Bungalow neighbourhood north of Buffalo Bayou with a White Oak Drive food cluster: Coltivare, Eight Row Flint, Pinkerton's Barbecue and Heights Theater anchor the strip.
Coltivare in Houston is Ryan Pera's Italian room on White Oak Drive since 2014, with wood-fired pizzas, on-site vegetable gardens and salads pulled minutes.
Signature: Wood-fired pizza, Garden salad from the on-site beds
Order: The Margherita pizza and whichever pasta is on the day's board. Salads come from the back garden.
Tip: Walk-in only. Get there before 6pm or be ready to wait at the bar for 90 minutes.
Truth BBQ in Houston is Leonard Botello IV's Heights Boulevard smokehouse, the Brenham original relocated in 2019, with post-oak-smoked brisket Texas.
Signature: Brisket, Pulled pork
Order: Brisket fatty, sliced thick. Pulled pork. A side of pinto beans and a slice of the strawberry cake.
Tip: Open Wed to Sun, lunch only until they sell out (usually 2 to 3pm). Get there by 11am for brisket; the line moves fast.
Pinkerton's Barbecue in Houston is Grant Pinkerton's Heights smokehouse on Airline Drive, a Michelin-recognised joint with brisket, smoked turkey and the new.
Signature: Brisket, Smoked turkey
Order: Brisket fatty, smoked turkey, beef ribs when they show up.
Tip: Open Wed to Sun for lunch only. The newer 3801 Farnham Upper Kirby location opened January 2026 and has shorter lines.
Coltivare in Houston is the Heights Italian room on White Oak Drive from Ryan Pera, with wood-fired pizzas, on-site vegetable gardens and a small-plates menu.
Signature: Wood-fired Margherita pizza, Garden salad
Order: Margherita pizza, whichever pasta is on the daily board, the salad from the back garden.
Tip: Walk-in only, party of six max. Get there before 6pm or wait an hour.
Eight Row Flint in Houston is the Heights icehouse from Agricole Hospitality in a converted Citgo gas station on Yale Street, with brisket tacos.
Signature: Brisket tacos, Margarita
Order: Brisket tacos, the frozen-tied-with-Topo-Chico margarita, queso fundido.
Tip: The patio under the old gas station canopy is the seat. East End second location for a different crowd.
Truth BBQ in Houston is Leonard Botello IV's Heights Boulevard smokehouse since 2019, with post-oak-smoked brisket regularly ranked on Texas Monthly's Top 50.
Signature: Brisket, Strawberry cake
Order: Brisket fatty. The strawberry cake (the legend of Truth). Pulled pork.
Tip: Wed to Sun lunch only until sold out, usually 2 to 3pm. Get there by 11am for brisket.
White Oak Music Hall on North Main runs a five-acre, three-stage complex on the bayou edge of the Heights. Upstairs, Downstairs and the outdoor Lawn book.
Tip: The Lawn is the warm-weather draw; the indoor Downstairs holds 600 and stays comfortable in summer. Parking is paid lot only, ride-share is easier.
The Heights Theater on West 19th Street is a restored 1920s movie house reopened in 2016 as an intimate seated music room. Singer-songwriter bookings.
Tip: Seated, assigned tickets only; the room caps around 600 and sells out fast for touring acts. Bar and small bites available pre-show in the lobby.
Better Luck Tomorrow on Yale and West 6th is the Bobby Heugel and Justin Yu cocktail and small-plates bar from 2017, in the old Dry Creek Cafe space.
Tip: Half-off BLT cocktails, beer and glass pours weekday happy hour 14:00-17:00. Walk-in only most nights; weekends fill fast on the patio.
Pearl Bar on Washington Avenue is the only lesbian bar in Houston, one of two in Texas. Founded 2013 by Julie Mabry, the space holds a long bar.
Tip: Closed Monday. Karaoke Tuesday, drag shows Friday and Saturday, fundraisers most months; text reservations to the listed line for parties.
Donna's opened Thanksgiving 2025 on White Oak in the Heights. Bobby Heugel and Jacki Schromm fitted a vintage stereo with reel-to-reel and turntable.
Tip: Open daily 14:00-02:00. Album-listening nights run on select Thursdays; quiet conversation is the room's default rather than dance volume.
Big Star Bar on West 19th is the Heights dive that runs free shuffleboard, a back patio with picnic tables and a long list of cheap beer and shot specials.
Tip: Daily 16:00-02:00. Shuffleboard is first-come, first-serve; the kitchen runs late-night Frito pies and the chili dog when most others have closed.