I went to Phoenicia Specialty foods for the first time ever and realized I have wasted the last 8…read moreyears since I moved to Houston having never been here before, because wow! I mean my pocket book is probably better for it because I want to buy the whole store but honestly I've been missing out. The place is cute and welcoming from the corner sign on the building to the moment you step in- bright, inviting, great displays so you know where to go. You can't get lost in here with the signage, but you can't definitely get lost in the aisles with all the great, unique choices. The ready food display has so many Mediterranean treats, some I've had before some I've never heard of and everything I tried was amazing. We got the cabbage rolls and Armenian veggie dolmas. Great flavor, both specific items I haven't had before. Nice citrus, spiced flavor to these. I'd say they're have to try items. Not only found jarred tomato paste, which I've been on the hunt for but they had choices in this category and that's another first for me. Will have to go back and try the others. Also got the cured Serrano ham -amazing. And I thought the prices were going to be insane having a spot right in the middle of the city and nope- pleasantly surprised for my goodies, great prices even less than some of the other stores I frequent in the suburbs. I'll be back again and again and again until I try the whole store lol. Definitely give them a try, you won't regret it

My niece and I checked out Phoenicia's for lunch, which was surprisingly delicious…read more My niece has simplistic tastes, so she opted for the chicken burger, which I tried of course. Perfectly seasoned, crispy exterior. The sweet potato fries were equally delicious. I got the Hill Country salad. Same tender but crispy chicken on a bed of greens with berries. So good. Definitely bookmarked as a return option.

The Cottage Grocery is such a gem. It's this cozy little spot on Joanel where you can grab coffee,…read morea breakfast taco, a fully prepared dinner to take home, a bottle of wine, and a box of cookies all in one stop. Basically if you want to look like you cooked but didn't, this is your place. The chicken salad is famous for a reason. It sells out constantly and I get why. The pastries and cookies are fantastic, the soups and casseroles actually taste homemade (better than homemade, honestly), and everything is made fresh in-house daily. I've grabbed their chicken tetrazzini for lazy weeknights more times than I'd like to admit. Staff is sweet, the space is adorable, and the wine selection is surprisingly solid for such a small shop. Great for dinner parties, host gifts, a quick lunch, or just treating yourself.

Absolutely loved this spot, but the only reason I took away a star is because we dined inside and…read moreit was so warm! Granted it was a hot Houston day outside, but the AC inside just wasn't doing it for us. That being said, this was my first visit to Cottage Grocery and I was pleasantly surprised! Everything sounded so delicious it was hard to choose! We split a summer salad and pretzel bun ham and Swiss sandwich (both of which were delicious) and had Teddy graham lattes (YUM). The coffee and pastry shop inside was so cute! And they had so many great to-go fresh meal options. Will definitely try to come back another time!

R-C Ranch is a local butcher shop located inside the Houston Farmer's Market specializing in Wagyu…read morebeef. It's definitely on the pricier side, but the quality of the meat makes it worth it. They also carry prepackaged frozen soups made with their wagyu beef, which is a nice bonus. Service is always friendly and efficient. I've had good experiences every time I've gone, and I'm hoping to try their tomahawk one day for a special occasion!

RC Ranch is always fantastic! We appreciate the partnership with HLSR! We just recently ordered…read moreonline & had it shipped! It came packaged perfect & the freshness was 's!!

This place has a special place in my foodie heart! The interior being a historic convenience store…read moremakes it feel homey and very local. I got here often with my roommate and always have a great time mix and matching any 6 beers into a 6-pack deal. The fatty brisket and sausage is amazing. I love that they offer a variety of menu items now as well. Steak nights, wine nights, and brunch options show how much effort they put in. I wouldn't say the bbq is the best I've ever had in Houston .... BUT still deserves a 5 star review in my book.

Update: Veronica reached out to me willing to make this…read moreexperience right. Issues will come up from time to time but how you handle them says a lot about you as a business owner. I'm adjusting my review to reflect Veronica's willingness to turn this experience into an opportunity. We were looking forward to trying this restaurant while staying at a hotel in Houston for medical treatments. We had it delivered to our hotel and sadly it wasn't the best experience. When we got our order to the room we were missing one side that we ordered. We got Mac n cheese, green beans and potato salad with a brisket/smoked chicken combo and a brisket/ribs. I was shocked to see two pieces of brisket and a chicken breast for $28. Maybe it was an off night but the quality just wasn't there. All the food was cold (our fault bc we ordered it for delivery) and was lacking flavor. Overall, we'd rate it like this: Brisket 3/5 Chicken 2/5 Mac n cheese 1.5/5 Green beans 3/5 Ribs 3/5 Potato salad 2/5 Maybe they were having a bad night but I wish our experience was better.

So I have visited Penzey's location years ago but now do all my spice shopping from Penzey's…read moreonline. Their spices are wonderful and have allowed me to venture into a whole new dimension of cooking. Particularly with curries. However my favorite spice that I buy repeatedly is their breakfast sausage seasoning. I use ground chicken or turkey and make my own breakfast sausage and it is delicious. They are prompt in shipping generally takes about a week. I usually order in bulk too as I have switched out most of my spices to Penzey's. The store is quite intoxicating if you love to cook so I suggest a visit there as well! Happy Spicing!

Penzey's used to be a good spice vendor, but has more and more become an ideology peddler. So, if…read moreyou can't figure out where you stand, you can go there, where the immature workers think they have the answers. To add injury to insult, their quality has deteriorated. When I got home with my Sunny Paris, it was already caking.

Came by to sample their weekly cheese rotation and somehow walked out with more than planned (zero…read moreregrets). We ended up leaving with the Salva Cremasco (my BF's pick) while I chose a random interesting-looking cheese called Screamer--because sometimes the mystery pick just calls to you. Half the fun here is getting to try cheeses you'd probably never think to bring home otherwise. The Salva Cremasco was surprisingly easy to love. Mild, buttery, and savory in a way that felt approachable rather than intimidating, with a smooth semi-firm texture that got creamier as you ate it. At first, it tasted very clean and milky with a light nuttiness, but the finish had this subtle earthy, almost mushroomy/vegetal note that kept things interesting without ever becoming funky or sharp. It felt like the kind of cheese you accidentally keep cutting "one more slice" of until suddenly... half of it is gone. We were also sold on trying the FLUFF Bake Bar cookies made with goat milk, which honestly felt very on-brand for the whole experience. Dangerous place for impulse purchases--but in the best possible way. What really keeps making this place memorable, though, is the people. I love the knowledgeable and warm welcome we always get from the staff. Even on a visit that barely lasted 15 minutes, they somehow still made the experience feel memorable--like you stopped by to chat with people who genuinely love what they do and want to share it with you.

I can't believe I've lived in Houston for this many years and never stopped by Houston Dairymaids…read more I learned that they're the backbones of many restaurants' cheese selections, and I had to trace it back to the origin. A small, discreet shop with a backyard-like parking lot, it's unassuming on the outside but full of character on the inside. Upon entering, you're welcomed with samples of the five cheeses of the week, generally going from soft to firmer and stronger. Their cheeses are displayed in a small fridge, but you can always request varietals ahead of time if you've got something in mind. We bought blue cheese they had on sample (the "Ewe Calf to be Kidding" from Wisconsin, a triple-milk (sheep, cow, and goat)) and the last of their Capricorn Goat Blue cheeses for about $10/piece. Since they rotate out their cheeses weekly, it may become a regular stop on our weekend grocery trips (they mention that many people do that). They also mentioned that their wines rotate out and they have a good relationship with local distributors to understand what pairs well with their cheeses. They also let you start an account so that you can keep a history of all the cheese you buy. You better bet that I signed up. They're celebrating their 20 year anniversary in Houston. I wish I had come earlier to experience some of those years. It's got to be a cornerstone of Houston cheese and probably the among the best cheesemongers in Houston.

As someone with deep Creole roots from Breaux Bridge, Louisiana, I don't take Cajun and Creole food…read morelightly--it's in my blood. Herbert's Specialty Meats on Richmond near the Galleria instantly took me back home. The moment you walk in, the number of items from Louisiana is delightful Their boudin, seasonings, and prepared items reminded me so much of my grandmother's gumbo, boudin, and rich, slow-cooked stews--comfort food that warms your soul. You can taste the authenticity and love in everything they make. This is the kind of place that understands balance, spice, and tradition. Customer service was excellent--friendly, patient, and genuinely happy to help you find exactly what you're craving. There are tons of choices, whether you're stocking up for a cookout or just grabbing something to satisfy that Cajun craving. For anyone missing Louisiana flavors or wanting the real deal in Houston, Herbert's is a must-stop. It feels like a little piece of "The Boot"

Have been ordering/eating Herbert's food for 20+ years. Their stuffed chickens, boudin, étouffée,…read moregumbo, stuffed jalapeños, stuffed fish, shrimp are all amazing! 100% recommend. They have 3 locations including the Woodlands & Dairy Ashford. I live in Phoenix and have it shipped. Great to have in the freezer to pop in the oven for a quick meal or to host a dinner party! Owners are great guys! The store has all kinds of goodies to take home. Love the atmosphere!

Always a fantastic store for spices and cinnamon. I drive from Corpus to Houston when I visit and…read morealways go by the store. BUT my daughter said store was gone....building something else. What happened? 6/23/26

Absolutely amazing the workers very helpful and considerate…read more First time visitor felt overwhelmed but with help was able to pick what I needed Thank you kindly

I really wanted to like this place. I first tried their pasta when a friend cooked it for me, and…read moreit was great, so I went there myself. I bought lobster ravioli, four-cheese ravioli, and pasta sauce. Lobster ravioli is $2.40 each so I paid $24 for the box. When I opened it to cook, I only found 9 ravioli inside. I wouldn't have written this review if it had been just one missing. Then, when I put the cheese ravioli in boiling water, I found a bug floating in it. Will I go back? I'm not sure. It's such a shame because their ravioli and sauce taste so good.

This is more like a store where you can purchase fresh made pasta of your choice and sauce. I love…read morethe idea and being able to make it at home with fresh ingredients without actually having to make my own at home and no preservatives. With that said, I was unfortunate to have encounter mold in the sauce. Luckily I didn't heat it up. There's no preservatives so it doesn't last as long. They need to have a way to date the containers for each items they make. I just bought it last night and was quite upset when I was making late dinner. As soon as I got home, I kept everything refrigerated. Luckily I didn't mix it in with the pasta so I end up using a different sauce I already had on hand. Pasta are delicious and I would come back, if I'm in the area and planning to cook it within the same day or next. I don't think I can try any of their sauce. My tip to you is to inspect all of your items prior to purchasing. Sauce are hard to look through the containers so I hope they change their ways and just date their food items since everything doesn't have preservatives. Limited parking right in front but didn't see any other customers there. The lady at the register was nice but limited English.

I've used Melissa with Cloud 9 Collective for multiple events! She is amazing and so creative with…read morewhat she brings to life. The decor is always a hit and brings a fun element to the party. She is efficient with set up and even brought a backup stand when needed. I'll definitely book her again!

From the owner: Elevating your next event with first class balloon decor. Cloud 9 is passionate about bringing our…read moreclients’ dreams to life through captivating balloon art. We would love the opportunity to create an unforgettable experience for YOU! Contact us today for a free consultation & balloon design services.