this weekend in dining

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

The Jingled Up pop-up bar opens Friday.

Courtesy of Jingled Up

Thanksgiving is obviously the major food event of the week, but the holiday also provides diners with other opportunities for eating and drinking. This week’s roundup includes a new farmers market in one of Houston’s most historic neighborhoods, the opening of a Christmas-themed bar downtown, and a pop-up market hosted by two of the city’s buzziest food start ups.

Wednesday, November 25

Tiki-3000 at Monkey’s Tail
Bartenders Lainey Collum (Yauatcha) and Andy Mauer lead this event, which is described as a “retro-futuristic pop-up bar is aimed to expand the barriers of strict tiki traditions through the fusion of technology, ambience, and uniquely hand-crafted cocktails.” Expect space-themed decor, plenty of Mai Tais, and some tiki-inspired bites from the Monkey’s Tail kitchen. A portion of proceeds will be donated to Core Gives, a non-profit dedicated to assisting restaurant families with children, 4 pm-2 am.

Thursday, November 26

Check out CultureMap’s list of Thanksgiving Day dining options. Some places will be sold out but many still have a few, last-minute seats available.

Friday, November 27

Black Friday Brunches at Various Restaurants
Staying away from crowded malls is an even better idea this year, so why not skip the leftovers and grab a bite to eat? Restaurants such as Dish Society, FM Kitchen & Bar, State Fare, and a’Bouzy will all be serving brunch. See individual restaurants for hours and menus.

Jingled Up Cocktail Bar at 711 Main St.
This new venture from Asha Holloway, creator of this fall’s smash hit Harry Potter-themed Muggle-less Bar, opens to the public on Friday. Like the Muggle-less Bar, patrons can expect a mix of Christmas-themed drinks, bites, and plenty of Instagram-worthy photo opportunities. Purchase tickets (adults, $30; kids 5-14, $15) for select times through December 31.

Saturday, November 28

Freedmen’s Town Farmers Market at St. James United Methodist Church
This new, weekly market aims to bring fresh produce to this historic neighborhood on the border of Midtown and Montrose. Expect about 20 vendors — many Black or Hispanic — selling staples such as grass-fed meat, organic produce, local honey, and more, 9 am - 2 pm.

Night Market at 4100 Montrose Blvd. [UPDATE: This event has been moved to Sunday, November 29.]
Artisan tortilleria Tatemó and buzzy ice cream sensation Underground Creamery have teamed up for this event that features other start-up food businesses. Vendors will be selling tamales, squid ink sourdough, fried dumplings, pizza, and more. Underground Creamery will also be selling mini versions of its signature “mystery pints,” 6-9 pm.

Sunday, November 29

Chinese breakfast sandwich pop-up at Click Virtual Food Hall
Burger-chan chef Willet Feng is making four different Chinese-style breakfast sandwiches served on griddled, sliced steam bread (mantou). Choose from scrambled egg with tomato, Spam, vegetarian ham, or seared foie gras — all paired with a selection of milk teas. Pre-order for pickup between 9 am and 12 pm.

Who Wants to be a Millionaire watch party at Hay Merchant
So far, celebrity chef David Chang has raised $8,000 for Southern Smoke, the non-profit started by Houston chef Chris Shepherd that assists restaurant workers in crisis. How much more will he generate answering trivia questions in the “hot seat?” Find out starting at 8 pm.

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Croissant-obsessed French cafe sets opening date in downtown Houston park

Photo by Mariela Callaway

Petite Lucie opens this Saturday, May 30.

Downtown Houston will soon welcome a new, all-day French cafe. Petite Lucie, a new restaurant from Love Croissants owner Culinary Matters, will begin its soft opening this Saturday, May 30.

Located in the former Niko Niko’s space at Market Square Park, Petite Lucie offers a covered, outdoor dining pavilion and an indoor-outdoor cocktail bar. Designed by the Houston office of the global architecture giant Gensler, the cafe also includes lighting, greenery, and other details to make it a comfortable place to dine throughout the day.

The restaurant is led by chefs Omar Pereney and Sahira Malherbe. Pereney’s history in Houston goes back more than 10 years, when the then-20-year-old served as executive chef at Peska, an ambitious (but short-lived) seafood restaurant in Uptown’s BLVD Place development. Since then, he’s worked as a consultant who contributed to a number of local restaurants as well as the owner of Love Croissants, which supplies oversized pastries to restaurants, coffee shops, and markets throughout Houston. In January, Pereney and Malherbe took over operations at Weights + Measures in Midtown.

“At its core, Petite Lucie is about creating moments of escape and discovery in the middle of the city,” Pereney said in a statement. “We wanted to build something romantic but approachable — a place where someone can stop in for a croissant and espresso in the morning, meet friends for cocktails in the afternoon or linger over a casual dinner under the stars at night.”

Of course, Petite Lucie’s menu starts with a selection of pastries from Love Croissants, including a butter croissant, almond-cardamom croissant, pain au chocolat, and a coffee bun. Other breakfast options include a breakfast sandwich served on a croissant, lemon blueberry French toast, and avocado toast with smoked salmon.

Lunch and dinner options include jambon croquettes, croque monsieur, chicken salad croissant sandwich, steak frites, and a bowl made with lentils, quinoa, vegetables, and onion jam that can be enhanced with salmon or grilled chicken. Desserts include chocolate chip cookies, ice cream, and what’s described in press materials as a “life-changing” birthday cake.

Petite Lucie birthday cake Share a birthday cake at Petite LucieCourtesy of Petite Lucie

Jaime de Leon, an advanced sommelier and frequent Pereney collaborator, oversees a beverage program that includes spritzes, cocktails, and a French-oriented wine list that includes large format bottles of sparkling wine to power group celebrations. A custom St-Germain cart will serve draft cocktails at busy times and during events.

Located in the oldest part of Houston, Market Square Park is close to attractions such as the Theater District, Daikin Park, Post Houston, and more. In addition to Petite Lucie, the area will soon welcome a second location of modern general store Henderson & Kane in the former Treebards space. On Saturday, downtown will celebrate the opening of the nearby Main Street Promenade with a market, live entertainment, and more.

Petite Lucie is located at 301 Milam Street. It’s open daily from 7 am-9 pm.

Photo by Mariela Callaway

Petite Lucie opens this Saturday, May 30.

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