The cacophony of thousands of corks popping filled NRG Center on Sunday night – the joyously noisy signal that Rodeo season has officially begun.
The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo’s 22nd annual Rodeo Uncorked! Roundup & Best Bites Competition, held on February 23, unleashed Rodeo fever with its annual parade of cowboy and cowgirl fashion and western swagger, fueled by some of the world’s best wine and champagne and a culinary stampede from more than 100 Houston area restaurants.
This year’s sold-out event, which packed the house with more than 6,000 attendees, did not disappoint. The Best Bites foodie bounty was washed down by selections from nearly 500 award-winning wines from the 2025 Rodeo Uncorked! International Wine Competition.
For wine enthusiasts, the event is full of treasures and kid-in-a-candy store excitement as bottles hailing from some of the wine world’s biggest names are poured. For culinarians, it’s a chance to sample morsels from the restaurants that help make Houston a culinary capital.
Here are the winners of the 2025 Best Bites Competition:
People’s Choice Award
1st Place: Cotton Culinary – A Forager’s Feast
2nd Place: Davis Street at Hermann Park – Crispy Thai shrimp
Outstanding Showmanship Award
1st Place: SheShe Treats
2nd Place: Brothers Produce
Tasty Tradition Award
1st Place: Cultivated F&B – Citrus bliss pistachio tart with citrus & elderflower cremeux and strawberry macaron
2nd Place: Raising Cane’s – Chicken fingers, toast, and Cane sauce
Trailblazer Appetizer Award
1st Place: Robinette & Company Caterers – Sun-dried tomato spread on cayenne pepper toast, topped with candied bacon
2nd Place: State Fare Kitchen & Bar – Bayou melt slider Texas-sized bite, featuring a smoked brisket patty, melted pepper jack cheese, zesty pico slaw, and sweet and spicy jalapeno bacon jam
3rd Place: Jamaica Paradise Kitchen – Paradise bites
Lone Star Entrée Award
1st Place: North Italia – Braised short rib marsala
2nd Place: Merlion Restaurant Shrimp Raad Prik – Shrimp in Thai basil red curry sauce with cilantro and shallots over jasmine rice
3rd Place: Grace Italian Kitchen – Boneless short rib with pancetta risotto with molasses bourbon glaze
Two-Steppin’ Dessert Award
1st Place: Guzel Cakes – Love you more (banana pudding cake); Perfect love (strawberry cheesecake); Love on top (vanilla pudding with cookie butter)
2nd Place: Hudson House – Zesty key lime pie
3rd Place: Mostly Chocolate – House-made Turkish pistachio and sesame seed paste folded with crispy phyllo shreds cooked in brown butter
Rookie Award
The Cheesecake Queen – Key lime mini cheesecakes
