new heights tex-mex

Goode Co. announces opening date for highly anticipated new Heights Tex-Mex restaurant

The wait is almost over for Goode Company’s debut in the Heights. Kitchen & Cantina, the company’s Tex-Mex restaurant, will open for dinner on Tuesday, November 8 with lunch to follow on November 10.

For Goode Company Restaurants president and chef Levi Goode, the time is right to be in the Heights.

“I really enjoy all that the Heights has offered in the past and where it’s going,” Goode tells CultureMap. “Being that we’ve been in the community for as long as we have, just seemed like a natural fit to have Kitchen and Cantina here.”

Goode Co. first announced its plans to occupy the former Down House space at 1801 Yale St. last summer. Since then, the building has undergone extensive renovations to match the look of Kitchen & Cantina’s existing locations in Memorial and The Woodlands.

The biggest change is relocating the bar closer to the entrance, which more clearly divides the restaurant into a bar-forward “cantina” and the dining “kitchen.” In addition, the patio has been renovated and is now covered, giving it all weather utility. Diners won’t see the full kitchen renovation that allows for grilling over mesquite wood, but they will appreciate the flavor it adds to many of the restaurant’s dishes.

First opened in The Woodlands in 2017, Goode Co. Kitchen & Cantina serves Tex-Mex fare such as fajitas and enchiladas alongside Goode Co. classics like seafood campechana and grilled redfish on the half shell. The menu also nods to the Goode family's South Texas roots with dishes such as pork and green chile empanadas and grilled Texas quail.

“As far as what we have on the menu, a lot of it goes back to our time in the restaurant business and our border experiences. We used to have a hunting lease across the border. Going down there over the holiday season to hunt in Mexico was a memorable time for me,” Goode says.

“All those great memories inspired the food we do. We go to great lengths to make sure we’re putting our best foot forward on the hand crated nature of our food from rolling tortillas to fresh masa for our tamales. It’s been a labor of love. It’s something we’re really looking forward to sharing with the Heights.”

The cantina aspect isn’t limited to decor. Expect a range of mostly agave-based cocktails that includes eight shaken margaritas, frozen margaritas, palomas, and tequila-based takes on drinks like the Moscow Mule and Old Fashioned.

“Agave spirits [are some] of my favorites. I’ve spent a good deal of time in Mexico and developed an appreciation for the craft,” Goode says. “What’s available is really fantastic. It says a lot about the culture that it goes so well with this type of food.”

As noted above, the restaurant will be open daily for lunch and dinner beginning November 10. In a nod to the neighborhood, it will stay open late on Friday and Saturday nights to feed people looking for a bite after concerts at the nearby Heights Theater.

The past few months have been a busy time for Goode Co. Earlier this year, it opened Fish Camp, a new seafood restaurant in The Woodlands. More recently, it reopened the Cypress location of Goode Co. Barbeque.

Photo by Jody Horton

Goode Co is bringing its fajitas to the Heights.

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H-E-B names 3 innovative Houston food companies among 'Texas Best'

H-E-B Quest for Texas Best Hive Food Co.

Photo courtesy of H-E-B

Hive Food Co. is known for its infused honey.

After months of pouring over video submissions, H-E-B is entering the final leg of its annual grocery games. The San Antonio-based supermarket chain has narrowed down the finalists for its annual Quest for Texas Best competition, including three from Houston.

Ten innovative Texas entrepreneurs were chosen from a record-breaking 978 entries representing more than 500 companies spread across the Lone Star State.

Now in its 13th year, the contest asks Texas small businesses to put their best foot forward for the chance to win a combined $100,000 in cash prizes and the opportunity to be stocked on H-E-B shelves. Since the competition's beginning, the grocer has discovered more than 1,000 unique products, many of which have become literal household names.

“Quest for Texas Best is more than a competition; it is a launchpad for Texas entrepreneurs,” said James Harris, senior director of diversity & inclusion and supplier diversity for H‑E‑B, in a release. “H‑E‑B began as a small business, and we know firsthand how powerful the right opportunity can be.”

This year, the San Antonio and Houston regions were at the head of the pack with three finalist nods each. But the entrepreneurs hailed from all over the state — from border town Roma to Fort Worth suburb Haltom City. The top 10 hopefuls include:

Boerne — Coley’s Foods Inc., a frozen cookie dough company
Floresville — Dean & Peeler Meats, a beef producer known for its smoked Gouda sausage and Angus tallow
San Antonio — WFN Foods, maker of heat-and-serve taco fillings like beef barbacoa, pork carnitas, and carne guisada
Roma — In Your Smokin' Face, a spice company specializing in bold chile piquín and carne asada blends
Haltom City — Sol Dias, a gourmet paleta and Mexican ice cream company
Glenn Heights — Uncle Marc’s, a manufacturer of barbecue seasonings, rubs, and sauces
Houston — Doggie Express, a small-batch maker of decorated treats for canine celebrations
Houston — Big Bayou Cocktail Sauce, a saucy supplier branching out to Bloody Mary and margarita mixes
Houston — Hive Food Co., beekeepers known for gourmet infused honey
Bastrop — La Fregona, creators of a chile sauce for elotes and esquites

The final contenders will pitch their products on October 8 at H-E-B's headquarters in San Antonio, where judges will determine the top four winning products and award $50,000 to the Grand Prize winner and the "Texas Best" title — an honor that guarantees placement on H-E-B store shelves.

The first-place winner will receive $25,000, the second-place winner will receive $15,000, and the third-place winner will receive $10,000.

Since 2014, H-E-B has handed out nearly $2.75 million in prize money to Texas entrepreneurs. But Quest for Texas Best isn’t just about capital: the winners receive marketing, mentoring, and supplemental support to grow their brands. Fifty-five Texas small businesses that took part in the contest have achieved $1 million in sales and earned a commemorative H-E-B Million Dollar Club belt buckle.

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