Where to Eat in Houston Right Now
America’s fourth largest city is one of its most diverse, and when it comes to the local food scene, barbecue and Tex-Mex are just the beginning.
Despite its status as one of America’s most diverse places, Houston is often misunderstood by outsiders who pigeonhole it as an industrial oil town. Sweltering heat and webs of sprawling 16-lane highways obscure the subtle charms of the country’s fourth largest city. Yet Houston indisputably boasts one of America’s preeminent cultural scenes, from the Houston Symphony and Houston Ballet to the Museum of Fine Arts and the Menil Collection, a cult favorite of the art world. Then there’s NASA’s Space Center and the annual Houston Rodeo, the largest of its kind. And, of course, there’s the restaurant and bar landscape, which has rocketed to international attention with the recent launch of Texas’ first ever Michelin Guide.
Today, the soul of the Bayou City lies in its diversity. Houston’s abundant economic opportunities have made it a magnet for immigrants in recent decades; nearly 30 percent of its population is foreign-born. There is a cosmopolitan multiplicity to the city’s culinary scene, with regional staples like Tex-Mex flourishing alongside influences from West Africa to Southeast Asia. Even hallowed Texas barbecue gets remixed into dishes like brisket banh mi and curry-laced pork sausages.
One thing is clear: Houston represents the dynamic, eclectic future of American dining, embodied by the people who call the city home. Our guide showcases some of Houston’s most essential restaurants, from strip-mall gems to white tablecloth fine dining.
5115 Westheimer Road, Suite C-3500
(713) 242-8087
Before opening Musaafer in 2020, chef Mayank Istwal and his team embarked on an ambitious 100-day journey across all of India’s 28 states. Their meticulous field research is evident in Musaafer’s regional menu—offered à la carte or in a prix fixe—which balances tradition and experimentation. Think bold nihari birria lamb tacos, jackfruit kofta, and the house butter chicken that reimagines the dish with tomatillo and cashew-based sauces. An Indian sense of place also informs the restaurant’s opulent Mughal palace-inspired décor, which features intricate archways, custom laser-cut chandeliers, and a seven-foot statue of a musaafer, which translates to “traveler.”
807 Taft Street
(713) 999-0146
Bludorn has quickly cemented itself as one of Houston’s most emblematic destinations, blending French refinement with the rich bounty of the Gulf Coast. Opened in 2020 by chef Aaron Bludorn—formerly of Café Boulud in New York City—the Montrose hotspot pioneered what many now refer to as nouveau Gulf Coast cuisine, where classic French technique meets Texan hospitality and hyperlocal ingredients with an emphasis on fresh seafood. Signature dishes like blue crab fried rice and short rib ravioli showcase Bludorn’s balance of comfort and sophistication, while seasonal Gulf oysters, snapper en croûte, and a sprawling whole roasted chicken with truffle jus pay homage to French and Texan traditions.
1624 Westheimer Road
(832) 380-2481
The crown jewel of Houston’s Goodnight Hospitality, March celebrates the diverse flavors, ingredients, and traditions of the greater Mediterranean region. Helmed by chef Felipe Riccio, the restaurant produces biannual rotating tasting menus in six or nine courses that draw from the cuisines of Andalusia, Greece, North Africa, and beyond. The experience starts with cocktails and canapés in a chic welcome lounge before moving to the striking main dining room, where dishes are complemented by wines curated by master sommelier June Rodil. Despite being one of Houston’s most sophisticated and ambitious dining experiences, March exudes Texan warmth and hospitality from the first bite to the last sip.
At Tatemó in the Heights, chef Emmanuel Chavez spotlights masa-centric Mexican dishes in a setting that feels both intimate and adventurous. Opened in 2020, the restaurant has gained a cult following for its dedication to multicolored varieties of heirloom corn, or maiz, which are nixtamalized in-house. Chavez’s mainstay dishes range from smoky tetelas filled with queso fresco to grilled esquites topped with seasonal herbs, while the ever-evolving tasting menu showcases the versatility of masa in more progressive and abstract presentations.
3401 Harrisburg Boulevard, Suite G
(281) 501-3435
Street to Kitchen started in unassuming gas station digs before moving to its current location at the Plant in Second Ward. The kitchen is led by chef Benchawan Jabthong Painter, aka Chef G, a James Beard Best Chef Texas winner, along with her husband, Graham Painter. Chef G grew up in Thailand cooking in a family restaurant from a young age. She moved to Houston in 2015 and began working at some of the city’s top kitchens. Now considered Houston’s top spot for Thai street food, Street to Kitchen has earned a loyal cult following for their finessed renditions of fiery curries, stir-fried noodles, and house-made chile sauces.
420 East 20th Street, Suite A
(832) 469-7664
A joint venture between Top Chef alum Evelyn Garcia and chef Henry Lu, Jūn takes its name from the month of June, paying tribute to the duo’s families and loved ones born during that month. Reflecting the chefs’ diverse upbringings—Garcia in Houston and Lu in the Bronx—Jūn defines itself as a New American restaurant with eclectic Southeast Asian, Mexican, and Salvadoran influences. In a homey space fitted with handmade Oaxacan ceramics and tropical flourishes, the pair turn out dishes like morcilla sausage with Thai chile salsa criolla, whole fish in a yogurt marinade, and hearty peanut curry with brisket and mustard greens. Choose between à la carte and a seven-course tasting menu.
1600 West Loop S
(346) 227-5139
This floral-trimmed, farm-to-table restaurant is the culinary mainstay of Houston’s luxurious Post Oak Hotel—the city’s only Forbes Five-Star property, which was also recently awarded a Michelin Key. The menu here is focused on seasonal, local ingredients, with standout dishes including Texas wagyu carpaccio and Gulf snapper with harissa butter. Bloom & Bee is particularly known as a brunch destination, serving truffle scrambled eggs, rose petal pancakes, and a crab cake benedict alongside lychee mimosas and house cocktails. Enjoy your breakfast, lunch, or dinner indoors or on the outdoor patio beside the pool.
23119 Colonial Parkway, Suite B-2, Katy
(832) 412-2927
Tucked inside a suburban strip mall in Katy’s booming Asia Town, Phat Eatery has become Houston’s go-to destination for Malaysian street food since it opened in 2018. The late founder-chef Alex Au-Yeung, a beloved industry icon and 2022 James Beard semifinalist, gained recognition for giving many Houstonians their first tastes of flaky roti canai, rich beef rendang, and sizzling satay skewers. Reflecting the inherent multiculturalism of Malaysian cuisine, Phat Eatery’s menu blends traditional hawker-style fare with Cantonese barbecue, dim sum, and Southeast Asian-inspired cocktails.
2704 Navigation Boulevard
(713) 228-1175
Opened in 1973 by “Mama Ninfa” Laurenzo, Ninfa’s on Navigation is best known as the birthplace of the fajita—the famed Tex-Mex dish of chicken or steak strips served on a sizzling skillet. As the story goes, Laurenzo transformed her family’s struggling tortilla factory in Houston’s East End into a community destination by selling Mexican-spiced skirt steak wrapped in handmade flour tortillas. The acclaimed restaurant was named a James Beard semifinalist in 2019, but it retains its old-school charm and signature dishes like queso flameado and enchiladas verdes.
302 West Crosstimbers Street
(346) 800-4668
As the name suggests, this restaurant by chef Greg Gatlin, also of Gatlin’s BBQ, specializes in fried seafood and chicken presented as platters or po’boys. Located in the historic Independence Heights neighborhood, the restaurant pays homage to the fish fries of the area’s Black community along with other Southern comfort foods. Gatlin’s pièce de résistance is a catfish fillet fried in a crispy cornmeal crust or blackened with tomato-garlic beurre blanc. But you also can’t go wrong with gumbo, char-grilled oysters, and the house crispy liver and gizzards.
5425 Bellaire Boulevard, Bellaire
(713) 664-7776
Texas barbecue has long been considered sacrosanct, but a new generation of Houston chefs is winning over even hardline purists with their creative riffs on the cuisine. The brainchild of pitmaster Quy Hoang and brothers Robin and Terry Wong, this James Beard-nominated spot blends classic Texas smokehouse staples with flavors from the trio’s Vietnamese and Chinese heritage. While traditionalists come for perfectly smoked brisket, pork ribs, and jalapeño-cheddar sausage, the Blood Bros. ethos truly shines in creations like Thai green curry-laced sausage, burnt end bao buns, and char siu pork banh mi.
What started as a concha pop-up at the farmers market has grown into one of Houston’s most buzzed-about bakeries and brunch spots. Located in the Heights, Ema is the first brick-and-mortar business from James Beard Award semifinalist Stephanie Velasquez, who rose to prominence for her takes on conchas and other traditional Mexican pastries, which now sell out quickly in the mornings. Other standouts on the Mexican-inspired menu range from sweet, like horchata cream donuts and guava-queso empanadas, to savory, like brisket chilaquiles and corn-based tetelas nestling carrot and mushroom in a salsa verde.
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