Food Lovers Guide to Houston

Food Lovers Guide to Houston <p>Farm-fresh yard eggs, pita bread made from scratch, local honey, berries still wet with dew, fresh-ground spices—but where to find them? We’ll tell you exactly where in our definitive guide to the city’s finest grocers, farmers markets, fruit stands, meat markets, charcutiers, seafood counters, bakers, cheese mongers, and every other monger in every corner of this great city. Plus: how to pick the best fruit, local products from A to Z, a map of Houston’s best international specialty shops, and more. </p>

In this issue:

Arts & Culture

It Coulda Been Verse

Houston’s Found Poetry Tells Us a Lot About Ourselves

In Houston, poetry can be found just about anywhere.

03/03/2014

Opera

You Can’t Keep a Good Diva Down

In the HGO’s A Coffin in Egypt, a once-retired opera legend returns to the stage.

03/03/2014 By Michael Hardy

Photography

Fotofest Turns Its Focus to the Arab World

One of the world’s most important photo festivals, the FotoFest Biennial kicks off this month, featuring 48 artists from 13 countries.

03/03/2014 By Kelly Klaasmeyer

Best of Houstonia

Food, Glorious Food!

The Food Lovers Guide to Houston

The finest grocers, farmers markets, fruit stands, meat markets, charcutiers, seafood counters, bakers, cheese mongers, and every other monger in every corner of this great city.

03/03/2014 By Robb Walsh and Katharine Shilcutt

Best of Houstonia

Best Summer Camps

Whatever the passion of your offspring—obstacle courses or riding horses, sleep-away or by-the-day—there’s a camp for every child.

03/03/2014

Eat & Drink

The Food Lover’s Guide to Houston

Where to Buy Spices & Herbs

Every food lover knows that fresh spices can make a world of difference, so skip the spice aisle and check out these markets instead.

03/03/2014 By Katharine Shilcutt and Robb Walsh

The Food Lovers Guide to Houston

International Supermarket Guide

In a city as diverse as ours, the world can be found in your backyard.

03/03/2014 By Katharine Shilcutt and Robb Walsh

The Food Lovers Guide to Houston

Where to Buy Cheese in Houston

The city’s top five cheesemongers are at your service.

03/03/2014 By Katharine Shilcutt and Robb Walsh

The Food Lovers Guide to Houston

Houston’s Top 8 Shops for Sweets & Desserts

Indulge your sweet tooth with the finest pies, cakes, ice cream, and cookies our town has to offer.

03/03/2014 By Katharine Shilcutt and Robb Walsh

The Food Lovers Guide to Houston

The 9 Best Bakeries in Houston

From croissants to pita, bagels to baguettes, naan to marbled rye, and everything in between , here’s where to find the freshest-baked breads in town.

03/03/2014 By Katharine Shilcutt and Robb Walsh

The Food Lovers Guide to Houston

Houston’s Finest Fishmongers & Seafood

Plus: where to buy oysters by the sack

03/03/2014 By Katharine Shilcutt and Robb Walsh

The Food Lovers Guide to Houston

Houston’s Best Butchers, Deli Counters and Meat Markets

No matter what kind of meat you’re in the mood for, odds are you’ll find it at one of these eight great markets.

03/03/2014 By Katharine Shilcutt and Robb Walsh

The Food Lovers Guide to Houston

At Revival Market, the Cure for the Common Cold Cut

Join us on a pilgrimage to the only grocer in town that still cures its own meat.

03/03/2014 By Katharine Shilcutt

The Food Lovers Guide to Houston

Know How to Pick Your Produce

Never picked a fruit or veggie before? Here’s what to look for—and what to avoid—when harvesting your own Texas produce:

03/03/2014 By Katharine Shilcutt

The Food Lovers Guide to Houston

Houston’s 8 Best Farm Stands & Farmer’s Markets

Sample the finest local farmers have to offer or pick your own produce right off the plant—it's up to you.

03/03/2014 By Katharine Shilcutt and Robb Walsh

Food Trucks

The 10 Best Food Trucks Right Now

While plenty of newcomers are hitting the food truck scene, you just can't beat the classics.

03/03/2014 By Katharine Shilcutt

Cypress

Where to Eat in Cypress: March 2014

Inner-loopers may be surprised, but Cypress is home to Peruvian, Thai, Cuban, barbecue, and more.

03/03/2014 By Phaedra Cook

Coffee

Houston’s 11 Best Coffeeshops

From brews to beans and cappuccinos to cortados, here’s where you should get your caffeine fix.

03/03/2014 By Katharine Shilcutt

Finger Lickin’ Good

Southern Fried Sensation: the Best Fried Chicken in Town

A classic dish fascinates Houstonians all over again.

03/03/2014 By Robb Walsh Photography by Kate LeSueur

Editor’s Note

Editor’s Note

Food for Thought

“People don’t want to grow flowers. You can’t eat flowers.”

03/03/2014 By Scott Vogel

News & City Life

H-Town Diary

Holding On

As much as we like to bulldoze things, there’s another side to folks here that you don’t hear about—a side that insists that just because something’s gone doesn’t mean it’s lost.

03/03/2014 By Katherine Center

Transit

Auto Immunity

Houstonians say they want a pedestrian-friendly city. So why are we expanding highways instead?

03/03/2014 By Michael Hardy Photography by Brian Goldman

Bayougraphy

Different Strokes

Professional golfer Patrick Reed—playing soon at the Shell Houston Open—treats golf as a team sport.

03/03/2014 By John Lomax

Ash Bash

Dying Just Got a Little More Fun

In our era of extreme customization, funeral directors are starting to look more like party planners.

03/03/2014 By Peter Holley

Life of Ryan

A Coffee Break with Texas Baseball Royalty

Reid Ryan on the Astros, the farm system, and righting the ship

03/03/2014 By Jeff Balke

Ice House Interview

A Chat With the “Houston: It’s Worth It” Guys

David Thompson and Randy Twaddle stumbled upon the slogan nearly by accident, and it’s been a labor of love ever since.

03/03/2014 By Catherine Matusow

Rants

Dept. of Rants: Rising Rent in the Austin of Houston

If you think Montrose just ain’t what it used to be, you’re not alone.

03/03/2014 By John Lomax

Ice House

March’s Perfect Party

This month’s guest include folks facing unique sets of challenges (surviving one of our parties notwithstanding).

03/03/2014 By Catherine Matusow

Marriage of Convenience

Houston’s Quickie Wedding Chapel Turns 50

The blue-and-white, ’60’s-kitsch Harmony Wedding Chapel has been beckoning last-minute lovers since 1964.

03/03/2014 By Kerry H.

Newsfix

Video: Houston Food Bank Faces ‘Terrifying’ Situation

The Houston Food Bank has relied on the quiet generosity of one Brazoria county rice farmer—but what happens when he's gone?

02/28/2014 By Dan Derozier

Reunion Pacific

The Battleship Texas Crew Meets One Last Time

The only surviving battleship to serve in both world wars marks its 100th birthday—and her crew marks a bittersweet milestone.

02/12/2014 By John Lomax

Style & Shopping

Boutiques

Work/Shop

How does a boutique stay afloat these days? By telling customers to make their own stuff.

03/03/2014 By Kerry H. Photography by Max Burkhalter

Travel & Outdoors

Open Road

The Bounty of Cajun Country

Rich food, natural beauty, historical grandeur, unique culture—oh, and did we mention the rich food?

03/03/2014 By Michael Hardy

Summer Camps

Best Summer Camps: Day Camps

You don’t have to run for the hills to find a great camp experience. Here are some day camps for science, musical, theater, and more, right here in town.

03/03/2014 By Sarah Gish

Letters Home

A Camper-Turned-Counselor Speaks

No single experience in my youth compares to the five summers I spent as a middle-school camper in the canyon walls of Echo Valley.

03/03/2014 By Alex Vaio

Logging Off

Camp in the Social Media Age

It’s not just kids who miss their iPads—parents, too, are suffering from technology withdrawal.

03/03/2014 By Peter Holley

Summer Camps

And They’re Off!

Here are some tips to help your little first-timer adjust to sleep-away camp.

03/03/2014 By John Lomax

Summer Camps

Best Summer Camps: Overnight Camps

Whatever your child’s interests—be it horseback riding, canoeing, rock climbing, or camping under the stars—we’ve got them covered.

03/03/2014 By Peter Holley and John Lomax