From Italian cuisine to authentic Asian dishes to Texas barbecue, a variety of restaurants were featured in the Tomball-Magnolia edition of Community Impact Newspaper in 2021.

Zanti Cucina Italiana: Restaurant brings authentic Italian taste to The Woodlands area in a casual environment

Santiago Pelaez opened Zanti Cucina Italiana to bring authentic Italian cuisine to The Woodlands area in June 2019 on Research Forest Drive. Read more.

Aloy Aloy Thai Cafe: Family-owned eatery brings heat to Kuykendahl Road in Spring area

Patrons who visit Aloy Aloy Thai Cafe on Kuykendahl Road may be surprised to see the menu comes with a warning. It reads: “Our chiles are imported from Thailand.” Read more.


Top Sushi Tomball: Restaurant celebrates first anniversary amid coronavirus pandemic

Surviving the coronavirus pandemic as a new business would not have been possible without quick adaptability, good sushi rolls and a lot of community support, according to Top Sushi Tomball owners Janice and Andrew Vu. Read more.

Street Food Guru: Tomball restaurant offers variety of authentic Asian foods, celebrates first anniversary amid pandemic

Street Food Guru customers can skip the drive to Houston’s Asian district and instead get authentic dishes such as pho, banh mi sandwiches and Singapore noodles right in Tomball, owner Sean Hoang said. Read more.


Martha's Mexican Restaurant & Grill: Women-owned restaurant celebrates one-year anniversary in Tomball amid pandemic

The friendship between Martha Gámez and sisters Blanca and Karina Luna grew into a business partnership after the three waitresses became restaurateurs of Martha’s Mexican Restaurant & Grill in Tomball. Read more.

Sweetwaters Coffee and Tea: Customer relationships, drive-thru pull Magnolia cafe through pandemic

Just weeks before the COVID-19 pandemic halted restaurant operations across the state, Sweetwaters Coffee & Tea opened in Magnolia, owner Heather Martin said. The cafe almost immediately switched to drive-thru orders exclusively, she said. Read more.


Al Chile Taqueria: Family recipes, tradition give flavor to Tomball restaurant

Love of family, tradition and street corn spurred Sandy Erbstoesser to give up her paralegal career in 2014 to spend long days working her father’s small food truck and eventually open her family-run taco stand. Read more.

Bexar Barbecue: From farmers market beginnings, barbecue joint celebrates one year at brick-and-mortar in Tomball

Bexar Barbecue’s process of hand trimming its brisket, dry rubbing it in a house seasoning blend and smoking it unwrapped for up to 22 hours is what makes its meats consistent for its guests, Owner Justin Haecker said. Read more.


WingNuts Express: Magnolia moms approach one-year anniversary since opening on Tamina Road

Oil brought Adele Scott and her family from Australia to Magnolia in 2018, but wings are keeping them there now—specifically, Scott’s restaurant’s double-fried “naked” chicken wings. Read more.

Just Love Coffee Cafe: Couple gives back to Tomball community via coffee shop

When Tamara Hamilton and her husband, John Hamilton, started Just Love Coffee Cafe in November, she said she wanted to offer the area something different. Read more.


Bulls and Bellows BBQ: Husband and wife offer barbecue staples at veteran-owned food truck in Magnolia

When Steve Mims and his wife moved to Magnolia three years ago, he said there was one thing the area was lacking.

“From the time we moved over here, one of my continuous complaints was not having good barbecue options and not having good options to go get breakfast tacos,” Steve said. Read more.

Hebrews Coffeehouse: From coffee trailer to storefront, meet the owners of local coffee shop on FM 1488

Geoff and Marsha Wood opened Hebrews Coffeehouse in February. Once the company started selling coffee flights, an assortment of four specialty coffees, they had to change their whole business model to accommodate its popularity, Geoff said. Read more.

Tree House Cafe: New owner stays true to Magnolia restaurant’s roots

Mike Kelton took over ownership of Magnolia’s Tree House Cafe on FM 1488 in June, he said. The restaurant, previously named Family Tree Recipes, offers breakfast, lunch and dinner, including American cuisine such as cheeseburgers, meatloaf and chicken-fried steak. Read more.