Ronnie Killen's barbecue restaurant, established in 2013 and set in a former Pearland school cafeteria. It serves brisket, pork ribs, beef ribs, sausage, and turkey by the pound and on plates.
Local guide
Pearland, By Us
Curated by Peter & Vicky Royster — The Move Live Love TX Team™
Almost everything here is on Broadway Street (FM 518), which runs the width of town from Old Townsite on the east side to Pearland Town Center on the west.
A family-run barbecue restaurant in Old Townsite that has been serving hickory-smoked barbecue since 1969. Visit Pearland notes it was named a Texas Treasure Business in 2024.
The first Gringo's, opened in 1993 after Russell Ybarra took over his father's Pearland restaurant. The Tex-Mex group has since grown across the Houston area.
Good to KnowThere is a second Gringo's at Pearland Town Center. This is the original, on the east side of town.
An Italian kitchen and pizzeria founded by Adrian and Gina Hembree, with wood-fired pizza, pasta, Gulf seafood, and steaks. The Pearland restaurant is the original, opened in 2014.
Local TipPearland's best kept secret. Love the restaurant, love the food, love the staff.
Good to KnowReservations are required for parties of six or more.
A family restaurant serving Cajun comfort food, opened in 2020 by chef Steve Haug. The menu includes gumbo, shrimp and grits, chicken fried steak, and bread pudding.
Good to KnowSundays are for private events only.
The Pearland location of a Houston soul food restaurant, open here since 2019. It serves homestyle plates such as smothered beef steak with Southern sides.
An Indian restaurant in Silverlake Village serving Indian and Indo-Chinese dishes for lunch and dinner.
A Northern Chinese restaurant known for handcrafted noodles, dumplings, and bao. The Pearland location opened in 2023.
Good to KnowClosed on Tuesdays.
A casual seafood restaurant at Pearland Town Center serving oysters, fish, and shrimp dishes.
The Pearland location of a Cajun seafood restaurant that also has a location in Lake Charles, Louisiana. It is set up as a casual icehouse on North Main Street.
A casual Mexican restaurant and bar serving tacos, grilled plates, and seafood. It opens in the morning for breakfast.
Nothing matches that search in this section.
Pearland's local craft beer stops.
A family-owned brewery that describes itself as Pearland's oldest, open since 2017. It has a taproom and a backyard, with food trucks on select days.
Local TipLove this place. Fun to sit outdoors and enjoy friends.
Good to KnowThe taproom is not open every day. The brewery posts its current hours on Instagram and Facebook.
A neighborhood taproom and food truck stop off Fite Road that opened in 2023. It is open every day, in the evenings on weekdays and from noon on weekends.
Nothing matches that search in this section.
Independent shops first. Most are on Broadway Street.
The original location of Pearland's own coffee roaster, set beside the railroad tracks in Old Townsite. The company also has a Pearwood shop on Broadway and a cafe in Friendswood.
A locally owned coffeehouse on the east side of town. This flagship cafe opened in December 2022.
A drive-thru espresso shop with a walk-up window and outdoor seating. There is no indoor seating.
An independent bookstore and coffee shop that opened in April 2024. It has a small stage and hosts book clubs, author events, writing workshops, and open mic nights.
Good to KnowClosed on Mondays.
The Pearland location of a Yemeni coffee house, opened in early 2024. It serves Yemeni coffee, Adeni chai, and pastries.
Nothing matches that search in this section.
City parks and two nature sites with wetlands and birding. All are run by Pearland Parks & Recreation.
The city's main event park, with an amphitheater, a covered stage, a playground, a pavilion, and open lawn. Most of the big city festivals are held here.
Good to KnowOpen from 6am to 10pm.
A community park with just over a mile of paved walking path, a playground, a splash pad, lighted tennis and basketball courts, six softball fields, and covered picnic areas.
Good to KnowThe splash pad runs seasonally, from April 1 through October 1.
A natural-area park of about 42 acres with paved trails, educational signs, and an elevated observation platform. The city is restoring about 10 acres of it to coastal tallgrass prairie.
Good to KnowOpen from dawn to dusk.
About 87 acres with two large ponds and almost two miles of trails. Each spring and summer, herons, egrets, ibis, and roseate spoonbills nest on the pond islands.
Good to KnowThe trails are free and open from dawn to dusk.
The city's environmental education center, inside the John Hargrove Environmental Complex. It has live native animals, a touch table, interactive exhibits, and an educational pond outside.
Good to KnowOpen Tuesday through Saturday, 9am to 5pm. Admission is free.
A west-side community park with a playground, a splash pad, and a dog park. The city scheduled a full rebuild of the playground and an update of the splash pad for completion in spring 2026.
The oldest park in the city, part of the original 1894 townsite and named for Pearland's founder. It has a playground, basketball courts, picnic tables, and a Texas historical marker.
Pearland's first all-inclusive playground, inside The Sports Complex at Shadow Creek Ranch. It has wheelchair-accessible play structures, sensory panels, musical instruments, and accessible swings and spinners.
Nothing matches that search in this section.
Two city dog parks, one on each side of town.
The city dog park at Independence Park, on the east side of town.
Good to KnowOpen from 6am to 10pm.
The city dog park at Southdown Park, on the west side of town.
Just over a mile of paved walking path, with dog waste stations along the way. See the Get Outside tab.
The taproom invites guests to bring their pup along. See the Sip Local tab.
Nothing matches that search in this section.
City concerts at Independence Park, plus taprooms and restaurants that book local performers. Schedules change, so check with each venue.
An amphitheater and covered stage that host the live music at city events, including the Fourth of July celebration and the Hometown Christmas Festival. See the Don't Miss tab.
Visit Pearland lists live music and local musicians among the events at the brewery. See the Sip Local tab.
Local TipLove this place. Fun to sit outdoors and enjoy friends.
Visit Pearland names this Cajun seafood icehouse among the restaurants with live music later in the week. See the Eat tab.
A locally owned sports bar and grill, open daily from 11am to midnight. Visit Pearland lists it among the spots with live music, open mic, and karaoke nights.
The bookstore has a small stage for open mic nights and local author spotlights. See the Coffee tab.
Nothing matches that search in this section.
The city recreation center and the free trails come first, with a few studios and gyms after.
A 107,000-square-foot city facility with a two-court gymnasium, two racquetball courts, an elevated indoor track, a weight and cardio room, a zero-depth entry pool, and a 50-meter competition pool.
Good to KnowOpen weekdays 5am to 9pm and weekends 8am to 6pm.
Three marked loops around the ponds: Bald Eagle at 1.4 miles, Cypress at 0.85 miles, and Monarch at 0.78 miles. See the Get Outside tab.
Paved trails through wetlands and restored prairie, with bicycle racks at the trailhead. See the Get Outside tab.
A paved walking and jogging path of just over a mile, lighted tennis courts, and lighted basketball courts. See the Get Outside tab.
A reformer Pilates studio with classes at several levels.
Coached, heart-rate-based group workouts.
A gym on Broadway that members can use 24 hours a day.
Nothing matches that search in this section.
The everyday stores, split between the east side near Pearland Parkway and Main Street and the west side near Highway 288.
The H-E-B on Pearland Parkway on the east side of town, with a pharmacy.
The larger H-E-B plus! store on the west side near Highway 288, with a pharmacy and a car wash.
A Kroger on Broadway on the east side of town.
A Kroger on Broadway in the middle of town.
A Kroger on Shadow Creek Parkway on the west side.
A Walmart Supercenter on North Main Street on the east side.
A Walmart Supercenter on Broadway on the west side.
A Target in the Silverlake Village shopping center on the west side.
A discount grocer on the east side. There is a second Pearland ALDI at 11510 Broadway St on the west side.
The Pearland Costco warehouse, near Highway 288.
The Pearland Sam's Club, on the Highway 288 frontage.
Nothing matches that search in this section.
The open-air mall on the west side, and small shops and a weekend flea market on the east side.
An open-air lifestyle center that opened in 2008, with department stores, more than 75 specialty stores, restaurants, and an events pavilion. The Visit Pearland visitor center is here too.
The original part of town, around the railroad tracks. Small boutiques, antique shops, coffeehouses, and long-running restaurants sit along Broadway, Main Street, and Grand Boulevard.
A long-running weekend flea market and antique village on North Main Street, open Saturdays and Sundays, with a food truck park on site.
A two-day shopping event held twice a year at locally owned boutiques. See the Don't Miss tab.
Nothing matches that search in this section.
Public art, a nature center, a landmark temple, and a few places to take the kids.
A self-guided public art trail of 23 four-foot fiberglass pear sculptures, each painted by a local artist. Visit Pearland offers a free digital passport and a brochure that maps each one.
Live native animals, a touch table, interactive exhibits, and nature crafts, with almost two miles of trails outside. See the Get Outside tab.
Good to KnowOpen Tuesday through Saturday, 9am to 5pm. Admission is free.
A Hindu temple south of town, modeled on the Meenakshi temple in Madurai, India. It is an active place of worship that welcomes visitors, who should follow the posted guidelines.
Good to KnowVisitors are asked to cover shoulders and knees, and to remove shoes before entering the main temple.
Pearland's first all-inclusive playground, at The Sports Complex at Shadow Creek Ranch. See the Get Outside tab.
A roller skating rink on Broadway with public skate sessions, lessons, and birthday parties.
Good to KnowPublic session times vary by day, so check before you go.
A restaurant and bar with arcade games, axe-throwing lanes, and a virtual sports bay. It began in 2016 as an indoor play center and moved to this larger space in 2023.
Good to KnowVisit Pearland describes it as family-friendly before 9pm and adults-only after.
Shops, restaurants, and an events pavilion that hosts markets and seasonal events. See the Shop tab.
Nothing matches that search in this section.
Pearland's townsite was platted in 1894 along the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe railroad and named for the pear orchards around it. The east side still shows that start. The west side, toward Highway 288, is the newer Pearland of master-planned neighborhoods and shopping centers. The 1900 Santa Fe depot still stands next to City Hall on Liberty Drive, where it was moved in 1980.
Where the city began. The early business district grew up around what is now Main and Broadway, beside the railroad, and the area still holds small shops and some of the city's longest-running restaurants.
The oldest park in the city, included in the original townsite and named for the Polish nobleman who platted Pearland. A Texas historical marker in the park tells the story.
The roaster's original shop, beside the railroad tracks the town grew up along. See the Coffee tab.
Barbecue served in a former Pearland school cafeteria, a 1930s building that Ronnie Killen renovated. See the Eat tab.
The first Gringo's, open on Broadway since 1993. See the Eat tab.
Run by the same family since 1969, next door to the Old Townsite coffee shop. See the Eat tab.
The open-air shopping and dining center that opened on the west side in 2008, near Highway 288. See the Shop tab.
About 42 acres kept natural in the middle of the fast-growing west side. The city describes it as a glimpse of what this land looked like before it was developed. See the Get Outside tab.
Nothing matches that search in this section.
A dining itinerary by cuisine, built from places on the Eat and Coffee tabs. Pick a style and start there.
Brisket, pork ribs, and beef ribs by the pound or on a plate. See the Eat tab.
Hickory-smoked barbecue from a family that has been at it since 1969. See the Eat tab.
Tex-Mex at the restaurant where the group started. See the Eat tab.
Tacos and traditional Mexican plates. See the Eat tab.
Wood-fired pizza, pasta, and Gulf seafood. See the Eat tab.
Local TipPearland's best kept secret. Love the restaurant, love the food, love the staff.
Indian and Indo-Chinese dishes. See the Eat tab.
Handcrafted noodles, dumplings, and bao. See the Eat tab.
Gumbo, shrimp and grits, and other Cajun comfort food. See the Eat tab.
Cajun seafood in a casual icehouse setting. See the Eat tab.
Oysters and seafood at Pearland Town Center. See the Eat tab.
Homestyle soul food plates with Southern sides. See the Eat tab.
Coffee roasted in Pearland. See the Coffee tab.
Yemeni coffee, Adeni chai, and pastries. See the Coffee tab.
Nothing matches that search in this section.
Dates change every year. Check the City of Pearland and Visit Pearland calendars for the current schedule.
A month-long dining event run by Visit Pearland every October since 2022. Participating restaurants offer special menus, and part of the proceeds goes to the Pearland Neighborhood Center.
Good to KnowA free digital passport lets you check in at each restaurant for a chance at prizes.
A free fall day at Independence Park on a Saturday in mid-October. It pairs the Old Pearland Farmers Market with kids activities, a costume contest, and an outdoor movie at sunset.
A two-day shopping event at locally owned boutiques, held twice a year: on Mother's Day weekend in May and on the last Friday and Saturday of October. Shoppers carry a passport from store to store for a chance to win prizes.
The city's holiday festival at Independence Park on a Friday evening in early December, with live music on stage, holiday lights, a snow play area, shopping, and food trucks.
Good to KnowIn past years general parking has been at Pearland High School, a short walk from the park.
The city holiday parade, held on a Saturday evening in early December, the day after the festival. Floats, bands, and dancers travel down Broadway.
A holiday bike ride in December that starts at Independence Park, presented by the Forever Parks Foundation. Riders decorate their bikes with lights.
The city's Fourth of July celebration at Independence Park, an evening of live music, food trucks, kids activities, and a fireworks show.
A spring festival in the Old Townsite district, first held in 2025. It brings artist booths, farmers market vendors, live music, a family zone, and food to Grand Boulevard and Zychlinski Park.
Nothing matches that search in this section.
Thinking about Pearland?