Call them what you will - appetizers, hors d’oeuvres, shareables, starters, or small plates - menus in Galveston restaurants are overflowing with them, and islanders are more than happy to dig in. According to Food & Wine Magazine, small plates are gaining popularity across the U.S., sometimes to the point that ordering a full dinner afterward hardly feels necessary. 

 Originally, appetizers were meant to tide guests over until the main course or to complement the cocktail hour before a larger meal. They can be hot or cold, eaten with silverware or by hand, and they’ve long played a role in cuisines around the world. 

 Dim sum, hors d’oeuvres, smorgasbords, and antipasti have been enjoyed for centuries. In the U.S., appetizers rose to prominence in the mid-19th century, and today’s small-bite menus are more creative, more varied, and more popular than ever. 

 And while there is far too much fabulous food being served in Galveston restaurants to crown any single “best bite,” the dishes that follow represent a handful of favorites from our readers and staff - the starters we return to again and again. 

 CRISPY CAULIFLOWER Leeland House | 2711 Market
The crispy cauliflower has quickly become a fan favorite at this cozy neighborhood bistro. Each piece is crisp on the outside, tender on the inside, coated in gochujang - an Asian style barbecue sauce - and finished with cilantro aioli and sesame seeds. 

 This seriously addictive dish earns rave reviews on social media and ranks among the most popular items on the menu. 

 “Sometimes even we don’t know why the cauliflower is so ridiculously delicious, but maybe it has something to do with that crispy, light batter, the sticky gochujang sauce, and the creamy cilantro,” said co-owner Justin Lofton. “Trust me, we love it just as much as everyone else.” 

 FRIED BRUSSEL SPROUTS Gypsy Joynt | 6105 Stewart Road
When owner Lori Weller had to assign her fried Brussels sprouts their own button on the cash register, she knew they were a hit. Today, they’re the most popular starter on the menu. 

 “When a bride and groom requested my Brussels on every table at their wedding reception, I knew I had a hit on my hands,” Weller said. “These will turn any Brussels sprout hater into a lover.” 

 Like much of the menu at this Stewart Road favorite, the Brussels sprout recipe comes straight from Weller’s creative mind. She slices the little cabbages into halves or quarters, deep fries them, drains, sprinkles with a secret “gypsy mix,” and tosses them in a dressed-up sriracha called “high dee ho” sauce. A final shower of freshly grated Parmesan finishes the dish. 

 FRIED GREEN TOMATOES Sugar & Rye | 2401 Church
Sugar & Rye’s version of fried green tomatoes fits perfectly with the restaurant’s concept of light Southern food. This popular first course comes in an ample serving - easily enough for two. 

 Fresh green tomatoes are dragged through a wet tempura dredge, then a dry cornmeal batter, and served atop golden-crusted, scratch-made sweet and spicy cornbread. The dish is finished with a drizzle of house-made jalapeño-cilantro ranch and a garnish of herb salad. 

 The fried green tomatoes have quickly become one of the most ordered appetizers on the new menu, with the kitchen turning out a steady stream of them each service. 

 FRIED SNAPPER WINGS Katie’s Seafood House | 2000 Wharf Road
Katie’s snapper wings are much like their chicken counterparts - salty, crunchy, and served with a spicy sauce. They are not, however, wings at all. 

 Made from the fleshy throat or collar of the snapper, this beloved island appetizer has been enjoyed by Galvestonians for decades, according to Katie’s General Manager Brett Otteman. 

 Legend has it that in the 1920s and ’30s, “fish cutters” or “fillet men” descended upon the fishing boats as they pulled into the pier just east of where Katie’s stands today. These workers cleaned the catch for the fleets and kept the leftover heads and collars to feed their families. 

 As is often the case in American food history, dishes born from scraps - the so-called “poor meat” - eventually make their way onto everyday menus and grow in popularity. Snapper wings may be found all over the South, “but it all started in Galveston,” Otteman said. 

 At Katie’s, the snapper collars are breaded in an old-school cornmeal fish fry, deep-fried, and served with a house-made spicy sauce. And as always, every fish served at Katie’s Seafood House comes straight from their own Katie’s Seafood Market next door. 

 GRILLED SPANISH WINE CORKED OCTOPUS Riondo’s Ristorante | 2328 Strand
The Happy Hour menu at Riondo’s Ristorante is already legendary, but one of its most talked-about dishes wasn’t always so easy to find. What began as a quiet chef’s feature - available most days if you knew to ask - became so popular that it earned a permanent spot on the Happy Hour lineup. 

 This once-secret small plate is made with delicate ingredients and generous enough to share. The octopus is flown in from Spain, where it’s prized for its super-white, tender meat. Head chef and co-owner Rico Caminos boils it with wine corks and herbs, then finishes it on the grill to keep the texture soft and buttery. 

 “It’s like butter,” co-owner Don McClaugherty said. The dish is served with wild mushroom risotto and lemon butter, a pairing that makes the octopus shine. 

 With more than 70 wines to choose from, guests can easily find the perfect glass to complement this standout dish at one of the Strand’s most beloved Italian bistros.