Dining
BY ASIA ARMOUR
Je Brooks took in uences from his Baja California upbringing and fused them with Berryhill o erings.
COURTESY BERRYHILL BAJA GRILL SUGAR LAND
Berryhill Baja Grill’s namesake, Walter Berryhill, started by selling tamales o a cart in Houston. The nal standing franchise in Sugar Land carries this legacy.
COURTESY BERRYHILL BAJA GRILL SUGAR LAND
Last Berryhill Baja Grill survives in Sugar Land with community’s support
started with the restaurant are still here in 2024, the Brookses said. What’s on the menu Berryhill di ers from other Tex-Mex restau- rants with its emphasis on seafood and fresh vegetables as well as the restaurant’s in uence from Baja California, the Brookses said. “It’s a lighter, fresher take on Mexican food,” Cole Brooks said. “Instead of white or red meat, there’s a lot more seafood. Everything we fry is in a tempura batter, which is light and not greasy.” Cole Brooks said standouts on the menu include the sh tacos, shrimp tacos and tamales, while Wendy Brooks described the Pollo Berryhill and Berryhill Del Mar specialty dishes as “ ne dining.” What’s next In the fall, the Brookses plan to start shipping boxes of their spinach tamales, which were highlighted in an episode of Food Network’s “Food Finds” years ago, Wendy Brooks said. Marketing and business adjustments like these contribute to the continued survival of the restau- rant, Cole Brooks said. “Since the pandemic, that’s been the biggest thing that has led to our success is our adaptability,” Cole Brooks said. “Especially without having a big corporate o ce behind [us] to make those moves. It’s being quick to adapt and get with the new.”
Berryhill Baja Grill co-owners Wendy Brooks and her son, Cole Brooks, said community support and adaptability have been essential to overcoming personal tragedy and business challenges. Their husband and father, Je Brooks, died last June. Additionally, all 15 other restaurant locations have permanently shuttered since 2020, including the River Oaks agship as recently as January. But the last location in Sugar Land remains. “We’re a family, like even the guys in the kitchen,” Wendy Brooks said. “They’ve been with us for so long, we just operate kind of like a family and take a lot of pride in what we do. We’ve got a lot of amazing regulars.” How we got here The concept began as a tamale cart manned by Walter Berryhill in 1928, according to the brand’s original website. Je Brooks, alongside partners, began franchising locations in 1992, Wendy Brooks said. Je Brooks, who was from California, suggested they introduce more Baja-style dishes, adding sh tacos and lighter fare to the existing menu. Wendy Brooks said her husband created most of the recipes at Berryhill. “Nobody even did sh tacos way back then,” she said. The Sugar Land location was the rst and only franchise opened by Je Brooks in September 2002. Many of the same sta who
The Pollo Berryhill plate ($16.37) features grilled chicken with vegetables covered in a light cream sauce.
COURTESY BERRYHILL BAJA GRILL SUGAR LAND
Berryhill Baja Grill co-owners Wendy and Cole Brooks said their sta and regulars are part of their family.
ASIA ARMOUR COMMUNITY IMPACT
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SUGAR CREEK BLVD. 13703 Southwest Freeway, Sugar Land www.berryhillsugarland.com
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SUGAR LAND MISSOURI CITY EDITION
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