Legacy restaurant program

Some restaurants become more than beloved gathering places. With time they turn into landmarks — steady, familiar and woven into Houston’s story. Preservation Houston’s legacy restaurant program honors these longtime establishments for the history they carry, the communities they nurture and the character they lend to the city’s neighborhoods.

About Savoring History: Houston’s Legacy Restaurants

Valian’s, which opened at Main and Holcombe in the mid-1950s, introduced pizza to Houston / photo from PH file

Houston’s diverse and creative restaurants, from cherished family-owned spots to iconic dining destinations, each tell a story of the people, traditions and flavors that define our city. Savoring History, Preservation Houston’s new legacy restaurant program, recognizes these businesses as living history, celebrating the culinary landmarks that have shaped our culture, built community and stood the test of time.

This initiative pays tribute to Houston’s long-standing restaurants and the cultural impact they’ve had across the city. Through recognition, storytelling and advocacy, Savoring History links preservation with Houston’s dynamic culinary and business communities. The program celebrates the restaurants that have helped define Houston’s identity, promotes policies and partnerships that support their longevity, and builds stronger connections between preservation and economic development.

Nominations

Nominations for recognition in Savoring History: Houston’s Legacy Restaurants are open through January 16, 2026.

Nominate a restaurant

Anyone may submit a nomination with the restaurant’s permission. A jury will review all submissions to identify establishments that embody Houston’s cultural and culinary heritage. Selected nominees will receive legacy restaurant recognition, and one outstanding establishment will be named Legacy Restaurant of the Year.

Hebert’s Ritz was a popular Midtown restaurant from the 1940s until its closure in 1987 / PH file

Why nominate a historic Houston restaurant?

  • Preserve and share local history: Help tell the story of a restaurant that has shaped Houston’s cultural and community heritage.

  • Recognize a valued institution: Honored restaurants receive an official Preservation Houston certificate and window decal acknowledging their significance.

  • Strengthen local businesses: Nominations spotlight long-standing establishments that sustain Houston’s character and economy.

  • Connect to preservation resources: Award recipients gain access to Preservation Houston’s network, programs and learning opportunities.

  • Enhance community identity: Raise your neighborhood’s profile as a destination for heritage tourism and cultural appreciation.

Who’s eligible?

To be eligible for legacy restaurant recognition, a business must have been in continuous operation for 20 years or more and contribute to the history and identity of a neighborhood, community or the city as a whole. In addition, the business must meet at least one of the following criteria:

  • Has been owned and operated by successive generations of the same family

  • Cultivates and sustains cultural traditions through instruction, mentorship or the passing down of traditional knowledge

  • Is located in a City of Houston-designated landmark building or within a City of Houston historic district