bites and beyond
New Houston food festival reveals stacked lineup of restaurants and music
The new festival will take over Discovery Green on November 8.
Houston’s newest food festival is beginning to take shape. Coming to Discovery Green on Saturday, November 8, the Bites & Beyond Festival will give attendees a full day of food and music at a manageable price.
Unlike all-in events such as Southern Smoke or Chefs for Farmers, Bites & Beyond will use an a la carte model that’s similar to LA’s Family Style Festival or the beloved Houston International Festival. Attendees pay $30 for a general admission ticket that comes with access to the festival’s musical acts, vendor market, and photo-worthy installations.
Those looking for something to eat or drink will be able to choose items from more than 20 vendors (with more to be announced), all of which will be available a la carte and priced per item. Here’s the initial list that includes a mix of Houston classics and up-and-comers:
- HA K Bann Thai
- Jamaica Pondi Road
- Best Street Tacos
- Bonfire Wings
- Cheaters Creamery
- Cosmic Ice Cream
- Frost and Fantasy
- JQ’s Tex Mex BBQ / Now Tacos Los Authenticos
- Lemond Kitchen
- May’s Crepes
- Pino 3 Boy Hot Sauce
- Planet Churro
- Southern Jerks
- Stick Talk Cajun Hibachi
- Sweetie Fruit
- Tina’s MexCocina
- YoYo Drinks
In addition, a separate VIP area devoted to barbecue and bourbon will feature bites from Gatlin’s BBQ and Goode Co. Barbeque, as well as the following:
- Bonfire Wings
- Crawfish Café
- Conrad Hilton College at the University of Houston
- Houston Community College Culinary
- JW Marriott Houston by the Galleria
- Lemond Kitchen
- Pho Saigon
- Saint Arnold Brewing Co. Culinary
- The Laura Hotel
- The Lymbar
Organizers have also arranged for special collaborations, including one that unites buzzy ice cream concept Cosmic with Karbach and another that teams up students from the University of Houston’s Conrad Hilton College and HCC Culinary with two luxury hotels — The Laura and the J.W. Marriott by the Galleria — as well as Hood River Distillery and Trails End Bourbon.
With a roster of beverage sponsors that includes Saint Arnold, Karbach, Modelo Especial, Stella Artois, and BeatBox Beverages, attendees will have plenty of ways of stay hydrated. Other sponsors include the Houston Hospitality Alliance, Metro by T-Mobile, Black/Latin Restaurant Weeks, and KHOU-11.
Performers include Demola the Violinist, Big Freedia, and local DJs spinning everything from house and disco to Latin and Afro beats.
As noted above, tickets start at $30 for General Admission. VIP tickets that come with a separate entrance, VIP restrooms, a dedicated seating area, and access to the bourbon and barbecue tasting are priced at $135. Get more details here.
