Hugo's in Houston is Hugo Ortega's regional Mexican room on Westheimer since 2002, with cochinita pibil, chiles en nogada in season and a chocolate-from-the-stone service tableside.
Must order: Cochinita pibil. Chiles en nogada when in season (August to September). Tableside hot chocolate.
Tip: Sunday brunch buffet is the city standard. Reserve the noon slot; it sells out by Tuesday.
Address: 1600 Westheimer Rd, Houston, TX 77006
March in Houston is the Goodnight Hospitality tasting-menu room on Westheimer, chef Felipe Riccio's six- or nine-course Mediterranean menus rooted in one region per season.
Order: The full nine-course menu with June Rodil's wine pairings. Anything less misses the regional arc.
Tip: The menu changes seasonally; ask which Mediterranean region you are eating before you book. Greece in spring tends to be the strongest.
Bludorn in Houston is Aaron Bludorn's Gulf Coast fine-dining room on Taft Street, opened 2020, with a lobster pot pie that broke nationally and a serious Gulf-seafood pantry.
Order: Lobster pot pie. Whole branzino for two. The duck breast with stone fruit in season.
Tip: Bar seats face the open kitchen and serve the same menu. Book the patio if the weather is sub-30C.
Theodore Rex in Houston is Justin Yu's Nance Street bistro, a Michelin-recommended relaxed fine-dining room, a sequel to his closed Oxheart with a tomato toast across the seasons.
Order: Tomato toast in summer. Whatever is on the blackboard with stone fruit in late summer. The pork chop in autumn.
Tip: Bar is walk-in and the best seat. Arrive at opening, 5pm Thursday through Monday.
Uchi Houston is Tyson Cole's James Beard-winning Japanese room in Montrose since 2012, with hama chili, untraditional sushi and one of the city's strongest omakase counters.
Order: Sit at the sushi bar and order omakase off-menu. If a la carte, hama chili and maguro-and-goat-cheese.
Tip: Sushi happy hour 5 to 6:30pm Sunday to Thursday is the city's best deal. Bar seats only.
Xochi in Houston is Hugo Ortega's Oaxacan dining room at the Marriott Marquis downtown, a James Beard winner with seven moles, a tasting menu and a masa bar in view.
Order: Mole tasting flight. The chichilo (one of the harder moles). House-made tlayuda.
Tip: Lunch tasting at $48 is the value entry. Sit at the masa bar to watch the corn ground fresh.
Pappas Bros Steakhouse Downtown is the Houston steakhouse on McKinney Street with a 4,000-bottle James Beard outstanding wine program, dry-aged ribeyes and cellar-aged Bordeaux by the glass.
Order: 28-day dry-aged bone-in ribeye. Creamed spinach. Ask the sommelier for a glass of older Bordeaux.
Tip: The wine list is unrivalled in the city. The Galleria-area location on Westheimer serves the same menu but with a busier room.
