Here Are Houston’s Best Food and Drink Events, Fall 2022

Expect a Top Chef: Houston reunion, festivals celebrating oxtails and halal cuisine, pop-ups, and more

Fall in Houston is technically here (strong emphasis on “technically”). And though Space City often lags behind many others in terms of cool, fall-like weather, this new season often translates into a host of engaging food and drink events that help commemorate major cultural moments and holidays, while also taking advantage of Houston’s pending arrival of its cool, albeit too brief, patio season.

With a slew of festivals, special dining events and pop-ups, and a Top Chef: Houston reunion, here’s an ongoing roundup of some of the best events in the city where you eat and drink. Be sure to also check out Eater Houston’s list of Halloween and Día de los Muertos events.

Editor’s note: This list will be updated, so be sure to check back for new events.

Ongoing

Black Chef Table

Hosted at the Kulture restaurant in Downtown Houston, the ongoing Black Chef Table series explores and celebrates Black chefs and various cuisines within the African diaspora. In October, chef Lamar Moore will host a Chicago culinary feast. In November, Justin Lawson will host a Winter gala and chef Toya Terry will showcase a combination of American Southern food and Criollo-Peruvian Cuisine. For more information and specific dates and times, visit the Black Chef Table website. Kulture, 701 Avenida De Las Americas, Suite A, 77010.

Di Tubbs Photography

October

Southern Smoke Festival

James Beard Award-winning chef Chris Shepherd and his nonprofit organization, the Southern Smoke Foundation, are reviving the Southern Smoke Festival this October, featuring a three-day lineup of more than 60 talented chefs and culinary celebrities from around the country. Tickets to individual events can be purchased on the Southern Smoke website. Below are a few of the event’s highlights:

Michelle Watson/Catch Light Group

• October 21: The “H-Town Welcome Wagon” will be held at Lott Hall at Hermann Park in collaboration with pitmaster Aaron Franklin’s Hot Luck Live Food & Music Festival and will celebrate Houston’s culinary contributions and the Texas wine scene with some of the city’s favorite chefs and their creations (Tickets are $250 for early entry and $150 general admission).
• October 22: The ticketed “Southern Smoke on Ice” soiree at the Houstonian Hotel, Club & Spa will feature a massive raw bar with tons of cold seafood and shellfish, an interactive tuna breakdown followed by made-to-order hand-rolls, and high-end wines (Tickets are limited and on sale for a whopping $1,000).
• October 23: The “East Downtown Throwdown” will take over the EaDo neighborhood with trailers, pits, and plenty of fire to smoke up anything possible (Tickets will run you $225 for general admission or $450 for VIP). For more information, visit the Southern Smoke Foundation website.

Super Asian Cocktail Pop-Up

Asian cocktails go far beyond lychee martinis, and Austin bartenders and Daijoubu pop-up founders Caer Maiko and Sharon Yeung are coming to Houston to show you just that. In collaboration with Kikori rice whiskey, the Daijoubu creators are bringing their Super Asian Cocktail Pop-Up to Houston, showcasing cocktails made with the liquor from its San Francisco, Los Angeles, and New York menus. Be sure to try the Sticky Icky Icky, made with Kikori whiskey, Manzanilla sherry, Jamaican white rum, mango rice coconut cream, and pandan tincture. Free, with cocktails for purchase. 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday, October 23. at Refuge. 1424 Westheimer Road, Suite A, 77006. 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Monday, October 24. Kau Ba, 2502 Dunlavy Street, Suite B, 77006.

A Night at the Masquerade with Top Chef alumni

Top Chef: Houston alumna and byKin HTX chef Evelyn García and partner-in-chef Henry Lu are bringing some of the top reality TV cooking competitors to Houston for a mysterious event. Former Top Chef contestants including Austin’s Jo Chan, Robert Hernandez, Ashleigh Shanti, Jae Jung, and Sasha Grumman from Season 18, will each showcase a dish for a six-course tasting menu plus a wine pairing from Victory Wine Group. The event will also feature live music and a two-hour open bar with cocktails creations by local bartenders, followed by a meet-and-greet with the chefs. Proceeds will benefit the nonprofit Big Brothers Big Sisters of Houston. $250 per person, plus optional wine pairing for $45. 7 p.m. Sunday, October 30. 1003 Washington Avenue, 77002.

Kin HTX

A meeting of chef minds

ReikiNa chef Thomas Stacy and Chris Ostrander, sous chef for Nancy’s Hustle, will serve a seven-course Halloween- and Thanksgiving-themed dinner at Native Coffee that will come with wine, beer, and sake. The pop-up, which will be held over two days, will offer three seating times at 6 p.m., 7:15 p.m., and 8:30 p.m. Courses include a scallop crudo with preserved lemon vinaigrette; a Korean salade nicoise with banchan; green beans with capers, ricotta, and fried okra; sea bass with butter dashi and seafoam; black and orange ravioli with delicata squash, squid ink, and burnt cabbage; turkey yakitori with togarashi sweet potato and cranberry yuzu marmalade; and for dessert, a pumpkin cake with raspberry gastrique and orange whip. Reservations are required and can be made online at resy.com. $180 per person. Sunday and Monday, October 30 and 31. 1712 W. Dallas Street, 77019.

November

Urban Nights: A Communal Art Experience at Moody Center for the Arts

Rice University’s Moody Center for the Arts will host a night of art and food with art installations, performances by Texas Poet Laureate Lupe Mendez and Houston rapper Lil Flip., and a free beer tasting. Event-goers can sample Astral Brewing and Nigerian artist Emeka Ogboh’s Nigerian-inspired craft stout, Japa, which is inspired by Houston’s vibrant Nigerian community and can be paired with cuisine from the on-site international food truck rally, which includes Lemon Kitchen, JQ’s TexMex BBQ, and Salem Ethiopian Kitchen. Tickets for the free event can be reserved on Eventbrite. from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. on November 5. 6100 Main Street, 77005.

Anthony Rathbun / Moody Center for the Arts

Oxtail MashUp

The fourth annual Oxtail MashUp returns to Third Ward’s Project Row Houses, with music, art, and food prepared by 17 chefs that will showcase their own unique renditions of the beefy dish and cultural delicacy that is oxtail. Returning winners include Ruben Vela of Lucille’s 1913, who won the MashUp’s People’s Choice Award in 2021, and former MashUp grand champion, chef Reginald Scott. Five Houston bartenders, including Jennifer Guerrero of Miss Carousel and Ryan Wendell Perry of Julep, will also compete, so get ready for some delicious cocktails and culinary fun. 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday, November 6. Project Row Houses, 2521 Holman Street, 77004. Tickets ($95 to $145) can be purchased on Eventbrite.

Houston Halal Festival

With a lineup of more than 50 halal food vendors, including Zoa Moroccan Kitchen, Yummy’s Hot Chicken, and Sheba Yemini Restaurant, head to one of the largest free halal food showcases in the Houston region for a sample of some of the city’s best halal dishes, drinks, and desserts. Be sure to check out the Houston Muslim Market with a showing of more than 30 local art, decor, clothing, and jewelry vendors with goodies and gifts for purchase. noon to 7 p.m. Sunday, November 6. Constellation Field, 1 Stadium Drive, Sugar Land, TX, 77498.

Tokyo Night Festival

The two-day festival will celebrate Japanese culture, cuisine, and tradition with a showcase of more than 30 food vendors, including Aqua S and Ramen Tatsu-ya, and a host of performances by musicians, dancers, martial arts gurus, and more. The Tokyo Night Festival will take place at Lucky Land theme park, 8625 Airline Drive, 77037. 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, November 11 and 12. Tickets are available on Eventbrite for $25 to $52 through October 13.

Butchers Ball returns

The Butchers Ball will return in its fifth year showcasing the Lone Star State’s most talented chefs, butchers, farmers, and ranchers with a host of demonstrations, discussions, tastings, and on-site competitions among more than 20 chefs. Hosted in Brenham, the event will also feature live performances. The event raises funds for Houston-based nonprofit Urban Harvest, which hosts community garden programs, farmers’ markets, gardening classes, and more. Tickets start at $40 for children and $150 for adults. noon to 6 p.m. Sunday, November 13. Rockin’ Star Ranch, 8002 Fuelburg – Pease Lane, Brenham, TX, 77833. Looking to pre-game with a multi-course dinner by some of Texas’ best chefs? Event-goers can also attend the Butcher’s Ball farm-to-table dinner on Saturday, November 12, from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. to experience bites by Phat Eatery’s Alex Au-Yueng, Tony Lurhman of El Topo, Alyssa Dole of LuLoo’s Day & Night, Sasha Grumman of Sasha’s Focaccia, and more. Limited tickets will be available for $200 along with a purchase of Butcher’s Ball admission.

Hogwarts meets a Winter Wonderland

Warner Bro’s Themed Entertainment and events platform Fever will transform Houston’s Paraiso Marvavilla into a Hogwarts winter wonderland filled with music, performances, wizard-themed food and drink, and a chance to purchase gifts, souvenirs, wands, and robes from the on-site Yule Ball Market. Guests can attend the two-hour Harry Potter: A Yule Ball Experience experience at scheduled times from November 18 through January 23. Tickets start at $79. Paraiso Maravilla, 5714 Fairdale Lane, 77057.

Miracle at Johnny’s Gold Brick and Winnie’s

Some of us are already craving the comfort of the holidays, and Christmas at some Houston bars is already on the calendar. From November 21 through December 31, Johnny’s Gold Brick and Winnie’s are already slated to host “Miracle” pop-up events, which feature a slew of decorations and themed cocktails, like gin-based Santa’s Little Helper, which is made with a spiced caraway syrup, eucalyptus, sage, lime, seltzer; and shots for the both the naughty (bourbon-cinnamon) and nice (rum, peppermint tea, chocolate). Visit the miracle website for more.

Christmas Tree Lightings

While counting down until Houston’s City Place lights its 350-foot Christmas tree, follow the gumdrops, lollipops, and candy canes down the path to the new Giant Gingerbread Village. There, you’ll find two giant gingerbread standing guard, and a small neighborhood of cookie trees, a 16-foot-high gingerbread house, and a 12-foot windmill. Guests can enjoy free hot chocolate, face painting, and holiday-themed music from DJ gilbert while they wait to say hello to Santa and Mrs. Claus. The kickoff event will be held from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday, November 27. The village and Christmas tree will be on view through the first week of January. 1250 Lake Plaza Drive, Spring, TX, 77389.