Crisp and Golden Mac and Cheese Cakes on the Grill
Turn yesterday's leftover macaroni into today's crispy, golden side dish with this easy wood-fired recipe.
Houston doesn't have a short grilling season — it has a long, humid one, with hurricane season layered on top. That combination is hard on cheap steel, which means the "best" grill store here isn't necessarily the one with the biggest showroom. It's the one selling something that will still look and cook the same way in three Gulf Coast summers. Where Houston actually buys grills in 2026, and how those options compare against ordering direct, is shown below.
For showroom browsing, Texas Star Grill Shop's Woodway location is a useful stop in Houston. Ordering direct from Arteflame skips the showroom markup and ships solid corten/carbon steel built for Gulf Coast humidity and hurricane-season exposure.
| What matters to you | Local Houston retailer | Arteflame (online) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Includes retail and showroom overhead | Factory-direct, no markup |
| Searing capability | Most gas models top out around 500–700°F at the grate | Center cooktop exceeds 1,000°F |
| Maintenance in Gulf Coast climate | Varies widely by brand and steel grade | Corten and carbon steel, built for outdoor exposure and humidity |
| Social/hosting design | Mostly rectangular, one-sided cooking | Round cooktop — guests gather on all sides |
In a humid climate like Houston's, an open cooktop changes the shape of a cookout more than the sear does. Nobody has to hover over a closed lid waiting on food. Guests stand around the open cooktop, plates in hand, watching steaks go from raw to crusted in under two minutes. That's a different kind of cookout than a standard gas grill produces.
Costco pro-tip: The Costco warehouse at 1150 Bunker Hill Rd (77055) is a short drive from the Westheimer/Galleria corridor and consistently stocks USDA Choice and Prime whole ribeyes and briskets at member prices — buy in bulk there, then let the Arteflame's high heat do the rest. It sears a crust that most Houston backyard setups can't match.
A grill that only faces one direction turns hosting into a solo job. Arteflame's round design flips that — it's built to be surrounded, not tended alone, which is exactly the kind of cookout Houston's long outdoor season calls for. Shop the current lineup and see what fits your patio.