Some restaurants outlast the neighborhoods that first made them. They absorb decades of change, become part of how people mark time and eventually carry a city's history in ways that no building alone can.
Preservation Houston invites you to join us Tuesday, April 14, as we celebrate the inaugural class of legacy restaurants in our Savoring History program — 28 establishments whose stories are woven into the life of the city.
The celebration will bring together the restaurants, the people and families behind them, and Houston’s preservation, culinary and business communities at Milford House, the historic Museum District home of the Italian Cultural & Community Center of Houston.
Guests will begin with casual networking and bites from several of the honorees, followed by lunch and a short program recognizing the inaugural Legacy Restaurant class and presenting awards in five categories. Set in one of Houston’s historic gathering spaces, the event reflects the same idea at the heart of Savoring History: the connection between place, memory and the shared experience of a good meal.
The inaugural Legacy Restaurant class
Preservation Houston is presenting five special honors highlighting restaurants whose stories illustrate particular aspects of Houston’s dining heritage, from family continuity to cultural influence and stewardship of historic places. We're also recognizing 23 restaurants as the inaugural Legacy Restaurant class — establishments that have helped define Houston’s dining culture and continue to serve as enduring neighborhood institutions. Learn more about this year’s honorees →
The Jackson Hicks Legacy Restaurant of the Year: Niko Niko’s Greek & American Café
Family Legacy: Molina’s Cantina
Cultural Impact: China Garden Restaurant
Community Impact: Kenny & Ziggy’s New York Delicatessen
Historic Stewardship: Brasil
Abdallah’s Lebanese Cafe
the breakfast klub
Bubba’s Texas Burger Shack
Cafe Piquet Cuban Cuisine
Champ Burger
Christie’s Seafood & Steaks
Cream Burger
El Patio
French Gourmet Bakery
The Hobbit Café
House of Pies
Kiran’s
La Guadalupana Bakery & Cafe
Lankford’s
Mandola’s Deli
Merida Restaurant
Pizzitola’s Heritage BBQ
The Raven Grill
Rudyard’s British Pub
Stanton’s City Bites
Tacos A Go Go
Treebeards
Zydeco Louisiana Diner