City Cellars HTX was voted Favorite New Restaurant and Favorite Restaurant for Outdoor Dining (Images courtesy)

In the vibrant culinary landscape of Houston’s East End, City Cellars HTX is celebrating being named the Favorite New Restaurant and Favorite Restaurant for Outdoor Dining by OutSmart readers in this year’s Reader’s Choice Awards. The restaurant also secured a finalist spot for Favorite Brunch, solidifying its reputation as a must-visit dining destination.

For owner Daniel Wolfe, the restaurant’s location near Buffalo Bayou is the perfect backdrop for its success. “I first created the concept of City Cellars without knowing how everything would come together. The name, the scenery, the location—you couldn’t ask for a better home run,” Wolfe says. He literally stumbled upon the spot that would become their new home by dropping a map pin on a vacant lot and telling his broker, “Hey, figure out who to get in touch with. I want a tour.”

The new location offered not only a stunning skyline view (which executive chef Antonette Wright calls her favorite part of the job), but also the flexibility to build a custom kitchen. “We designed the kitchen the way we wanted, instead of having to retrofit,” Wolfe explains. This meticulous planning ensured consistency for a team that is dedicated to serving food that will “taste the same every single time,” regardless of who is in the kitchen.

City Cellars HTX Executive Chef Antonette Wright

At the heart of City Cellars HTX is a commitment to scratch-cooking and robust flavor, a philosophy that Chef Wright traces back to her childhood. She started cooking as a child, learning by feel from her mother and grandmother, whose signature dish was lemon meringue pie. That family favorite is still a work in progress in the City Cellars kitchen.

Today, Chef Wright describes her culinary vision as a blend of “Cajun Southern brunch with a couple of worldly touches from my travels” and a steadfast commitment to quality. “If she wouldn’t serve it to her mama, she’s not going to put her out on a plate that comes out here,” Wolfe proudly notes.

“I like to joke around and say the only thing we don’t make here is the mayo and ketchup,” Chef Wright says, estimating that the kitchen is about 85% scratch in order to deliver a superior dining experience.

The brunch menu is a particular standout, with items like their massive Brunch Charcuterie Board. “It’s a massive board, 46 inches by about 14 inches wide. It’s designed to turn your head when you see it come out of the kitchen,” says Wright, noting that it takes two servers to carry it to the tables.

Brunch offerings at City Cellar HTX

Wright, who has a degree in hotel and restaurant management and culinary arts training from HCC, takes pride in her unique creations. She took six months to perfect the recipe for the bourbon bacon jam on their beef and bacon sliders, and she loves to cook with alcohol when making creations like the rum glaze on her jerk salmon.

For Wolfe and Wright, the Reader’s Choice awards are a sign that their efforts to support the community are being recognized.

“Personally, it’s my first time getting an award like this. Being a part of the community and being recognized as a member of the community, it touched my heart a little bit,” Wright shares. “Professionally, I feel like it’s very important. I know we’re going to reach a lot of people in the community. Working with Daniel, who is an ally of the LGBTQ community, is really nice. Everybody here is free to be themselves.”

Wolfe sees supporting the community as a foundation of the City Cellars business model. “Small business owners are the backbone of a community,” he states, pointing to the restaurant’s policy of supporting various LGBTQ causes. They have also received a Greater Houston LGBTQ+ Chamber of Commerce GrubHub grant for two years in a row.

“I think that for business owners, highlighting the community is often a talking point. But actually walking the walk is what I really try to focus on. We’re going to walk the walk, and this award is just the proof of the pudding. That’s what we say, and we mean it.”

For more info, visit citycellarshtx.com.