Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with great food, interesting history, and fun things to do, brought to you by Chevrolet.
Who loves their trucks? Texans do, and not only do the fine folks of the Lone Star State buy more trucks than anyone else, they are also second in the nation for Chevrolet trucks. With nearly 40 percent of the population of Texas identifying as Hispanic, you’d be hard-pressed to find a more natural collaboration for Hispanic Heritage Month, celebrated from September 15 through October 15.
The assignment from Chevrolet was easy; round up culturally relevant food, places to see, and things to do in Houston during Hispanic Heritage Month, all while enjoying a Chevrolet Silverado. This may seem like an easy task, but there is so much to see and do in the fourth largest city in the US that it was hard to narrow it down into a concise list.
Food
So much good food and so little time. If you have a will, there’s a way to celebrate every day with delicious food during Hispanic Heritage Month.
La Brisa Ice Cream
La Brisa has been making paleta dreams come true for nearly four decades in Houston. The family-owned and operated business located in the East End of Houston sells various made from scratch paletas and stocks popular brands. They also pack and ship their products all over Houston. Check out their website to find a location near you or visit their original shop on Canal Street.
Original Ninfa’s on Navigation
Legend has it that the Original Ninfa’s on Navigation serves the best fajita tacos in Houston. “Mama” Ninfa Laurenzo created the restaurant in 1973 after the death of her husband, John. She started by grilling skirt steak and serving it in tortillas from her family’s struggling tortilla factory. The resulting dish – “Tacos al Carbon” (which later became known as “Fajitas”) is what put her restaurant on the map. After almost 50 years in business, The Original Ninfa’s on Navigation is more popular than ever and still serves up their famous fajitas.
Treats of Mexico
Located on Telephone Road, Treats of Mexico offers authentic Mexican candy, chips and treats, and scratch-made desserts. Mangonadas, concha ice cream sandwiches, and Aguas Frescas are just a few of the items on their menu.
Pro Tip: Order a concha with Abuelita ice cream – one of their best-selling treats.
Molina’s Cantina
With three locations, Molina’s Cantina is a Houston favorite and the oldest family-operated Tex-Mex restaurant in the city. This year marks their 80th anniversary of serving up Tex-Mex classics to the masses. It is hard to remember when guacamole, enchiladas, and chili con carne weren’t on every menu, but Molina’s educated Houston about what authentic Tex-Mex cuisine is all about. They are still serving many of the delicious dishes that were on the original menu in 1941. No matter which location you visit, you are sure to run into one of the Molina family members, now proudly introducing the fourth generation of the family to the restaurant business.
Pro Tip: The Original “Jose’s Dip” and Molina’s Famous Margarita are a perfect combination.
El Bolillo Bakery
On a typical weekend, you will find lines of eager customers wrapped around the panaderia where the smells of fresh-baked pan dulce, bread, and still warm tortillas fill the air. The bakery started over twenty years ago in Houston Heights but quickly outgrew the space and expanded to two additional locations. El Bolillo now ranks as one of the “Top 25 Bakeries in America”. The mayor of Houston designated September 27 as “El Bolillo Bakery Day’ to recognize the bakery for all the community servi and charitable efforts they are a part of.
Pro Tip: Go ahead and stock up on extra conchas and tortillas. The Chevy Silverado has so much storage; you will have no problem finding a place to put them during the ride home.
TaconMadre Food Truck
It is hard to miss the bright green food truck with the menu painted on the sign, but all you have to do is look for the crowds of people, and you’ll know you have arrived. TaconMadre Food Truck makes delicious tortas, quesadillas, and tacos al pastor at three different food truck locations in Houston.
Pro Tip: The Chevy Silverado is the perfect vehicle to take to a food truck – there is ample room inside for all your taco-loving friends, and the tailgate acts as a makeshift table!
Murals
Houston has a vibrant street art scene perfect for social media and commemorating culturally significant people and places. Several maps of the city’s murals can easily be found online, providing a specific route with addresses to incredible street art. The Chevy Silverado is a great way to get around town to see them all. With 420 horsepower and gas mileage of 23 miles in the city and 33 miles on the highway, it’s efficient and powerful.
Selena Mural by Donkeemom
La Reina de Tex-Mex Selena Quintanilla is commemorated in a beautiful mural by Houston celebrity muralist Sylvia “Donkeemom” Roman.
Houston is Inspired Mural by Gonzo247
One of Houston’s most visible street art installations is the Houston is Inspired mural by prolific Latino muralist Mario “Gonzo 247” Figueroa. Many credit Gonzo 24/7 with elevating the street art scene and making it more accessible.
Day of the Dead themed mural by Los Otros
As part of the HUE Mural Festival, Los Otros painted a Day of the Dead themed mural. The San Antonio-based muralists Skek Vega and Nik Soup have aided in creating over eighty pieces of official public art and have raised over 40K for non-profits, charities, and art organizations. Today, Los Otros Murals sets a precedent for fine street art murals and continues to innovate the industry.
Justice for Vanessa Guillen by Donkeeboy and Donkeemom
One year after Vanessa Guillen went missing and the unfortunate details of her disappearance came to light, street art went up demanding justice for the slain soldier. The mural in her honor, painted by Donkeemom and Donkeeboy, pays tribute to Guillen, who was born and raised in Houston.
Cultural Activities
Explore historic neighborhoods, museums, and venture to places that will transport you south of the border. There’s a whole world to explore marking Hispanic Heritage Month in Houston. And whether you have a lot of artesanias to haul home or you want to pack a picnic to take with you, the Chevy Silverado has enough room in the back for wherever your adventure takes you.
Canino’s Market (The Houston Farmer’s Market)
Want to go to a Mexican street market but don’t want to get out your passport? Head to Canino’s Market, and you will forget you are in Houston. Located in the back of the indoor produce market, Canino’s has vendors selling home goods, artesanias, candy, food (including mango flowers), and more.
Our Lady of Guadalupe Church
Located in the Second Ward of the East End of Houston, Our Lady of Guadalupe Church is home to the oldest Catholic cemetery in Houston and the oldest Catholic grade school in Houston. The property, where St. Vincent’s cemetery is located, has been owned by the diocese since 1865, and the school has been opened since 1912. The cultural landmark received a State Historical Marker in 1991, attesting to the role Our Lady of Guadalupe has played in the development of the Mexican American community in Houston.
Hidalgo Park
Hidalgo Park, located in Magnolia Park – one of Houston’s oldest and largest Hispanic neighborhoods, has been the center of cultural activities for the area since 1927. It is also one of the only parks in Houston to have a quiosco (a gazebo-like structure often seen in Mexico), designed and constructed by Vidal Lozano, a Mexican-born resident of Houston. Not only does the park serve as a cultural hub, but it is also home to large celebrations on Day of the Dead, Mexican Independence Day, and Cinco de Mayo.
MECA Houston
MECA is a community-based non-profit BIPOC organization committed to the healthy development of under-served & under-represented families through arts and cultural programming, the promotion of academic excellence, support services, and community building. MECA provides arts education via three programs, the Out of School Time Arts and Residency, the In-School, and the Sunburst Summer Arts Programs. MECA also promotes local artists through exhibitions and on-stage programming. Many of the art installations and murals around its Houston Heights neighborhood was sponsored by MECA.
Holocaust Museum Houston
Don’t let the name fool you; the Holocaust Museum Houston offers its guests more than Holocaust programming. They open their doors to many multicultural exhibits, including a Latinx art exhibit on display through mid-October.
Withstand: Latinx Art in Times of Conflict will explore social justice and human rights themes through 100 artworks by Houston Latinx artists. The multi-media exhibition will be a platform that examines issues that impact the community, fosters dialogue on difficult questions, and ultimately empowers social change through art. Due to the 100-piece size of the multi-media exhibition, Withstand: Latinx Art in Times of Conflict will be on view from April 30 through October 17, 2021, in the Museum’s Mincberg Gallery and Spira Central Gallery, with sculptures located in the adjacent Lester and Sue Smith Human Rights Gallery.
Texas Chingona 