Galveston to Kick Start New Year with Fun Events for Foodies

By Sara G. Stephens

Among the foodie-sphere, Galveston Island is widely hailed as a mecca of top-notch restaurants. The range and quality of food served here rival the cuisine you’ll find at any U.S. resort town. Many Houstonians are known to make evening round-trips to the Island, just to enjoy dinner within the fold of Galveston’s vibrant food scene.

With a nod to these faithful followers, and hoping to recruit some new foodie converts, the Island is ushering in 2014 with some noteworthy food-related events that are well worth the short one-hour drive from Houston.

So set your scales back, and tuck your napkin in… it’s time to ride the restaurant wave in Galveston!

Galveston Restaurant Week

Galveston Restaurant Week will bring Galveston’s vibrant food scene to life January 12-25, when more than 30 of the Island’s finest restaurants show off their tastiest dishes. With a specialty in seafood, Galveston’s eateries will prepare special menus and dishes for restaurant week, allowing participants to choose from a variety of price points. The event will showcase the freshest ingredients, most flavorful dishes and culinary gems that Galveston has to offer, with proceeds benefitting the Galveston County Food Bank. For details and an updated list of participating restaurants, visit www.galvestonrestaurantweek.com.

Participating Restaurants:


Brick House Tavern and Tap
35th & Seawall Blvd. | (409)763-5649
 
Bubba Gump Shrimp Co.
2501 Seawall Blvd. | (409)766-4952
 
DiBella’s Italian Restaurant 

1902 31st Street | (409)763-9036
 
EATcetera
208 205th Street | (409)762-0803
 
Farley Girls Cafe 

801 Postoffice St. | (409)497-4454
 
Fisherman’s Wharf
2200 Harborside Dr. | (409)765-5708
 
Fish Tales

2502 Seawall Blvd. | (409)762-8545
 
Galvez Bar & Grill
2024 Seawall Blvd. | (409)765-7721
 
Grotto
5222 Seawall Blvd. | (409)744-1500
 
The Gumbo Diner

3602 Seawall Blvd. | (409)762-3232
 
The Jetty

5002 Seawall Blvd. | (409)740-5300
 
Joe’s Crab Shack Seawall
3502 Seawall Blvd. | (409)766-1515
 
Joe’s Crab Shack Pier
19
1924 Harborside Dr. | (409)763-6888
 
Landry’s Seafood
5310 Seawall Blvd. | (409)744-1010
 
Little Daddy’s Gumbo Bar

2107 Postoffice St. | (409)744-GUMBO
 
Medicinal Purposes Bar & Grill

712 7th St. | (409)974-4365
 
The M&M Restaurant & Bar
2401 Church | (409)766-7170
 
Nonno Tony’s World Kitchen

Pier 21 | (409)621-5100
 
Number 13

7809 Broadway | (409)744-2618
 
Olympia The Grill at Pier 21

100 21st St. | (409)765-0021
 
Olympia The Grill at Seawall Boulevard

4908 Seawall Blvd. | (409)766-1222
 
Porch Cafe

1625 East Beach Dr. | (409)762-0808
 
Rainforest Cafe

5310 Seawall Blvd. |   (409)744-6000
 
Rudy & Paco

2028 Postoffice St. | (409)762-3696
 
Saltgrass Steakhouse

1502 Seawall Blvd. | (409)762-4261
 
Saltwater Grill

2017 Postoffice St. | (409)762-3474
 
Shearn’s
7 Hope Blvd. | (409)741-8484
 
Sky Bar Steak & Sushi
2105 Postoffice St. | (409)621-4759
 
Tortuga Mexican Kitchen
6010 Seawall Blvd. | (409)741-5000
 
Tremont Cafe

2300 Mechanic St. | (409)763-0300
 
The Waterman
14302 Stewart Road | (409)632-0233
 
Willie G’s
2100 Harborside Dr. |   (409)762-3030



Yaga’s Chili Quest & Beer Fest

Yaga’s Entertainment will host its annual Chili Quest & Beer Fest January 17-18 in Galveston’s historic downtown district. The festival will bring thousands of visitors to The Strand to participate in a chili competition, beer tasting, 5K run/walk, a washer tournament and a downtown walkabout. For details, visit www.yagaspresents.com/chiliquest.

Space City Con Galveston Island

New in 2014, Space City Con is coming to Galveston’s Moody Gardens Convention Center Jan. 3-5. The event, sponsored by Dark Skull Studios, is a pop and fan culture family entertainment expo for all ages featuring comics, sci-fi, fantasy, gaming, literature and art.  The convention will offer guests the opportunity to meet and greet cast members from HBO’s mega-hit Game of Thrones, such as Jason Momoa and Esmé Bianco. In addition, the event will host a cast reunion for the sci-fi show Babylon 5. Sci-fi fan or not, Space City Con is a family-friendly experience not to be missed. For details, visit www.darkskullstudios.com.