National Burger Day Alert! Chris Shepherd’s Doing a Burger Place!

National Burger Day Alert! Chris Shepherd’s Doing a Burger Place!

JUST IN TIME for National Burger Day — have you put up your National Burger Day tree yet? — comes breaking burger news from Houston's most prolific chef and celebrated restaurateur, Chris Shepherd.


Shepherd's Underbelly Hospitality will open Underbelly Burger at an unspecified time this summer in the Houston Farmers Market, right next door to Wild Oats, which is also among his company's concepts. The new eatery, in the refurbished market center, will also be near RC Ranch's butcher shop, which will supply some of the beef, along with Shepherd's longtime supplier 44 Farmers.

Per a release from Shepherd's office this morning, the 1,200-square-foot, 12-seat restaurant, which will also have a pickup window, will tout as its flagship sandwich something similar to one of the chef's most famous dishes at another of this popular restos. "The standard burger will be a slightly updated version of Hay Merchant's Cease and Desist burger — double meat, double cheese with lettuce, pickles and tomato on a potato bun," said the statement.

"The small menu will also feature Chris Shepherd's bacon sausage — both on burgers and in hot dog form — chicken sandwiches and special burgers driven by the seasons," it also noted. "The sidewinder fries are soft in the center and crispy around the edges." Pastry Director Victoria Dearmond's milkshakes will also be on offer, as will a boutique selection of wine and beer.

Underbelly Hospitality's Wild Oats is set to be a "fresh take on traditional Texas," with items like shrimp-and-grits but with masa, as in tamales, per a CityBook report in January.

Food
Leadership in Action: Clothiers Murry and Karen Penner Celebrate Family Business’ 50-Year Anny

Murry & Karen Penner, Owners, M PENNER

How did you get where you are today? We’ve stayed true to the vision of the store’s founder, Morris Penner, who relentlessly sought out unique product, with exceptional quality being a key element. Morris always used to say, “The fastest way to lose a customer is to bore him” and we agree. A percentage of every season’s budget is allocated to something new and unique. While product is key, it’s not enough. Having an excellent staff and discipline in business practices is also critical.

Keep Reading Show less

Christine Johnson and Jody Merritt

A LOVELY AND truly heart-felt tradition continued, when Saks Fifth Avenue and its 5115 restaurant hosted the 14th annual Houston Sweethearts tea.

Keep Reading Show less
Party People

ON JAN. 3, 2025, I observed a big personal anniversary. As of that day, it’d been 20 years since I first moved to Houston — from the Big Apple media circus, by way of my home state of Louisiana — and began working as an editor in the lifestyle-magazine biz here. It’s been two full decades, which is hard to believe! I like to joke that I’m far too young and good-looking to have done anything for two decades. But here we are.

Keep Reading Show less