Convenience Big Store: How Houston restaurants, bars are using pumpkin spice to celebrate fall

What's cooking?

Pumpkin spice, the now-ubiquitous flavoring of fall, can be a lightning rod. Personally, I've never liked the dramatic derision from folks who cast it as "basic" and go out of their way to make sure everyone knows they would never touch it. Live and let live, I say. And for those who love pumpkin spice, this week Greg Morago found over a dozen bars and restaurants doing tasty things with it.

Another reminder: Be the first to see the Chronicle's 2023 Top 100 Restaurants list by buying a ticket to our Houston Culinary Stars party Oct. 19. Dozens of the city's top chefs and restaurants will be serving food. There will be wine, too.

Jody Schmal, Food Editor

jody.schmal@houstonchronicle.com

Common Bond stores will offer pumpkin pastries and desserts including pumpkin muffins, pumpkin croissants, and pumpkin spice macarons.

Photo by: Andrew Hemingway

The great pumpkin spice season is upon us

One flavor — as popular as it is divisive — has gobbled up the fall palate. Pumpkin spice, in all of its glory, has permeated nearly every avenue of our supermarket and restaurant experiences this time of year.

Local eats

Buena Vista Cafe in Memorial serves classic and modern twists on Cuban cuisine.

Photo by: Kristina Uresti

Cuba's food gets stylish, modern touch at the newly opened Buena Vista Cuban Cafe

New Houston residents Roberto and Esther Diaz opened a restaurant off Washington Avenue to give Cuba's food a bigger spotlight.

Kim Hewitt smiles as she talks about her food truck Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2023, in Houston.

Photo by: Jon Shapley, Staff Photographer

Third Ward's brunch maven knows something about ambition

Third Ward's Kim Hewitt started a food truck called The Brunch Box, serving homemade food across from Cuney Homes.

Rendering of the new Mandito's Tex-Mex restaurant, a second Houston-area location of the Palacios Murphy Hospitality group's Tex-Mex concept, opening early 2024 at 9910 Gaston in Katy.

Photo by: Palacios Murphy Hospitality

Cantina-style version of Armandos to open in Katy

A second Houston-area outpost of Palacios Murphy Hospitality's Tex-Mex restaurant is planning an early 2024 opening.

Photo by: Yi-Chin Lee

Video: Y&H Buttery Bakery in Katy specializes in creating the ideal French croissants

The Y&H Buttery Bakery in Katy creates French croissants, which head chef and owner Sam Yang says need to be flaky, buttery and tender.

Photo by: Second Servings Of Houston

Second Servings marks major milestone in food rescue mission

The Houston nonprofit's outreach will expand as it continues to channel prepared food and groceries to the city's food insecure.

TikTok hit Crumbl Cookies opens fourth Houston-area shop

The wildly popular dessert shop, known for its sweet cookies, is among the fastest growing chains in America.

Guests pose for a picture at the Houston Chronicle 2019 Culinary Stars event.

Photo by: Pu YIng Huang

Tickets going fast for Chronicle Top 100 restaurants party

Participating restaurants include Amrina, Blood Bros. BBQ, MAD, March, Musaafer, Navy Blue, Street to Kitchen, Tatemo, Xochi and more. Get tickets here.

Houston's top restaurants

Tiger cry ribeye with a side of funky som tam lao at Street to Kitchen.

Photo by: Annie Mulligan, Contributor

Houston Chronicle's top 100 Restaurants, according to our food critics

Houston's dining scene is exceptional. We feature the very best our city has to offer in this list.

Aprons on

Photo by: Carolina Ayala, Contributor

Houston chef Anita Jaisinghani's recipe for fluffy plum naan

The Houston chef adapted this recipe from her award-winning book "Masala." The naan recipe is great as a starter, and pairs well with stew.

Enchilada Queen Sylvia Caseres' cheese enchiladas with chili gravy are among nearly two dozen enchiladas available at Sylvia's Enchilada Kitchen.

Photo by: Paula Murphy

42 iconic Houston recipes you can make at home

To celebrate Houston's favorite foods, we compiled a cookbook of dishes and drinks from the city's favorite chefs and restaurants.

Barbecue

Photo by: Brett Coomer, Staff Photographer

Gessner's Grub serves up Central Texas-style barbecue

Unlike chain barbecue restaurants in The Woodlands, Gessner's is a food truck tucked in an auto shop parking lot.

25 best places to get barbecue in the Houston area: The Greater Houston area is enjoying a new era of smoked meat supremacy, making it, perhaps, the new capital of Texas barbecue. Here are some of the shining stars.