My quest for the latest and greatest took me to the four corners of the Greater Metropolitan Statistical Area and beyond, from Willowbend to the Northside, Memorial to Fifth Ward, Katy to Acres Homes. Upcoming Houston Food Events: Chivos Goes Tex-Mex and Max's Wine Dive Features Summer Berries, These Houston Bars and Restaurants are Celebrating National Tequila Day with Happy Hours, Margs and More. Now with dual locations, this local gem hawks Filipino fare alongside Akaushi burgers that shine atop squishy siopao buns.
The burgers start sizzling when the doors open at 4 p.m., and they go until late-night, as in 1:45 a.m. or sell-out. The staff is friendlymore, considering how busy it was. But not curious enough to venture inside that grim outer wall, enlivened only by stick-on letters in red and blue touting Hamburgers and Seafood.. Burger King trialed Impossible Whoppers in St. Louis and announced a roll out nationwide by the end of the year.
I was so taken with the earnest, young lets put on a show! vibe at Canary Cafe that I almost dont want to tell you about the burger I encountered there. Weve blown past that $16 marker now, and we seem to be heading into the twenties. by Our favorite spots to grab a drink and enjoy the view. I found a seat at the end of the long counter, where green placards between the chairs advised stay safe, 6 feet. Just in case the IVP had let a stray pathogen get past. I could imagine myself watching the game here, and eating a Chango Burger or two. The hunt for burgers can lead in unexpected directions. I was disconsolate. June 22, 2017 We offer cuts of meats sourced from great farms,more. And the patio setup is sweet, with lots of space and Day of the Dead banners, umbrella-shaded tables and an assortment of big-screen TVs. I paid $3.49 to add the fries, and there were maybe a small handful of fries. While you can go full throttle by loading your loosely packed, properly crusted patties with stacks of candied bacon and hash browns, you should really start with the burger that started it all: the Original Bacon Cheeseburger.How to book: Stop by for first come, first served seating, call 713-227-4893 for take-out, or order delivery viaUberEats. Hopdoddy Burger Bar is a burger with a sophisticated interior design. Such a burger should, in my cosmology, leave you feeling pleasantly sated instead of stuffed, so that you can enjoy some fries or onion rings, too, without having to be rolled out in a wheelbarrow. I should have marked the restaurants tall palm trees wrapped in LED lights, but I was too busy marveling at how the stretch of highway right before Broadway turns to North Friendswood had changed since I last saw it. Brass Tacks aims to lure in its young professional and student crowd with a highflown mission statement that natters on about work/life balance and an open-plan physical plant geared toward the digital. Theres enough ferment and creativity in Houstons barbecue community right now to power a Blue Origin rocket. By the courtliness, care and good cheer of its proprietor, whose name is Rey, and whose batidos might be my new favorite thing. And now for a Burger Friday thats completely different: a paean to the only fried-chicken sandwich Ive ever cared about. The burger was good, he claimed.
1112 Shepherd Dr, Houston, TX 77007Phone: 832-804-6006Visit Website, A post shared by Grub Club (@grubclub_uh). I'm guessing you did, too. Somehowmore, was happy to give it a try. It offers a sturdy roster of big, juicy beef bombs accompanied by housemade sauces like Bulldog sauce, a mashup of ketchup, mustard, mayo, and barbecue that dresses patties of all sorts like the no-nonsense house-ground chuck Straight Up burger as well as the more adventurous Notorious P.I.G., which cradles beef and bacon patties beneath a dollop of super melty beer cheese. And if one glowing totem wasnt enough, there was a second stationed at the entrance to The Naturalist, the lobby bar and cafe where I was headed to sample the burger. Hes adopted the kind of new-wave specials young Houston pitmasters have added to our local repertoire a smoked pastrami Reuben; beef-belly burnt ends; a brisket burrito; a Dino beef rib on weekends. Thats how I ended up charmed by this 9-month-old sandwich shop tucked inside a Fuel Depot Chevron gas station in the heart of the East Ends Second Ward. Or try house favorites like the Goodnight/Good Cause, which comes with jalapeos, caffeinated BBQ sauce, and a side of good vibes via a donation to a local charity, or the Impossible, a burger so good youll forget its meat-free.How to book: Stop by for first come, first served seating or get delivery viaUberEats. I figured it was time to try again and for control purposes, to compare the Impossible Whopper to the original Whopper on which it is modeled. That was my view and I had to pinch myself at my luck from a high-top table on the rooftop dining terrace at Urban Eats, a market and bistro combo on the Washington Corridor. From the smoke savants behind Tejas Chocolate & Barbecue comes a new venture where burgers are the star. But when FM Kitchen launched a second location in Montrose five weeks ago, with an expanded bar and an updated menu of Texas comfort cuisine yeah, I said cuisine, come fight me I wondered if Hildebrands burger legacy had lived on. I loved the perfect roundness of the bun which highlighted the color and freshness of the ingredients. The falafel burger at this location is locally-made and has a quality taste. The Fulton Street cocktail bar and beer joint is tucked into the southeast quadrant where Interstate 45 meets Loop 610, just above Lindale Park. I admit that I flinched a little when I saw a $25 Tavern Burger listed on the menu at Georgia James Tavern, the new downtown sibling of chef Chris Shepherds Georgia James steakhouse. (Yes, he does a ribeye version Mondays at Monkeys Tail, with a baked potato, elote and chimichurri.). I had loved El Greco and mourned when partner trouble ended its run. Prices for beef and everything else have climbed lately, so Ive had to make some mental adjustments. Did we leave a restaurant out of this list? Having been restored and looking better than ever, Tookies offers four signature burgers, all tuned to have their distinct flavor profiles, ingredients, and add-ons. Chef-owner Gareth Powell and his wife, Danielle, have created a charming spot all soft limes and aquas, with a sleek inside counter, a deep dining porch decked out for autumn, and a big gravel patio in front for outdoor dining. The gravy fries are a sure-fire hit, as well.How to book: Stop by for first come, first served seating or order online for take-out (Downtown, Eldridge). But having consumed a spate of these colossi lately, I was in the mood for what I think of as an everyday burger: compact and priced in the mid-single-digits, the patty weighing in at 4 to 6 ounces, the kind of sandwich you can wolf down in a flash with no juggling (let alone forks) required. Fortunately the basic burger I had come to sample was still on offer.
The burger and friesmore, Great food, great owners, I love this place. Highly suggest the burgers and try all the sauces.so yummore, We are a local neighborhood steakhouse that, unlike larger chains, caters to what our nearby residents desire in their restaurants. (The largest is called the Boardroom, if you please.). Back in early March, I had been about to visit Good Vibes the week that Governor Abbott lifted the states mask order for businesses. Using the true Texan way of grilling over wood. To say we love burgers here at Thrillist is an understatement, and we can confidently say the same for the city of Houston.
Ripley has been running all sorts of specials during the ALCS. To my eyes, the scene was as rich and juicy as a crowded Breughel landscape after my year of self-isolation. The burger hotshots house-ground patties come in the form of beef, chicken, turkey, and Impossible, with selections ranging from the no-joke fiery Hot Bastard and the sugary-sweet candied bacon- and grilled peach-topped Sugar Burger to the (281) 330-8004, a tribute to Houston rapper Mike Jones made with gooey gruyere, garlic-roasted creminis, and a soy caramel glaze.How to book: Stop by for first come, first served seating, order take-out online, or get delivery viaUberEats. Theres something about a pop-up that appeals to the Secret Squirrel in everyone. Fans of fiery infernos should opt for the scorching Firehouse Burger, which gets its mouth-numbing heat thanks to cayenne butter, jalapeos, and habanero sauce. The standard burger is an updated riff on that Cease and Desistwith double the meat, double the cheese, and LPT on a potato bun. The sauted mushrooms and onion were perfect and their special sauce, much like homemade Big Mac sauce, was the perfect combination of sweet and creamy. I first ran into him 7 years ago on the patio of D&T Drive Inn, where he was running a really good Steak Night operation. Additional toppings are always natural, fresh, and made to perfection.
I had just navigated Hippos drive-thru lane at this sprawling truck stop way out northwest on Beltway 8, where vast warehouses and the Sam Houston Racetrack loom.
And yes, there will be bar bites superintended by the talented Leal. But the prices have been creeping up, as prices do, especially when there is beef involved. The Love Shack kiosk stood out with its name in marquee lights at the northwestern edge of the park. Rocco Smith A preternaturally cheerful and efficient young man named Chris took my order. And of course. At seven bucks, the cheeseburger is a deal in this era of ever-inflating prices. You can even check out the gallery space next door where Night Shift will launch four-count-em-four holiday pop-up cocktail rooms each with its own tiki theme and dcor under the rubric Sippin Santa. I went on a tour maybe a week before and I'd reserved 2 lanes. Theres high-speed Wi-Fi, semi-secluded cubbyholes that look like library carrels, plus dedicated meeting rooms. Heres how the post-cocktail part of the meal went. 1743 Post Oak Blvd, Houston, TX 77056Phone: 713-871-8883Visit Website, A post shared by Kenny & Ziggys Delicatessen (@kennyandziggys). Order some bacon as a topping or on the side for a delectable mouthful. While the flavors were perfect, I wasnt able to finish it which just meant that theres more for later! Usually substitutions are easilymore, This, at least what I ordered and had recently, was not that. From the smoke savants behind Tejas Chocolate & Barbecue comes a new venture where burgers are the star.
Within the past year or so Ive written about Olivier Ciesielskis $19 cheeseburger at the late Avalon Food & Wine, and the similarly priced Dry-Aged Beef Burger at Bludorn. The DBL Meat Tookies Cheeseburger is grilled to perfection and comes with a side of onion rings Tookies specialty. It still matters, thanks to the talents of head bartender Lainey Collum and director of operations Steven Ripley, an experienced chef who has put in time at the Federal Grill and Helen Greek Food & Wine. 1014 Wirt Rd #220, Houston, TX 77055Phone: 281-501-9773Visit Website, A post shared by BuffBurger (@buffburger).
88 Dennis St, Houston, TX 77006Phone: 713-522-9555Visit Website, A post shared by Houstons @BestFoodFeed (@bestfoodhouston). How to book: Stop by for first come, first served seating or order take-out and delivery via Toast. Hilal even has a Secret Menu thats printed right out, so that its not really a secret at all, which cracks me up.
(Theres a regular ol classic burger, too.). Its not specifically a burger joint but Houstons/Hillstone does a great burger and so many other things, Your email address will not be published. Well, almost the only fried-chicken sandwich Ive ever cared about, if you dont consider the chicken-on-a-biscuit situation they used to serve at the late, great Morningstar. Embodying a hybrid Japanese-American philosophy, burger-chan lets you customize your sandwich and offers not only Asian flavors but classic options as well. Their burgers include mayo, mustard, lettuce, onion, tomato, and pickles.
This is not a wham-bam operation Boudreauxs burgers are clearly a careful labor of love and my paper sack was produced at 5:24 exactly.
In times of uncertainty, a good burger offers a certain timeless reassurance; a promise that old familiar pleasures still apply. But there were onion rings on the menu, and the fried fish fillets looked promising, and I could snag some fried rice for breakfast at home. One of my favorites of the everyday variety, the cheeseburger from Cantina Barba, now costs $6 for a four-ounce version. Not so long ago, a $16 price tag seemed like the upper end of the category I think of as chef burgers. Those are the ones with carefully sourced beef, often locally or regionally raised; and fancy-ish trimmings, often made in-house; and a name-brand pedigree attached.
The family-run grocer has obviously been doing something right, because it's been keeping Houstonians fed and happy since the '60s. Just gazing upon these treats made me feel festive, as did the sight of the cafes new Kic Pops freezer, holding a rainbow of Houston-made all-natural popsicles. The weather was sublime, 80 degrees with a silky breeze, one of those final May days before serious summer heat sets in. There it stands, a pearl-frosted eminence glowing with twin strips of aqua light, as you enter the lobby doors at the InterContinental Houston hotel at the Medical Center. Key West Time burbled on the sound system. I realize this is, nominally, a burger column.
American (New), Breakfast & Brunch, Southern, American (Traditional), Sports Bars, Burgers. With seven years experience in the restaurant industry as a cook, server, bartender, and more, he is deeply passionate about intertwining his fondness for food with his love of language. Give Hamburger Enthusiasts an Ethical and Legitimate Alternative, Provide a 100% Plant-Based Menu that ANYONE can Enjoy, Eating just one Montys IMPOSSIBLE Burger (instead of a burger made from cows) will SAVE the Equivalent of 75 sqft of Land, 1/2 Tub of Bathwater, and 18 miles of Car Emissions, IMPOSSIBLE FOODS Mission is to Create a Sustainable Global Food System.
Monty Jones. Open daily from 11 a.m. to "close," which means around 8 p.m. when business slacks off. A great bar should have a great burger.
I had Bulldog Sauce on my chin as I drove down Telephone Road from Hangar Kitchen, plus a grin I couldnt wipe off my face. Now with dual locations, this local gem hawks Filipino fare alongside Akaushi burgers that shine atop squishy siopao buns. I was eager to see the airy two-story market hall that opened this summer in Cottage Grove, on a curve where Washington Avenue segues into Hempstead Road. Who could be bored in this sprawling megalopolis, where a winding drive across what used to be the Katy prairie leads, eventually, to a strip center where the occupants are a bao shop, a Vietnamese cafe, a gyros joint and Chuckwagon BBQ and Burgers, the domain of pitmaster Waseem Hilal? (Dont ask.). Its a fusion of Filipino and American cuisine with a menu that brings together the best of both worlds. They have rice meals available as well. We put every effort forward to provide our Customers and Team Members an enjoyable, safe, consistent and at times a fun experience. Now with two locations, this local patty-flipper sports hand-crafted 44 Farms burgers that perch plump and pretty atop soft, squishy buns. It was an interesting combination of American cheesy bacon and a Filipino-style patty in a white bun. The kitchen makes just about everything here from scratch, and it shows. My tiny Kia was surrounded by enormous big rigs as I unwrapped my burger in the parking lot of Hippo Burgers, somewhere between Willowbrook and Jersey Village. So its still holding the line. Unless otherwise specified or requested, all burgers are made medium-rare. Lazy Dog also has vegetarian options on the menu. The gentleman with a nod of greeting as he makes his way to one of the video slot machines along the window. FM Kitchen and Bar features a comforting atmosphere with dog-friendly patios and industrial-chic design at each location. The fries were cold when I received them, but I expected that with delivery. Shortly thereafter OK, very shortly thereafter I sat in the bakery-cafes parking lot on the corner of Memorial Drive and Kirkwood with said bone marrow butter dripping down my chin. This location also offers fish sandwiches, hot dogs, and plenty of other options. Originally, the foray wasnt supposed to be about a $5 burger, that vanishingly rare chimera of American life.
Houston came alive with pop-up food events during the pandemic, and the form has delivered everything from ube baked goods to Japanese-style egg-salad sandos to burgers, that civic obsession of ours. Thats where items like the Hot Cheetos Burrito, the Mexican Street Corn and the Orange, Black and Blue Fries live. The phrase jumped out from the burger description on White Elm Cafes website as if it had been written in 20-point red type: bone marrow butter.. 2022 Group Nine Media Inc. All Rights Reserved. There was a new 888 Bistro, an axe-throwing business, a brewery called Bakfish.
So did a burger I spotted on an online menu: the Hot Mess Burger, replete with yellow curry sauce and spicy fries. Whats more, the casual beer-focused tavern served up ideas like paneer tikka kebabs, featuring my beloved subcontinental pressed farmers cheese; and quesadillas stuffed with butter chicken, that most comforting of Indian specialties. This particular refrigerator-sized presence is labeled IVP, and twin billboards explain it to those who pause to pay homage, as one must. It was that the Hangar Kitchen proprietor turned out to be the effervescent young Dmitri Papadoupoulos son of Anestis Papadoupoulous, who launched a brave but short-lived little Greek spot in my corner of the East End 10 years ago. There are 13 burger options for your choosing. Life is full of surprises, and one of them is the towering Nickel Burger at The Nickel Sandwich Grill, a classic burger-and-fried-food stand in the Fifth Ward. I especially enjoy the bowl dinners and the burgers. The Good in Good Burger means much more than taste to us. Then I set out from my home in the East End, sailing up the industrial stretches of Lockwood to The Nickel, as the historic Black neighborhood of Fifth Ward is known. Not in this master-planned exurb, where trees wall commercial development from view and signage is confined to low, tasteful murmurings for which one must look sharp. Aside from the crispy-edged OG Trill Burger and Grilled Onion Burger, theres also a vegan smashburger featuring Impossible patties and vegan cheese that made quite a name for itself out in the dessert.How to book: Follow IG for updates on pop-ups and opening announcements. A post shared by Christians Tailgate (@christians_tailgate). My day, not to mention my 30-mile round trip, had gone poorly. Here a laptop. Its part of a nationwide phenomenon that began at New York Citys Boilermaker bar in 2015. Four summers ago, I tried my first Impossible Burger, made with the plant-based meat substitute developed by Impossible Foods. Not only does the joint have classic options, but it also carries variety for those who want to dabble in intense flavors as well. You can exchange the beef patty for a bison patty for a bolder, unique flavor. Slightly battered, having traversed many miles since 2017, the original vehicle stands outside the trim seafoam-green house in Acres Homes that now hosts the restaurant. By the exceptional neatness and cleanliness of its setting, including the convenience store end of the space it shares. The bacon cheeseburger from this location is a modern take on a classic burger and scratches the itch when looking for familiar and bold flavors. The burger bars second location over in Montrose brought with it house favorites like loaded tots, fried pickles, and shakes, plus features like late-night only food and drink specials (which that signature FM Burger is a part of, thankfully). The woman focused on her lottery numbers. If you work downtown a good lunch alternative to the burger and fries or huge, Buca di Beppo is probably the best in terms of quantity and quality - not the best eggplant parmesan in the world, but that portion is massive and two. It comes stacked club sandwich-style with a slice of crisp bread, special mayo, lettuce, tomato, onion, and pickles. We Houstonians dont like many things that have to do with Dallas very much (just kidding kinda), but we definitely do like this Big D-by-way-of-Fort Worth import. Healthy and "fast-food" are almost always mutually exclusive terms. For a damn fine burger with a little side of nostalgia, hit this neighborhood champion of all things beef. Its like something out of a science fiction movie. And then, dear readers, I thought of it: the fried chicken sandwich I had eaten at 93 Til, the ultra-casual bistro and record lounge opened in December by co-chefs Gary Ly and Lung Ly. I would have to content myself with fresh-cut fries instead. Burger was really good and will definitely be going back.more, is a great choice. The sun was slipping below the western horizon when I found a parking space in front of Levy Park. Privacy Policy. Thats because we live in an age when restaurants of all stripes boost their bottom line by putting a burger on the menu its a no-brainer, really where it can serve as a sort of pacifier while newbies get used to the rest of your repertoire, or a port in the storm for diners seeking familiar comforts. The concept is going full brick-and-mortar in a space off Washington this summer, but until then, you can check out its schedule to get your hands (and face) messy with the wonderfully greasy, aggressively griddled and charred burgers and cult favorite chopped cheese sandwiches.How to book: Follow IG for updates on pop-ups and opening announcements. Then they cut, age, cure, dry and smoke in-house, whence cometh the Salt & Time name. The perch, unexpected perfection. Another fave, from Burger Chan currently operating out of Click Virtual Food Hall as they prep to open their brick and mortar now costs $9 for the 5-ounce cheeseburger. The sun was setting.
Life, for the moment, was good. Overall the price was still very reasonable and the meal was tasty and filling.". No, make that great.. The burger fiend in me was curious, of course.
So I headed off to the new Buns & Drafts, which occupies a narrow, shady niche right at the head of the hardscaped median that hosts community events and a weekend farmers market. Maybe a leisurely coffee and a pastry, too. It was a natural outgrowth of owner Joey Paffels Cadenza coffee-roasting business next door, and they serve a roster of pour-overs and espresso drinks from early in the morning until 5 p.m., when they switch over to their dinner menu. Heres just a taste of what makes Burger Friday worth celebrating in Houston. Hilal is a graduate of the Houston Community Colleges culinary program, and he compiled a wild resume (Hotel Granduca, Maxs Wine Dive, sous chef at Tobiuo Sushi) before buying Chuckwagon two years ago. The waif in Doc Martens and tattoos, putting money on one of the eight gas pumps outside. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Rocco is a recent graduate of Florida State University with a Bachelors in Editing, Writing, and Media. 5.3k Views. Hubcap Grill offers dozens of burger options, ranging from classics to elaborate varieties. Fries never travel well.
local news and culture, Gwendolyn Knapp The Bidi Bidi, for example, is a burger topped with a black bean spread, cotija cheese, chipotle aioli, guac, and other toppings that make for an interesting flavor combo. This was not the cozy joint I had been expecting when I started out for the Hippo Burgers that I calculated oh, so wrongly was closest to my house. I was drawn to Big Ben Tavern in Sugar Land, near the manicured lakeside precincts of Telfair, by the promise of wild-sounding Desi ideas from chef Kaliamat Kallatt.
Burger loving locals can get their thrills nearly anywhere in this beef town, so we took it upon ourselves to scour the streets for the most flawless renditions aroundfrom old-school burger joints rocking sloppily beautiful classics to modern burger shacks with over-the-top burger creations, plus a few pop-ups getting in on the latest smashburger craze. The fact that I was finally about to sample the eponymous burger from Tim Love, the famous Fort Worth chef who nabbed the contract for Levy Parks three food-service outposts which include a barbecue restaurant and a breakfast-and-snack truck was just gravy. Heres exactly where youll want to get your burger game on in Houston. Big Saturday? I teased one of the staffers. Theres a good mix of food options thats ongoing, too. When youre there, try the chili burger for a hot, all-beef burger smothered in spicy and delicious chili. I had just planted a whopping bite into a house cheeseburger that immediately leaped into my Houston pantheon. I was here not only because I had heard tales of the hotels virus zapper, but also because every big hotel needs a respectable burger on its menu even one where the menus have the healthful overtones of The Naturalist and its adjoining sister restaurant, Safina, which trades in Mindful Mediterranean Cuisine.. I ordered a top-shelf silver Margarita and some queso, which seemed like the proper move. (Chango means monkey in Spanish, of course.). Order the half-pound Smokehouse Burger, where flavor-forward Angus beef gets an extra shot of love courtesy of smoked cheddar, bacon, caramelized onions, and green onion aioli.How to book: Stop by for first come, first served seating or order take-out and delivery online. We are also very grateful to feature Chamberlain Coffee Shakes and Chicken Tenders from Daring Foods. There are dozens of great burgers to try in Houston, and our top choices are only a handful of the places I recommend to have a good time alone or with some friends. A few years back, our resident burger expert ran around Houston eating a slew of classic cheeseburgers in order to find the best of the best. On almost every table a laptop sat open when I walked into Brass Tacks on a weekday midafternoon. In the end, he crowned this long-running bayside institutions perfectly peppery, pristinely crusted, and beautifully smashed patty the winner. One pound of fresh ground beef on a long slab of toasty Cuban bread for eight bucks, with enormous tropical-fruit shakes on the side? I suppose my brain had been jogged by the much-buzzed-about debut of celebrity chef David Changs Fuku fried-chicken-sandwich delivery service this past Wednesday, and the fact that I had been thinking grumpily about the topic of fried chicken sandwiches as latterday fetish objects. Thats axiomatic. Required fields are marked *. Lankford opened as a grocery in 1939, and its been building a dedicated army of burger enthusiasts since the 70s. Now, inured to the seemingly endless pandemic cycle, I did some risk calculation and settled for an early dinner on Good Vibes covered patio, on a breezy late afternoon after a storm had blown through and the temperature was a brisk 87 degrees.
Fans of the late Hay Merchants Cease & Desist burgers can find solace in the fact that powerhouse restaurant group Underbelly Hospitality has opened a full-time burger joint at the renovated Houston Farmers Market. A post shared by Julie Soefer (@juliesoefer). Yes, theres a burger, in the form of a Patty Melt, which lured me into the space at 2 p.m., a time when many restaurants go dead. Theres a big, gleaming kitchen behind the semi-serve counter, and it is turning out serious food like this. A post shared by Marcos Torres (@marcostorresf). It all feels like a low-key community center, humming along to its own rhythms. Well send you our daily roundup of all our favorite stories from across the site, from travel to food to shopping to entertainment. Each burger is a blend of short ribs and skirt steak directly from a distributor in New York. This location offers three kinds of burgers: Each burger comes with fries, sweet potato fries, or onion rings. If you are looking for a burger loaded with cheese and bacon, knock yourself out. There is nothing like the RC Ranch Burger from Killens Burgers. But mostly I just wanted to eat 93 Tils fried chicken sandwich again. Espresso drinks fuel the clientele from 7 a.m. onwards most days, and breakfast is followed by salads and sandwiches, seguing into cocktails for the happy hour and early-evening crowd. The market hall with its second-story food and drink kiosks has been opening in stages over the past few months, and theres an inviting balcony dining deck where you can catch the fall breezes and watch the sunset. I had eyed the small chain of Hippo shops circling the northern suburbs on Google Maps, from Humble to Atascocita to furthest Crosby, and my pandemic-addled brain zeroed in on the one that was just about as far away as Crosby.