-thru lane and the brand’s signature retro design. It will be the fifth P. Terry’s to open in the Houston area.

The company made a splash earlier this summer when it announced it would transition into an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT), giving its workers a stake in the company through an independent trust. Employees with at least two years of tenure are also eligible for profit sharing.

P. Terry’s opened its first Houston-area location in 2024 in Richmond. The restaurant recently debuted in the Village Green at Bridgeland Central development in Cypress.

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