Houston’s 12 Best Food and Drink Events, Fall 2024
Tasting extravaganzas, a Champagne fest, and a barbecue throwdown — Here are some of the best food and drink events happening in Houston this fall
Houston summer is finally letting up, and fall is nearly upon us. This means delightful patio weather is at arms-length, and so, too, are some of the most enjoyable events of the year where diners can drink and eat their heart out with creations from talented Houston chefs, often with some live music as the soundtrack. Here’s a list of some of the best upcoming food and drink events in Houston this season:
Check back for more events happening later this fall.
September
Central Market’s A Taste of Houston anniversary party
6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., Wednesday, September 11
Central Market, 3815 Westheimer Road, River Oaks, 77027
Many Texans share a strong appreciation for local grocery store chain H-E-B, and its fancier sister, Central Market, so it makes sens that it hosts its own birthday party. Central Market will celebrate its 30th anniversary with a tasting event at its sole Houston location. The tasting event will feature live music, dishes by local chefs, wine pairings, beer samples from Saint Arnold’s Brewing Company, and desserts crafted by the grocery store. Tickets are $85. Participating chefs include:
- David Cordua, the Lymbar
- Erik Cruz, Artisan’s
- Victoria Elizondo, Cochinita & co.
- Masaru Fukuda, Pasha Nikkei
- Jason Kohler, Central Market
- Omar Pereney, Love Croissants
- Chase Reid, Saint Arnold Brewing Company
James Beard’s Taste America: Houston
6 p.m. Thursday, September 12, 2024
Four Seasons Hotel Houston, 1300 Lamar Street, Downtown, 77010
Some of Houston’s hottest chefs will gather this week at the James Beard Foundation’s Houston pitstop of its 20-city culinary series, Taste America. Host chef and Beard finalist, Emmanuel Chavez of Mexican tasting menu restaurant Tatemo, will join peers — including Beard winners Jabthong Benchawan Painter of Street to Kitchen and Hugo Ortego, plus semifinalists like Ope Amosu of ChòpnBlọk and Dawn Burrell — in creating a bite for event-goers to sample. Tickets are on sale for $175 for general admission and $250 for VIP tickets, which give attendees early access to the event, plus special cocktails, dishes, and a gift bag. For a roundup of the featured dishes, click here.
3rd Annual Rock & Roll Picnic
1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, September 15, 2024
Last Concert Amphitheater, 1403 Nance Street, near Downtown, 77002
Nonprofit I’ll Have What She’s Having returns this year with the third Rock & Roll Picnic, a philanthropic celebration of food, cocktails, music, and art. A star-studded lineup of seven chefs includes Xalisko’s Beatriz Martinez, Dominick Lee of the anticipated restaurant Augustine’s, and the founders of Blood Bros BBQ, plus bartenders like Liz Becerra of Anvil and Olivia Vargas of Lei Low. Live entertainment will include performances by psych-rockers India Tigers in Texas, indie-poppers JumpRope; alt-country act Shame On Me, and a DJ set by GRRRL Parts. Ticket sales and a silent auction featuring immersive food and cocktail experiences will raise money for the nonprofit’s mission of connecting Houston’s food and beverage workers with free preventative medical and mental healthcare services. Tickets start at $45 with the option to upgrade to unlimited bites and drinks and VIP packages.
10th Annual Oyster Shucking Contest
5 p.m. to 7 p.m., Monday, September 16, 2024
Julep, 1919 Washington Avenue, 77007
These chefs can cook, but can they shuck? James Beard Award-winning bar Julep will put Houston chefs to the test in the 10th annual shucking contest to see who has the best skill and dexterity when it comes to literally unleashing Gulf Coast flavors. Tickets for this 21-and-up event are $10.
Participating chefs include:
- Anitra Broussard, Riel
- Dominick Lee, Augustine’s
- Jesse Leon, Winnie’s
- Lucas McKinney, Josephine’s
- Julio Moreno, the Marigold Club
- Mary Bass and Jabril Riddick, the Warwick
- Kirthan Shenoy, Auden
Karbachtober Fest
Friday through Sunday, September 20 through October 6, 2024
Karbach Brewing Co., 2032 Karbach Street, Spring Branch, 77092
Karbach Brewery Co. continues its annual Oktoberfest tradition with three full weekends of beer- and food-fueled festivities. From Friday, September 20, through Sunday, October 6, bargoers can expect fall festivals, a performance by the Oompah Band on its patio on Fridays, stein hoisting and live music on Saturdays, and the crowd-favorite wiener dog races on Sundays.
8th Annual Houston BBQ Throwdown
1 p.m. to 4 p.m., Sunday, September 22, 2024
Saint Arnold Brewing Company – Beer Hall, 2000 Lyons Avenue, north of Downtown, 77020
Those familiar with the annual Houston Barbecue Festival can gear up for a more pared-down but equally exciting festival at Saint Arnold Beer Hall. Fourteen of Houston’s best barbecue restaurants, including past title-winners Bar-A-BBQ and Brett’s BBQ Shop, will duke it out for bragging rights. At the same time, festivalgoers enjoy unlimited samples of barbecue and beer. Tickets start at $60 with VIP tickets, offering private viewing of the judge’s panel in Saint Arnold Investor’s Pub, starting at $100.
Other participating barbecue joints include: 3rd Coast BBQ, Daddy Duncan’s BBQ, Fire Craft BBQ, Harlem Road Texas BBQ, Heffernan BBQ, J-Bar-M Barbecue, La Cruda Brand BBQ, Reveille BBQ, Rosemeyer Bar-B-Q, Rowdy’s Barbeque, Tejas Chocolate + BBQ, and the Pit Room.
Chefs for Farmers
1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, September 28 and 29, 2024
3711 Autry Park Drive, Autry Park, 77019
Texas wine and food festival Chefs for Farmers returns to Houston for its third year in Autry Park — this time, with two days full of unlimited bites and sips from Houston area chefs and seasonal produce provided by local farmers. The all-inclusive event will kick off with its street food-themed festival, featuring Victoria Elizondo of Cochinta & Co. and Cory Nguyen of Crawfish & Noodles. Day 2 will follow up with Christine Ha of the Blind Goat, Yotam Dolev of Hamsa, and Quy Hoang, Robin Wong, and Arash Kharat of Blood Bros BBQ. Also included are unlimited cocktails, beer, and wines from top vineyards. Tickets are now on sale online, starting at $145 for general admission and $195 for VIP tickets, which allow festival goers to arrive an hour earlier.
Outstanding in the Field Dinner
3 p.m., Sunday, September 29, 2024
6580 FM 332 Road, Brenham, 77833
Outstanding in the Field makes a summer pitstop at Brenham’s Whitehurst Farm, where owners Michael and Lelise Marchand invite diners to a long table situated on its 57 acres of native grasslands. Top Chef: Houston finalist and Jūn chef and co-owner Evelyn Garcia, Jane Wild of Jane Wild Studios, and Soto Vino team up to provide this literal “farm-to-table” experience. Tickets are $385
Southern Smoke Festival
3 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday, October 5, 2024
1500 McKinney Street, 77010
Chris Shepherd’s philanthropic, chef-loaded food festival will take over Discovery Green again this October. More than 70 chefs from around the country will participate, including Austin pitmaster Aaron Franklin, Emmanuel Chavez of Houston’s Tatemó, and Street to Kitchen’s James Beard Award-winning Chef G. More cooking demonstrations, live music, and giveaways are also guaranteed. Click here for a full rundown of what to expect and a guide to the festival’s must-try dishes.
October
Black Lagoon Halloween pop-up
October 11-31, 2024
Nickel City, 2910 McKinney Street, Suite 500, East Downtown, 77003
Houston diners amped for the upcoming spooky season will delight in Nickel City’s pop-up, which will feature creepy decor and creative cocktails to match, including the bewitched Hex Appeal, a smoldering combination of Fords gin, honeydew cordial, Lustau vermouth dry, lemon juice, seltzer, saline, absinthe, and chlorophyll. Those refraining from alcohol can enjoy the Blood Lust — a blood-red mocktail comprised of Giffard Sirop, miso falernum, rooibos tea, lemon juice, and ginger beer.
Love Street Music Fest
4 p.m. to 10 p.m., Sunday, October 13, 2024
Karbach Brewing Co., 2032 Karbach Street, Spring Branch, 77092
The derecho Houston experience in May forced Karbach Brewing Co. to reschedule its annual Love Street Music Fest, and now the show must go on. The brewery will host its night of music this October, with performers including St. Paul & the Broken Bones with special guest Night Cap and lots and lots of beer. Tickets are $45 for general admission and $135 for VIP.
La Fête du Champagne
October 18-19, 2024
Navy Blue in Rice Village, Bludorn in Montrose, and Bar Bludorn in Memorial
Houston diners can immerse themselves in a celebration of the wines of Champagne with a series of tastings and dinners held at chef Aaron Bludorn’s restaurants in October. The New York-based La Fete du Champagne will launch its third Houston festival with lunch on Friday, October 18, featuring a tasting of 10 Laurent-Perrier’s wines and vintages and Navy Blue’s seafood-forward menu. Tickets are $425. Friday’s dinner, 6:30 p.m. at Bar Bludorn October 18, will feature 10 Champagnes from the Lanson house founded in 1760. Chef de Caves Hervé Dantan will lead diners through the journey from some of the younger wines to some of the most heralded vintages of the 20th century. Tickets are $950.
Eight producers from the Champagne region will offer tastings from noon to 2 p.m. on Saturday, October 19, at Bludorn. The official La Fête Tasting will feature bites from Bludorn. Tickets are $175. The event will culminate with the multi-course La Fête gala dinner at Bludorn on Saturday, October 19. The dinner will feature special bottles and wines served by a team of sommeliers, including Bludorn’s wine director, Molly Austad. Diners are also encouraged to bring bottles from their own cellars to share. Tickets are $725.
