To start off, this was a new tasting experience for me. The gentleman that helped us was wonderful!…read moreHe shared interesting tidbits about the large variety of olive oils when asked. He allowed our party to browse without any sale pressure while we explored unlimited tasting. I settled on a single bottle of olive oil and a small dipping bowl. Also, the decorations were lovely. He said his wife arranged everything. I absolutely plan to return on my next visit to Gruene. I have a Customer Loyalty Card!

Wanted to see if they had another new balsamic vinegar. Last time I came they had a deliciously…read moresweet watermelon balsamic vinegar. I figured it was a summer balsamic. I wish I had gotten a large size bottle last time. They have so much in this store. A lot of infused oils, and a lot of vinegars. Not only that, but so many different dip mixes. And bread mixes. Great store for gift giving for sure.

If you are looking for a great place to get fresh Italian pasta on the west side of Houston....you…read moreneed to try Casetta Cucina. This is not a place to eat pasta, it is a place to buy pasta you can prepare at home. It is located in a small and nondescript retail strip center on Campbell Road just north of I-10. Inside this tiny little shop you will find a place to get a cup of Italian Coffee and some pastries. You will also find some outstanding and very authentic Italian sandwiches. They generally have three or four to chose from for lunch. Seating is limited to a table or two inside and a table or two out front. (Yes it is that small.) Taking pride of place is the pasta kitchen, where the fresh pasta and sauces are made. Casetta is owned and run by a husband and wife team. The husband is from Italy and brings his passion for food with him. The available pastas, sauces and sausages are on display in two large refrigerators. Generally, I stop by for a sandwich and get some of the pasta and sauces for later in the week. There about 10 pastas and ravioli to chose from. Since Italians have very firm opinions on what sauces go with each pasta I always ask! For example I select a pasta or two.....then let them select the sauce to go with it. Give it a try. I don't think that you will be disappointed.

Authentic Italian Food!…read more So glad my mother n law recommended this gem to me! Only Italian place in Houston that reminds me of my time in Italy, I've pretty much been all over Italy but this place gives me a more Florence aka Firenze vibe! Family owned! Interestingly enough the owner is from Florence! Customer service from Rebekah was simply outstanding and reminded me of my time in Florence where I felt as if I was family. They have fresh authentic Italian Ingredients! They have frozen Italian delicacy's you can buy like pastas, Mac n cheese, sauces, Italian sausages and more. They also make their own Italian pasta in house! They have a small coffee section, bread section and authentic Italian imported drink section. I opted in for their fresh sandwiches on focaccia bread I got the prosciutto sandwich and my wife got the caprese. My sandwich consisted of fresh arugula, (I forgot the cheese), prosciutto, balsamic vinaigrette on focaccia bread. The sandwich simply took me back to my time in Florence! Fresh and authentic ingredients! I also got a Limonata drink I forgot to take a picture of! I will be a regular customer! Tap in !

Went here today with my boyfriend since he always passes this place on his walk to work and saw…read morethey sell plants. We ended up getting distracted by everything else they had in store and forgot to even get any plants! They had an amazing selection of teas that i've yet to find anywhere else. I even found some seasonings that i can't find at any grocery stores, not to mention they sell Byson, Elk, and venison meats along with micro greens! Not to mention the people at the counter seemed very kind. We will definitely be back here :) I would highly recommend this place, there's so much to look at here

Our first time here and The 2 stars are strictly for the coolness of the place. We walked in and…read moretwo people (a man with a name tag possibly the owner and a lady) were behind the counter chatting with another lady. Absolutely zero greeting, no pause in their conversation, it was like we weren't in there at all. My son and I proceeded to look around the store, trying to locate their "loose leaf tea". Not once were we asked if we needed assistance or acknowledged in any way. We found the tea ourselves. The selection was 4 or 5 kinds, expensive and looked to be of poor quality. We left and I sincerely doubt we will be back.

We went back for more keto pudding. This time we took a risk and each ordered larges. Despite the…read moremassive serving, neither of us got kicked out of ketosis after eating it. I will admit I ate mine over the course of 4 hours because I can be pretty sensitive to carb induced insulin spikes. I don't know exactly how many carbs were in the serving, but it's a proven keto safe dessert! Of course, it's not all about the pudding. The Culinary Room is so cute we had to look around some, and we sat on their single indoor bench to eat some of our treat.

Want world famous ice cream and banana pudding? Look no further! The Culinary Room on historic…read moredowntown Lockhart will take care of you. The world famous ice cream is of course, Amy's. It's an Amy's ice cream counter. There is also the fresh pudding bar (free samples!). We purchased the "tiny" sized banana pudding to share (2 of us) and I'm going to tell you I was orbited into banana pudding space! It was intoxicatingly delicious. A gourmet grocery store that not only offers delectable sweets such as ice cream, banana pudding, and candy treats but they also carry grab & go snacks and meals. Don't forget the pies and gourmet gifts.

I'd been searching for a place that specialized in selling caviar. I stumbled upon DR Delicacy…read morethrough google. So glad I found them. The gentleman that helped us was very nice and informative about their products. We ended up buying the Kaluga Amber caviar and the Ostera Black caviar. We also got the blinis. The caviar was exquisite! They have so many amazing products. Next time I want to try their gourmet butter and smoked salmon roe. I definitely recommend trying their caviar. We will 100% be back.

I've been meaning to drop in here for years and my wife finally said let's go…read more A small boutique shop with many of the finer things. Caviar, pate, foie gras, duck, truffles, chocolates, oils, pastas and some wine. They also have a variety of serving dishes and accoutrements. Edible gold flakes - Check! Service was helpful and not pushy. Drop in and practice your French.

We went during their happy hour time and really enjoyed patio seating. We ordered their 3 dips…read more(Roasted Beet Hummus, Baba Ghanoush, and Labneh), all of which turned out very well! They were incredibly rich in flavor but not too overly bold. The Seafood Paella could have used a bit more butter for a slighly more creamier texture, but the core flavors are solid and does impart onto the rice. Whats missing was the charred rice at the base of the pan that I look forward to in a traditional Paella dish. But still a great to do all. Our server was well intentioned and prompt with our orders. Food came out rather quickly and the outdoors patio area was a delight. Spacious with a refreshing view of the suburban street.

Came in on a Sunday at noon with reservation. Place was fairly empty, maybe 3 other groups and…read moreseated immediately. Parking: Galleria parking, pretty empty when we got there...good luck. Food 5/5: we got the 6 crostini and the salmon burger with the Parmesan fries + truffle oil. Everything tasted fantastic. Favorite was actually the fries. Highly recommend. Ambiance 4.5/5: beautiful ambiance, gorgeous venue and for whatever reason empty so wasn't loud. Very upscale Service 5/5: friendly, professional, helpful, solid service. Value 3/5: some comments that the place is over priced, I tend to agree a bit but quality is high and you pay a premium for the ambiance Overall 4.5/5: overall a great experience at a pretty good value. I generally dislike going to galleria because of the insane crowds but ill probably be back on a future Sunday morning

I thought my farmers market was off the hook, until I saw New Braunfels Farmers Market. Y'all don't…read moreplay around. Wow! What an epic display of community and togetherness. This is more like a street party with food trucks, venders and artisans. They shut the streets down. There's a huge stage with a band. Food trucks line the streets. Another area is venders and produce, seafood, and even home made items. Restaurants open their doors, they even have a small table out on the sidewalk sampling drinks. YES, looks like you can walk around with a drink in hand. I saw people selling beer in copper mugs. White Claw booth. ZAO was giving away 12 ounce drinks as well. So impressed. Had a great time. I did pay $3.00 for parking. I'm sure there is free street parking. But since I don't know my way around. I just paid at the first lot of saw that wasn't full. Well worth $3.00. I think it was for 2 hours. Can totally see people spending their whole day here getting food, listening to the band enjoying the sunshine, as the rain storm we got. I'm from Austin, and seriously, I would drive down here and spend the day here. Epic time

A wonderful downtown experience for both tourists and locals. So great for brunch and lunch, always…read morea nice variety of vendors like jewelry, fish, juices and of course farm fresh vegetables! Can be a little crowded in the walkways especially with nice weather so walkers and wheelchair folks may find it limiting. Very pet friendly and highly encouraged. Paid street parking is available.

This family owned business is a GEM! I regularly purchase their goat cheese and goat feta from the…read moreSaturday farmers market at the Pearl. They are always so nice and you can sample any flavor before you buy. My favorite is there seasonal peach chipotle goat cheese. It's sweet, has a kick and is delicious. Love the chunks of peach in it. At the end of the season (I was told this year it would be available until the end of August), I'll stock up on a few more to freeze. If I had one complaint it's that I can't get it anywhere in San Antonio but the Pearl farmers market on Saturday (at least that I know of). It's the single reason I go and fight for parking at the Pearl

I first discovered CKC cheese at Antonelli's Cheese Shop where I purchased a jar of their Seasoned…read moreFeta. Their feta comes in a pint jar in extra virgin olive oil, rosemary, roasted garlic and sun dried tomatoes and is PERfect on a spinach salad no need for any dressing with just a tiny drizzle of the infused oil and feta. Then I had the pleasure of meeting Chrissy (the eldest daughter for which the farm is named) at the downtown FM. Other than feta I have never been a fan of goat cheese - too sour funky tasting for me. Until Chrissy sampled me some of their Chevre and explained that their goats are pasture fed and hormone and antibiotic free AND the cheese is richer and creamier in the winter due to increased fat during cold winter months. Chrissy suggested it served with warm roasted beets - they have a recipe on their website that is divine! If you can not make it to the downtown Farmer's Market and meet the family in person you can find their cheese at Antonelli's and Specs.

Not a Farmer's Market. This is a working farm run by some lovely people but we did a search for…read moreFarmers Market and this place came up. I'm not sure if they show off the farm or not, we were here in August and were told that they didn't go out in the excessive heat. Understandable. The owners were super nice and gave us suggestions to go to in nearby towns. They have a Facebook page and a website that is different than the one listed here. Maybe you see them in town and the pictures on Facebook look nice. But don't drive out to the farm.

Knopp Branch Farm sells produce on Saturday mornings at Urban Harvest Farmers Market in Houston,…read moreTexas. The entire market is worth a trip and the Roth's stall is particularly special. From the many kinds of peppers to luscious small eggplant to amazing okra. They are a small family farm but they manage to produce some of the best vegetables in Houston.