8th Annual Latin Restaurant Weeks Returns for Hispanic Heritage Month

HOUSTON’S LATIN CULINARY SCENE TAKES CENTER STAGE DURING HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH WITH 8TH ANNUAL LATIN RESTAURANT WEEKS

Two weeks of family recipes, chef-driven specials, and first-time participants, Sept. 11 to 25  

Latin Restaurant Weeks returns for its 8th year, September 11 to 25, launching in time for Hispanic Heritage Month. For two weeks, participating restaurants, bakeries, coffee shops, and bars across the Houston area will showcase their signature items, many of them recipes that have been in the same family for three or four generations.

“One of the things that makes Latin Restaurant Weeks different is that we give each restaurant the creative freedom to decide what makes the most sense for their business,” said Karinn Chavarria-Luckett, co-founder of Latin Restaurant Weeks. “For some, that might be a family recipe that has been passed down for generations. For others, it might be a new dish they have been wanting to test, a limited-time special, or a chance to put their chef’s point of view front and center. We want the experience to be meaningful for the restaurant and exciting for the diner.” 

This year’s roster spans from acclaimed to mom-and-pop businesses in neighborhoods from Spring Branch to the East End, including longtime institutions like James Beard-recognized The Original Ninfa’s on Navigation, second-generation family restaurants, and several first-time participants like the newly opened Yuma Brazilian and Cuban sandwich shop, along with the new, contemporary Exilio Latin Flair led by Michelin-recognized Chef Douglas Rodriguez. Diners can expect everything from café con leche and pan dulce to birria, arepas, pupusas, and dishes rarely found outside a family kitchen. 

The lineup also shows how much Latin food in Houston is changing. Yuma builds its sandwiches on both Brazilian and Cuban traditions. La Fogata Latin Fusion cooks pan-Latin with a Texan twist. Casa Ema draws on indigenous and ancestral ingredients and techniques.

Latin Restaurant Weeks celebrates where these food traditions came from, and where they’re going. With the evolution of Latin cuisine throughout Houston, the two-week campaign gives chefs the freedom to show diners both sides of that story. Diners get a deal and something exclusive they may not otherwise get to try, all while supporting the industry and culture. 

“Every single thing in my case is something I am proud of, from the tres leches to the alfajores to the empanadas,” said Belen Bailey, owner of Sweets by Belen Dessert Boutique. “I put my heart into these recipes because they are the desserts I grew up with. These two weeks give me a chance to hand them to people who have never had Peruvian sweets before, and watching that first bite never gets old.” 

From top-recognized to hidden gems, diners can look forward to a variety of Latin flavors and features from returning participants including Casa do Brasil, Comfort Foodies, Fonda Santa Rosa, Healthy Start Nutrition, La Fisheria, La Pupusa Loca, Space City Birria, Sweets by Belen Dessert Boutique (Bellaire and Katy), The Original Ninfa’s Uptown and Navigation, La Pupusa Loca, Latin Bites, and Mi Pueblito Restaurant. 

Newcomers include Casa Ema, El Kourmet, Exilio Latin Flair, La Fogata Latin Fusion, Pinball Pizzeria, Tortas el Enmascarado, and Yuma. 

“The best part of my job is the phone call I get after, when an owner tells me they had their busiest two weeks of the year,” said Karinn Chavarria-Luckett, co-founder of Latin Restaurant Weeks. “That is why we do this. Some of these are small businesses with no marketing budget and have a very loyal but very small circle of regulars. Our job is to widen that circle, and every year we get to watch it happen across the whole city.” 

Diners are encouraged to dine in, order takeout, and share the flavors and culture they discover using #LatinRestaurantWeeks on social media. The growing list of participating locations and menus is available at www.latinrestaurantweeks.com.

For more information and updates, follow @LatinRestaurantWeeks on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.