one hearty donation

Houston Restaurant Weeks serves up nearly $2M in 2023 for local food charity

Houston Restaurnat Weeks raised over $1.8 million in 2023.

Photo by Michelle Watson

Houstonians did a whole lot of dining during last year’s edition of Houston Restaurant Weeks. The Cleverley Stone Foundation revealed that the 2023 event raised $1,866,511 for the Houston Food Bank.

Founded by Cleverley Stone in 2003 and continued by her daughter Katie Stone Cappuccio through the foundation, Houston Restaurant Weeks partners with local restaurants to raise money for the Houston Food Bank. Participating establishments serve prix fixe menus at set price points that trigger a corresponding donation to the foundation, which then makes a donation to the Food Bank. In 2022, restaurants offered $25 lunch and brunch menus and $39 and $55 dinner menus that resulted in $3, $5, and $7 donations.

All that eating and drinking allowed Houston Restaurant Weeks to donate over $600,000 more than last year's total, which was $1,240,811. A record number of participants — almost 400 restaurant locations across the Houston-area — and raising donation amounts to their pre-pandemic amounts contributed to the event’s success.

Overall, Houston Restaurant Weeks has raised over $20.7 million for the Food Bank. Since the nonprofit turns every dollar into three meals, the event has generated more than 62 million meals.

“The Houston Food Bank looks forward to Houston Restaurant Weeks every year and is honored to be the beneficiary of such an established and successful event” Houston Food Bank president and CEO Brian Greene said in a statement. “We are grateful to Katie Stone for continuing the legacy that her mother set to help our neighbors in need and support restaurants at the same time.”

Houston Restaurant Weeks will return for its 21st year from August 1 until September 2. Eat Drink HTX, the Foundation's event for more casual, less expensive restaurants, will return for its third year February 15-29.

Organizers also provided the top 10 donations. Once again, B&B Butchers leads the way.

B&B Butchers: $53,924
Brennan’s of Houston: $41,183
Trattoria Sofia: $34,721
Traveler’s Table: $33,957
MAD: $33,806
Marmo: $30,694
Le Colonial: $28,287
Étoile Cuisine et Bar: $26,270
51fifteen Cuisine & Cocktails: $22,887
Pappas Bros. Steakhouse - Downtown Houston: $21,133

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shining star

New chicken restaurant flies into Houston with 'gluten-friendly' tendies

Courtesy of Starbird

Starbird sells chicken tenders, chicken nuggets, chicken sandwiches, and more.

A local restaurant group is bringing a California-based chicken concept to Texas. Mac Haik Restaurant Group announced it has reached an agreement with Starbird to open locations in Houston, Austin, and San Antonio.

Founded in the San Francisco area in 2016, Starbird is a fast casual restaurant with 19 locations in California and Colorado. It serves fried chicken sandwiches, chicken tenders, chicken nuggets, chicken wings, and salads that are made with chicken that’s “all-natural, never-frozen, antibiotic-free” and covered in a “gluten-friendly breading” that’s cooked fresh to order, according to a press release.

Pair them with sides such as cole slaw, french fries, crispy Thai Brussels sprouts, or elote. Diners can dip their tenders in 11 sauces, including Greek yogurt ranch, Thai herb aioli, honey mustard, honey chipotle bbq, and more.

Part of Mac Haik Enterprises Ltd, Mac Haik Restaurant Group operates a number of franchised restaurants, including breakfast concept First Watch Daytime Café, the Original ChopShop, and Due’ Cucina. It will open Kirkwood, an upscale supper club, later this spring in a West Houston office building that’s also owned by MHE.

“We evaluate opportunities through the lens of long-term brand relevance, not just unit growth,” MHRG COO Dan Anfinson said in a statement. “Starbird delivers a level of culinary quality and operational sophistication that we believe is still underserved in the premium fast-casual chicken category, particularly in Texas. The brand has a clear point of view and the systems to scale responsibly. That combination is rare, and we’re excited to introduce it thoughtfully across our markets.”

The company intends to open as many as 36 locations beginning in 2027, but MHRG is still in the process of securing specific locations. It will announce which city will be first to receive a Starbird at a later time.

“This agreement reflects the strength of our business model and the clarity of our long-term vision,” added Starbird CEO Greg Levin. “As we mark our 10th anniversary, this is shaping up to be our biggest year yet in terms of expansion. Texas is a critical market for us moving forward, and partnering with an experienced organization like Mac Haik Restaurant Group allows us to grow thoughtfully while staying true to what makes Starbird special.”

Courtesy of Starbird

Starbird sells chicken tenders, chicken nuggets, chicken sandwiches, and more.

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