Impact roundup: 8 dining options across Pearland-Friendswood-Manvel area
Looking for new dining options in the Pearland-Friendswood-Manvel area? Check out these eight options that are either now open, coming soon or have been in the news recently.
This list is not comprehensive.
Now open Piada Italian Street Food Salads, tossed pastas and flatbread wraps known as piadas are on the menu. These items can be customized with different proteins, sauces, vegetables and cheeses.
Opened in late August
11302 Broadway St., Ste. 102, Pearland
Coming soon
Aki Sushi Fusion The family-owned restaurant serves authentic steak and sushi that is made fresh daily. The menu offers a wide variety of sushi, including spicy tuna rolls, shaggy dog rolls and California rolls.
Opening in September
17307 Hwy. 6, Ste. 108, Manvel
In the news
Magnolia Cajun Comfort The business is celebrating its five-year anniversary in September. The restaurant serves a variety of seafood and Cajun dishes, including dishes that incorporate shrimp and catfish, as well as cheeseburgers, among other items.
8 events to attend in Pearland-Friendswood-Manvel area in September, October
Looking for something to do to kick off the fall? Check out these eight events taking place across the Pearland-Friendswood-Manvel area. This list is not comprehensive and details are subject to change.
Brookside Village Farmer’s Market Held on the second Sunday of every month, the farmer’s market will offer fresh produce, eggs, meat, honey, baked goods, food trucks and live music, among other things.
Sept. 14, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
Free (admission)
Lawhon Elementary, 5810 Brookside Road, Brookside Village
Old Pearland Farmer’s Market Held on the third Saturday of each month, the farmer’s market with fresh produce and artisans with handcrafted items.
Sept. 20, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
Free (admission)
Independence Park, 3449 Pearland Parkway, Pearland
Keep Pearland Beautiful Community Wide Cleanup A volunteer-driven event for residents to participate in litter cleanup to maintain the city’s cleanliness.
22 fall events, festivals to attend around the Greater Houston area through early November
There are a variety of fall events and festivals taking place throughout the Greater Houston area through early November. This list is not comprehensive and events are subject to change.
P-6 Farms’ Fall Festival During weekends this fall, attendees can visit P-6 Farms and enjoy its fall festival, which will include activities such as a pumpkin patch, vintage rides, pig races, food, drinks and themed photo opportunities.
Saturdays and Sundays between Sept. 27-Nov. 2, 10 a.m.-6:30 p.m.
$25.95
9963 Poole’s Road, Montgomery
The Famous Market’s Fall Festival This festival in Pearland will feature over 50 vendors, a kids’ zone, food, a DJ and arts and crafts for attendees to enjoy.
Sept. 27, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.
Free (admission)
Pearland Town Center, 11200 Broadway St., Pearland
St. Paul’s 2025 Fall Festival and Craft Show In Katy, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church will host its 14th annual fall festival and craft show that will feature vendors, food for sale, children’s activities and a train.
Amid Democratic criticism, Texas lawmakers vote to overhaul STAAR and launch new tests in 2027
Both chambers of the Texas Legislature have voted to overhaul the state’s standardized testing system, putting public school students one step closer to taking new exams in the 2027-28 school year.
The details: House Bill 8 would eliminate the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness and replace it with three shorter tests, which students would take at the beginning, middle and end of each school year.
Bill author Rep. Brad Buckley, R-Salado, said HB 8 would “reduce test anxiety, provide teachers with immediate feedback and create a pathway for trust in our system again." The majority of House Democrats and a few Republicans disagreed, arguing Aug. 26 that the bill would increase the amount of time students spend on exams and essentially create “another STAAR test” developed by the Texas Education Agency.
Next steps: After state senators passed HB 8 with a 21-7 vote Aug. 27, the bill returned to the House for consideration of a Senate amendment. If House lawmakers sign off on the changes, HB 8 will be sent to the governor.
Gov. Abbott signs new congressional map; Texas Democrats vow to fight in court
Gov. Greg Abbott signed Texas’ new congressional map into law Aug. 29, declaring in a video posted to social media that “Texas is now more red in the United States Congress.”
The details: Under Texas’ current congressional boundaries, Republicans hold 25 of Texas’ 38 congressional seats. State lawmakers have said the new map will help them gain up to five more during the 2026 midterm elections.
Texas Democrats have called the mid-decade redistricting effort unconstitutional and "racially discriminatory," while Republicans asserted that the map "complies with the law" and was designed to help more Republicans get elected to the U.S. House.
Next steps: Texas’ new congressional map is set to take effect in early December, although it will be discussed in court two months earlier. After state senators approved the map Aug. 23, the League of United Latin American Citizens and a group of Texas residents filed a lawsuit asking that the map be found unconstitutional.
A panel of three federal judges will hear arguments in the case Oct. 1-10 in El Paso.
