Officials with Backstreet Cafe, a long-standing restaurant on South Shepherd Drive on the edge of Montrose, will celebrate the eatery's 40th anniversary in October.

Backstreet Cafe was founded by Tracy Vaught in 1983, offering mainly soups, salads and sandwiches early on. Hugo Ortega, a James Beard Award-winning Houston chef, joined the eatery as a dishwasher in 1987. He has since risen to co-owner, and he and Vaught were married in 1994. Today, the husband-and-wife team run several Houston-area restaurants under the umbrella of H Town Restaurant Group.

Located at 1103 S. Shepherd Drive, Houston, Backstreet Cafe is known for its diverse menu—with southern, Cajun, Creole, Hispanic and Asian influences—and use of fresh ingredients.

"We are honored to celebrate 40 years of serving generations of Houstonians, and know that it would not be possible without our incredible, hardworking employees and our loyal customers whom we love so much," Vaught said in a statement. "Backstreet Cafe is my great leap of faith and my dream come true."

Backstreet Cafe officials are celebrating the anniversary throughout October, including with a wine dinner event Oct. 17. Another celebration slated for Oct. 11 is sold out, according to the eatery's website.


Cafe owners are also asking Houstonians to share memories and photos of their time at the restaurant by emailing [email protected], according to a Sept. 20 news release.