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    The week in eating

    10 things to know in Houston food: Openings, closings, and Astros discounts

    Brianna McClane
    Apr 9, 2026 | 11:00 am

    It’s a busy month for Houston restaurants, with festivals, menu updates, and even affordable Astros tickets. Read on to see what’s new in the city’s dining scene this week.

    Openings and closings

    Exilio Latin Flair has opened in the Harlow District. First announced in January, the new, Latin-inspired restaurant from the owners of Bari Ristorante and Georgia James replaces Verde Garden in the development that also includes Katami and La Griglia.

    Inspired by the cuisines of Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Spain, the menu includes everything from empanadas, seafood cocktails, and ceviches to tacos, red snapper with Veracruz sauce, and an Argentinian ribeye with chimichurri. The restaurant will be open for dinner only through April 12. Lunch begins April 13, followed by weekend brunch on April 18.

    McCormick & Schmick's has closed the doors of its Town & Country Village location, as reported by Chron. The restaurant's last day was March 27, leaving just two remaining Houston locations in Uptown Park and downtown.

    Other news and notes

    Doko, Duckstache Hospitality’s sushi restaurant in the Autry Park mixed-use development, has refreshed its lunch and dinner menus for the summer. For dinner, bluefin tuna stars in both a crudo and a spicy tuna roll. There’s also JFC (Japanese fried chicken) served with shirodashi and kaluga caviar, as well as an A5 wagyu donburi featuring Miyazaki wagyu tataki atop kimchi rice with Brussels sprouts. More casual fare appears on the lunch menu, including the Doko burgie with tonkatsu sauce and sunomono.

    La Madeleine has partnered with Louis Jadot to launch a charcuterie board at select Texas locations. The board includes prosciutto, salami, brie, goat cheese, Swiss, cheddar, fresh grapes, candied pecans, sweet blackberry jam, and baguette crostini. Two Louis Jadot wines are available to pair with the dish by the glass, split, or bottle — a Mâcon-Villages Chardonnay and Beaujolais-Villages. Find it now, while supplies last, at both the Champions (5505-A FM 1960) and West Grand (23322 Mercantile Parkway, Katy) locations.

    The Woodlands location of Truluck’s Ocean’s Finest Seafood and Crab is undergoing renovations, with the main dining room and bar closed through April 22. When diners return, they’ll find the restaurant has drawn inspiration from its Houston and Plano locations, with new flooring, tables, chandeliers, chairs, and drapery.

    Scoring affordable Astros tickets just got easier thanks to Houston Chick-fil-A restaurants. Patrons who visit on Tuesdays can purchase two Astros tickets for $20 to select games, marking the 20-year partnership between the team and the fast-food chain. Tickets are limited to eight per transaction, and no Chick-fil-A purchase is necessary. The deal runs through September 15.

    Upcoming food events

    Saturday, April 11

    Brenner’s on the Bayou’s Annual Wine Festival
    The steakhouse’s annual festival takes on a French-American theme for 2026, with patrons invited to dress to impress for an on-site fashion contest. Expect French-inspired bites such as a seared NY strip with blue cheese mousse on a toasted pretzel with red wine reduction, alongside American flavors like bacon-wrapped quail. A dessert bar by chef Eunice Grassa will be stocked with sweets like caramel apple pie and profiteroles. The festival runs from 1-4 pm, with general admission priced at $150 and VIP tickets at $250.

    Thursday, April 16

    Turner’s Cut and Revana Family Vineyard dinner
    Diners can enjoy a multi-course meal featuring Turner Cut’s dishes paired with Revana’s Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon. The event begins at 6:30 pm with a reception. Tickets are $395 per person.

    Saturday, April 18

    3rd Annual Taste of Houston: Taste of Trill Charity Golf Tournament
    Houston hip-hop legend Bun B is joining forces with Don Bowie, chef-owner of Taste Kitchen & Bar, to raise funds supporting youth development, mentorship, and golf programs through the Big Chef Bowie Cares Foundation. Expect appearances from stars like Tyron Woodley, D. J. Augustin, Amber Kuykendall, and Moochie Norris. The event at Hermann Park Golf Course will include breakfast, practice balls, and a shotgun start, followed by a “19th Hole” networking mixer to close out the day.

    Pepsi Eats Fest Houston
    Pepsi is hosting a food-focused event on the patio between Around the Corner and Leeland House. The first 100 patrons will receive free Pepsi BBQ sliders, while chicken tenders with gravy and flatbread bites will be served while supplies last. Other small bites will be available for $6 or less, and even cocktails, such as the STARRY Paloma, will receive the Pepsi treatment. The event runs from 5 to 9 pm.

    Doko burgie

    Photo by Studio Rivera

    Doko has updated its menu to include the Doko burgie with tonkatsu sauce and sunomono.

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    TEXAS TASTEMAKERS

    Texas' top restaurants and chefs crowned at the 2026 Tastemaker Awards

    Amber Heckler
    May 25, 2026 | 3:00 pm
    Houston Chef of the Year winner Manabu Horiuchi.
    Photo by Vivian Leba
    Houston Chef of the Year winner Manabu Horiuchi.

    After months of hard work and culinary determination, CultureMap has completed its statewide journey to honor the best chefs, restaurants, and more with the 2026 CultureMap Tastemaker Awards.

    The series kicked off April 9 with our Austin Tastemaker Awards at Distribution Hall, then we moved to Houston on April 16 for our tasting event at Silver Street Studios. Next up was North Texas, for the Fort Worth celebration at Social Space on April 30 and Dallas fête at Astoria Event Venue on May 7. Our Texas culinary tour finished strong with a San Antonio extravaganza at the Briscoe Museum on May 14.

    The 2026 Tastemaker Awards celebrated Texas' diverse culinary landscape and honored those who've made the biggest impact in Lone Star State dining in the past year. A host of nominated chefs and restaurants showcased their flavorful bites and treats during each of the celebrations, and winners were revealed in an onstage ceremony.

    Guests dined on chef-created dishes and sipped on a variety of creative cocktails. But nothing could take away the focus from our acclaimed nominees and winners, who are the reason we bring these celebrations to life each year. Readers in each city got to know all the nominees through a special editorial series for weeks leading up to the events.

    Nominees were, as always, determined by a panel of local industry experts, including previous Tastemaker winners and CultureMap editors. They voted on winners in categories such as Chef of the Year, Restaurant of the Year, Bar of the Year, and more. The champion in the Best New Restaurant category was determined by our readers in an online, bracket-style tournament. Our 2026 "wild card" category celebrated the Best Sandwich in each city.

    Let's raise a glass to our 2026 CultureMap Tastemaker Award winners all across Texas, listed by city:

    Houston:

    • Restaurant of the Year: Casaema
    • Chef of the Year: Manabu Horiuchi; Kata Robata, Katami, Sushi Horiuchi
    • Bar of the Year: Donna's
    • Best New Restaurant: Barbacana
    • Neighborhood Restaurant of the Year: ChòpnBlọk
    • Rising Star Chef of the Year: Adrian Torres, Maximo
    • Bartender of the Year: Julia Miles, Refuge
    • Dessert Program of the Year: Barbacana
    • Coffee Shop of the Year: Un Caffe
    • Best Sandwich: B'Tween Sandwich Co.

    Dallas:

    • Restaurant of the Year: Mamani
    • Chef of the Year: Peja Krstic; Mot Hai Ba, Pillar
    • Bar of the Year: Ayahuasca Cantina
    • Best New Restaurant: Frenchie
    • Neighborhood Restaurant of the Year: Beverly's Bistro & Bar
    • Rising Star Chef of the Year: Eduardo Osorio, Meridian
    • Dessert Program of the Year: Lucia
    • Coffee Shop of the Year: Ascension
    • Best Sandwich: Trades Delicatessen

    Fort Worth:

    • Restaurant of the Year: Cattlemen's Steak House
    • Chef of the Year: Jon Bonnell; Bonnell's, Waters, Buffalo Bros., Jon’s Grille
    • Bar of the Year: Crystal Springs Hideaway
    • Best New Restaurant: Cocodrie's Bayou Kitchen
    • Neighborhood Restaurant of the Year: Rex's Bar & Grill
    • Rising Star Chef of the Year: Levi Gardner, Westland Hospitality
    • Dessert Program of the Year: FunkyTown Donuts & Drafts
    • Coffee Shop of the Year: Buon Giorno Coffee
    • Best Sandwich: Carshon's Deli

    Austin:

    • Restaurant of the Year: Odd Duck
    • Chef of the Year: Daniela Landaverde and Rosa Landaverde, La Santa Barbacha
    • Bar of the Year: Parley
    • Best New Restaurant: Moderna Bar & Pizzeria
    • Neighborhood Restaurant of the Year: Allday Pizza
    • Rising Star Chef of the Year: Ale Kuri, Este
    • Dessert Program of the Year: Rockman Coffee + Bakeshop
    • Coffee Shop of the Year: Palomino Coffee
    • Best Sandwich: Mum Foods Smokehouse & Delicatessen

    San Antonio:

    • Restaurant of the Year: Cullum's Attaboy
    • Chef of the Year: Sue Kim, The Magpie
    • Bar of the Year: Jue Let
    • Best New Restaurant: Honey's Chicken Joint
    • Neighborhood Restaurant of the Year: Con Huevos Tacos
    • Rising Star Chef of the Year: Matt Garcia, Gigi's Deli
    • Dessert Program of the Year: Nicosi
    • Coffee Shop of the Year: NoFi Slow Bar
    • Best Sandwich: Beacon Hill Market & Deli

    ---

    The Houston Tastemaker Awards ceremony was brought to you by Maker's Mark, Culinary Khancepts, Herradura Tequila, Ritual Zero Proof + Seedlip, Shutto, and NXT LVL EVENT. A portion of proceeds benefitted our nonprofit partner, the Southern Smoke Foundation.

    Houston Chef of the Year winner Manabu Horiuchi.

    Photo by Vivian Leba

    Houston Chef of the Year winner Manabu Horiuchi.
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