Local Food Businesses in University Place (7)

Established by husband Adam Cryer and his wife, Sarah Pope, the Baileson Brewing Company features two of man’s best friends – beers and pooches. The “pooches” part come from the company’s name – a combination of the couple’s two dogs Bailey and Jameson. (They have a third fur baby called Beau, who came later.) The brewery, of course, supplies the handcrafted beers, especially ales. Located in the outskirts of the Rice Village area in Houston, the brewery was an old gas station built in 1950 until the building became an auto-service station in the mid-1970s. The couple retained the exterior canopy, which serves as the brewpub’s patio, and fitted it with picnic tables. They allow non-beer fans to bring wine from their neighbor next door, and allow outside food. The place, of course, is “dog-friendliest”, with the couple claiming that their pooches “have better social lives” than their humans.

El Topo's menu offers carefully curated ingredients resulting in extremely delicious dishes. The beautiful and relaxing space features award-winning dishes like the 'Houston' and 'Gringo' tacos. Vegetarians can opt for the vegan-friendly 'Austin' taco. El Topo also boasts the best homemade corn tortillas in town. Located in Houston, Texas, the restaurant is known for its personable staff and delicious food. Enjoy a delightful dining experience at El Topo.

Houston's Food Music Life food truck serves up Mexican and Italian-inspired cuisine made with fresh, local Texas ingredients. Try their pulled pork on polenta with local goat cheese or grilled chicken on risotto. Support local farms while enjoying delicious food!

The name of this winery speaks for itself. French Country Wines is "a small shop on the outskirts of Rice Village". This is a "great place to learn more about French wines". They "have free tastings on Saturdays". "If you want to stop in for a little tasting" and "you're in the market for French wine in the Houston area, you owe it to yourself to stop by to shop, or maybe come in for one of their tastings". This is an "off the beaten path wine boutique that's worth the visit". You may end up "hooked" with an "absolutely killer red Bandol" and will become your favorite.

Helen Greek Food & Wine has"excellent food in a comfortable atmosphere". "Outstanding service, ambiance and most of all the Grilled Octopus, chickpea puree, mint salad, capers, cracked coriander is a MUST HAVE!" "The dinner menu has a very special setup, one page offering with not the typical Souvlaki, Moussaka and Gyros Giu would expect from a Greek restaurant". And, "all dishes at a special unique taste" and are "perfectly arranged on the plates". Also, "a small menu also usually indicates that everything is fresh". They also "have an incredible wine selection as well". Their "wines are all imported from Greece". "It isn't a very big restaurant so book ahead". Also, "do come here if you want to try authentic Greek cuisine, and want to sample different dishes with friends". But, "overall, a delicious experience" and you will "be back to try more items!"  

Hopdoddy Burger Bar - Rice Village is located at one of Houston's iconic shopping locations. Rice village is a 16-block area which is home to over 300 shopes! What sets Hopdoddy from all of the other restaurants in the area? Well, a lot of reasons, and one of it is their hand-crafted burgers made from 100% hormone-free and antibiotic-free Angus beef! Another fan favorite after a day of shopping around Rice Village is their Truffle Fries. This is a generous serving of hand-cut fries, drizzled with truffle oil and parmesan cheese! (It's meant for sharing, but some people are guilty of hoarding a whole plate for themselves!)

House of Coffee Beans established itself as one of the first sources of whole bean gourmet coffee in Houston. They measures aspects of the coffee's taste, specifically the body, sweetness, acidity, flavor, and aftertaste. Their core values are centered on quality, freshness, sustainability and accountability. They ensure that sustainable, Eco-aware practices are followed, and that everyone involved in producing the estate’s coffees is fairly and properly compensated. The store carries all kinds of mugs and coffee accessories and equipment too including an Iced Toddy maker, French Press, Stove top Espresso maker, coffee pots and more. They also carry a variety of cookies from local Picnic Box Lunches, and I must say the Lemon Sugar Cookie is utterly out of this world!