Lankford’s Grocery & Market, a cherished establishment in Houston, has been a beloved dining destination for nearly 90 years.
Originally opening as a simple fruit stand in 1937 by Aubrey and Nona Lankford, the business evolved into a full-fledged grocery store before transitioning to a restaurant in the late 1970s.
As times changed and competition increased with the emergence of larger grocery chains like Kroger and H-E-B, Lankford’s adapted to survive.
Eydie Lankford Prior, the couple’s daughter, recognized the need for this transformation and led the charge into full-service dining.
Her son, Paul Prior, who took over the business in 2021 with his wife Jessica, shared that the shift was quite natural, driven by customer demand and the need to adapt to the changing landscape of the food industry.
“Customer demand plus just the changing of times,” Paul remarked.
“We had to make some changes to survive, and that’s why it became a restaurant.”
Happy hour became a popular time at Lankford’s as patrons gathered to enjoy drinks and burgers, creating a lively atmosphere.
Eydie crafted the original menu with a clear mantra: “Nothing was fast and nothing was healthy,” focusing instead on creating a memorable dining experience.
The initial menu featured standard burgers, cheeseburgers, and bacon cheeseburgers, but Eydie’s culinary creativity soon led to the introduction of spicier options.
One standout creation is the Firehouse Burger, a half-pound patty topped with habanero mustard, cayenne butter, jalapeños, lettuce, tomato, pickles, and onion—an idea sparked by Eydie’s desire to spice things up.
Another customer-favorite is the Grim Burger, born from customer innovation, featuring mac and cheese, jalapeños, bacon, cheddar cheese, and a sunny-side-up fried egg.
As Lankford’s blossomed, so did the Prior family’s involvement, creating a legacy of familial passion and dedication to the business.
Jessica Prior joined the family-run operation after marrying Paul in 1991, often seen with their children in tow, further cementing the family’s roots in the restaurant.
A pivotal moment in Lankford’s history came in 2009 when the restaurant was featured on Food Network’s “Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives,” showcasing their Firehouse Burger.
The exposure resulted in a surge of customers, leading to long lines stretching down the street, reaffirming the restaurant’s popularity and reach beyond Houston.
After over a decade of success and growth, Eydie decided to retire, passing the reins of the restaurant to Paul and Jessica.
Despite Paul’s ongoing corporate commitments, Jessica took on the role of primary owner, a logical step given her years of entrenched involvement in the daily operations.
In their four years at the helm, Paul and Jessica have maintained Lankford’s original commitment to quality food and a welcoming atmosphere.
They’ve remained receptive to feedback, learning from customers’ experiences—such as when the kitchen manager attempted to change the type of potatoes for their hand-cut fries, an initiative that did not sit well with their loyal clientele.
Paul recounted the experience with humor, emphasizing their dedication to what has worked in the past.
“Yeah, don’t ever do that again,” he noted.
The restaurant operates with a cashless system, a change they implemented to modernize the payment process.
Paul also infused new life into the menu, adding around five dishes since assuming ownership, bringing the total to 17 burger options.
Many of the new additions reflect Paul’s recent passion for barbecue, such as the Texan Burger, which features a half-pound patty with smoked sausage, an onion ring, pickles, and cheddar cheese.
The Houston Burger is another hearty option, layering a half-pound patty with slow-smoked brisket, pickles, onions, cheddar cheese, and barbecue sauce.
Lankford’s legacy isn’t merely rooted in its original location; a significant development in 2023 saw the opening of a new Bellaire branch.
Paul, recognizing a high demand from customers traveling from nearby areas, chose to expand into a locale that had shown consistent interest in the Lankford brand.
The Bellaire location offers a unique counter service, an expanded menu with cocktail offerings, and a self-pour beer wall featuring 20 Texas craft beers priced by the ounce.
To promote a family-friendly atmosphere, the new spot includes multiple TVs and a gated area for children to play, catering to family outings.
While the Bellaire menu has diverged from the original, including dishes like grilled chicken, chopped steak, and Tex-Mex quesadillas, it also boasts the 3B, or Bellaire Bacon Burger, which highlights a beef patty crowned with bacon jam, grilled jalapeños, lettuce, tomato, bacon, and pepper jack cheese.
As Paul and Jessica look forward to the future, they are already contemplating further expansion beyond Bellaire.
While the exact location remains uncertain, Paul hinted that another Houston suburb could soon host a new iteration of Lankford’s, embodying their vision of continued growth.
“We’re feeling more positive about future locations, so we’ll see what happens,” Paul shared, embracing the excitement of what lies ahead.
The family’s hope is to sustain the Lankford legacy for generations to come, emphasizing the importance of keeping the restaurant within the family.
“We definitely want to keep it in the family,” Paul concluded.
“We would love for it to carry on for many, many generations.”
image source from：houstoniamag
