Aubrey and Nona Lankford started a fruit stand in Houston’s Freedmen’s Town neighborhood in 1937, moved into a two-story building at 88 Dennis Street in 1939, and ran a full-service grocery there for four decades. In the early 1980s their daughter Eydie took over, recognized the big grocery chains weren’t beatable, and pivoted to a full-service restaurant built around burgers. The third generation — Paul and Jessica Prior — now runs it. Lankford Grocery appeared in Season 7, Episode 2 of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, “Burgers, Tacos and Dogs,” which aired August 10, 2009. The Firehouse Burger — cayenne butter, habanero sauce, jalapeños — became a national headliner after the episode. Paul Prior says they had a line out the door the day after it aired. The restaurant has since opened additional locations while the original Dennis Street spot remains the anchor.
Quick Facts
Restaurant: Lankford Grocery and Market
City: Houston, Texas
Cuisine: Burgers / Comfort Food
DDD Season: 7
DDD Episode: 2
Episode Title: Burgers, Tacos and Dogs
Original Air Date: August 10, 2009
Address: 88 Dennis St., Houston, TX 77006
Phone: 713-522-9555
Website: https://midtown.lankfordsburgers.com
Status: Open
What to Eat
The Firehouse Burger is the DDD standout: half-pound patty, cayenne butter, habanero sauce, jalapeños — serious heat on a serious burger. The Grim Burger with mac and cheese, jalapeños, bacon, cheddar, and a fried egg is the over-the-top option regulars love. The Chilaquiles at breakfast and the Chicken Fried Steak on Tuesdays are the specials worth timing your visit around. Find a Houston hotel on Booking.com.
Plan Your Visit
Open Monday through Sunday 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM (Saturday from 7:00 AM). Street parking can be tight at the original location — the Bellaire and Woodlands locations have more parking.
Address: 88 Dennis St., Houston, TX 77006
Phone: 713-522-9555
Website: https://midtown.lankfordsburgers.com
Status: Open
Flavortown Approved
Stream the Burgers, Tacos and Dogs episode on Amazon and bring the Firehouse heat home with Guy Fieri’s Flavortown Hot Honey BBQ Sauce and Burger Joint Seasoning.
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Lankford Grocery and Market appeared in Season 7, Episode 2 of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, “Burgers, Tacos and Dogs,” originally aired August 10, 2009. The Lankford family has been on Dennis Street since 1939. The restaurant is now in its third generation of family ownership.