Compared to our sweltering never-ending summers, our cool weather months are a short season here in Texas, so make the most of it by checking out these seasonal festivities! Enjoy good food, good wine and good weather – and help out a good cause or two while you’re at it. Between rocking around the tree, jingling your bells and roasting cheastnuts over an open fire there’s so much to do around this huge state. We’ve rounded up a handful of events to check out throughout the winter all over Texas from Houston to San Antonio.
Tanji’s Season of Giving

Where: Promoted on our newsletter and on social media
When: November 7, 2019 – January 1, 2020
Sharing Goodtaste for more than 11 years makes me grateful and thankful for you! We couldn’t eat our way across Texas without our amazing viewers. To show our thanks, we’re giving back to YOU with a Season of Giving, 8 weeks of restaurant gift card giveaways. I’ve partnered with some of my favorite restaurants throughout Texas. Stay tuned to win gift cards to delicious spots like Zinc Bistro & Wine Bar, Boudro’s Texas Bistro, The Toasted Yolk, Eunice, Relish Restaurant & Bar, Salt Traders Coastal Cooking, Hopdoddy and Pitchfork Pretty, Sway Thai and Myron’s Prime Steakhouse. We post the link to enter every week on our newsletter and across all our social media platforms: Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.
The Holiday Season in San Antonio

Where: San Antonio
When: Now through the holiday season
Let the spirit of the season move you to plan a trip to San Antonio. Holiday season visitors experience the city at its finest, adorned with twinkling lights and jam packed with family-friendly food, shopping, and cultural events. Our local attractions mean serious business this magical time of year, and serious fun. Book your next holiday getaway today and come see what we mean HERE!
Give the Gift of Salt Traders Coastal Cooking
Where: Salt Traders Coastal – 2850 IH-35 N, Round Rock, TX and 1101 Mopac Expressway Austin, TX
When: Now through December 24th
Give the Gift of Salt! Today through December 24, purchase a $50 gift card and you’ll receive a $10 bonus card
Purchase your gift cards here!
New Fall Menu at Relish Restaurant & Bar

Where: Relish Restaurant & Bar, 2810 Westheimer Rd Houston, TX 77098
When: Mon-Thur: 7am-9pm
Fri: 7am-10pm
Sat: 10am-10pm
Sun: CLOSED
Temperatures are dropping just in time for the release of Relish Restaurant & Bar’s new seasonal menu. The River Oaks neighborhood hotspot has introduced new additions to their expansive dinner menu including. Executive Chef Dustin Teague really wanted to add more “shareables” to the menu, perfect for group dinners with appetizers like The Fried Pickled Okra is pickled in-house using Relish’s pickle brine used to make their bread and butter style pickles, served with a side of creole aioli.
Chef Teague wanted to show that Fall salads can be satisfying – not just lettuce served in a bowl so, they’ve added salads like, the Roasted Beet is reminiscent of a salad Teague ate in Napa, California and pairs together gorgonzola cream, candied pistachios, maple lemon vinaigrette, crispy bread crumbs, lemon zest and baby kale. Along with entrees that let the seasonal ingredients take center stage and created hearty, earthy dishes perfect for the fall and winter. New additions include a Pappardelle & Mushrooms Pasta includes crispy prosciutto, winter mushrooms, fresh herbs, parmesan, white wine and black pepper. Check it out all season long!
Celebrate National Comfort Food Day at Frank’s Americana Revival
Where: Frank’s Americana Revival, 3736 Westheimer Road Houston, TX 77027
When: December 5th
The holiday season is synonymous with comfort food. As we come off the high from Thanksgiving and enter the Christmas season, it’s fitting that National Comfort Food Day falls in between the two holidays on December 5th, and no one in Houston does comfort food better than Frank’s Americana Revival.
The blackboard specials on Frank’s dinner menu are full of favorite homestyle fares. From the Wednesday night Chicken Pot Pie filled with pulled chicken, roasted carrots, mushrooms and peas all wrapped in a flakey pastry crust to the Thursday night Meatloaf served with homemade mashed potatoes and green beans, Frank’s is known for it’s comforting, sentimental dishes.
Where to Meet Santa in Houston
Where: B.B. Italia, 14795 Memorial Dr, Houston, TX 77079
When: December 8th from 9am-2pm
Join B.B. Italia for its inaugural Brunch & Photos with Santa Claus on Saturday, December 8th from 9am-2pm! Don’t miss this festive opportunity to enjoy pictures with Santa, a delicious brunch buffet, hot chocolate and cider bars, Christmas cookies and more!
The cost* is $25 for kids and $45 for adults, which includes the brunch buffet and photos with Santa, along with a complimentary mimosa or bellini for adults, but excludes tax and gratuity. Guests are also able to order from the regular brunch menu, and a $20 fee will be applied if you would like to take a photo with Santa.
Reservations are required. To make reservations, please call us at 281.531.0696 or visit us on OpenTable. Guests pay at the end of the meal. A 48-hour cancellation notice is required. If a reservation is canceled less than 48-hours in advance, a $25 cancellation fee per person will apply.
Where: The Annie Café & Bar, 1800 Post Oak Blvd Suite 6170, Houston, TX 77056
When: December 14th from 9am-2pm
Join The Annie Café & Bar for its inaugural Breakfast & Photos with Santa on Saturday, December 14th from 9am-2pm. Don’t miss this festive opportunity to enjoy pictures with Santa, a delicious prix-fixe menu, hot chocolate and cider bars, specialty cocktails and more. Stay tuned for full menus!
The cost is $45 for children and $65 for adults, but excludes tax and gratuity.*
*Reservations are required. Please call the restaurant or visit us on OpenTable. Guests pay at the end of the meal. A 48-hour cancellation notice is required. If a reservation is canceled less than 48-hours in advance, a cancellation fee of $25 per person will apply.
The 55th Annual Austin Trail of Lights

Where: Zilker Park, 2100 Barton Springs Road, Austin, TX
When: December 10-23
The official public Grand Opening of the Trail will be on Tuesday, Dec. 10 where admission will be free. The Trail will remain open Dec. 10 – 23 with general admission gates open at 7:00 p.m. every evening. General admission for children under 12 is always free at the Austin Trail of Lights. There will be a general admission fee on seven of the 14 nights of the event. Early entry ZIP Fast Pass, Platinum passes, parking, and shuttle tickets are also available for purchase on select nights. Calendars for ticket availability and online ticket purchases are available at www.AustinTrailofLights.org.
PSST! Don’t forget that a new season of Goodtaste With Tanji started on October 5th, 2019 and we have a Houstonian Staycation Giveaway for all who sign up for our newsletter. Sign up now!
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