State of Grace in Houston is Ford Fry's River Oaks dining room on Westheimer Road, a Southern-and-steakhouse menu in a glossy room with limewashed brick and chandeliers.
Signature dishes: Wagyu steak, Oysters on the half-shell
Must order: A dozen Gulf oysters and the wagyu strip. The wood-grilled fish of the day on a Friday.
Tip: The bar serves the full menu and is the quickest seat at peak. Sunday brunch is the local routine.
Address: 3258 Westheimer Rd, Houston, TX 77098
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 before they hit the table.
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.
Crawfish and Noodles in Houston is Trong Nguyen's Viet-Cajun room on Bellaire Boulevard since 2008, the country's defining Viet-Cajun crawfish boil with lemongrass garlic butter.
Signature: Viet-Cajun crawfish boil, Blue crab in garlic butter
Order: A pound of crawfish (in season Feb to June), the blue crab in house garlic butter, salt-pepper shrimp.
Tip: Crawfish are seasonal. October to January menu pivots to blue crab and Dungeness. Cash card surcharges apply.
Mala Sichuan Bistro in Houston is the Bellaire Boulevard Sichuan room since 2011, with serious mapo tofu, dan dan noodles and a chilli-oil dumpling order Michelin recognised in 2024.
Signature: Mapo tofu, Dan dan noodles
Order: Mapo tofu, dan dan noodles, the dry-fried green beans and the chilli-oil dumplings.
Tip: Order at least one dish from the cold appetiser cabinet near the door. The marinated beef is the menu's quiet star.
Himalaya Restaurant in Houston is Kaiser Lashkari's Pakistani-and-Indian room on the Southwest Freeway since 2004, with lamb biryani, hunter's beef and Anthony Bourdain provenance.
Signature: Lamb biryani, Hunter's beef
Order: Lamb biryani (slow-cooked dum style), hunter's beef and one of the chai-glazed lamb chops.
Tip: Lunch buffet runs weekdays and is the value entry. BYOB; the corner liquor store across Hillcroft is the run.
Phat Eatery in Katy (west of Houston) is the late Alex Au-Yeung's Malaysian street food room in Katy Asian Town, with beef rendang, roti canai and a Buckthorn Place second location in The Woodlands.
Signature: Beef rendang, Roti canai
Order: Beef rendang, roti canai with curry chicken dip, char kway teow.
Tip: Katy is 30 miles west of downtown Houston; combine the trip with H Mart and Asian Town. Lunch is quieter.
Pondicheri in Houston is Anita Jaisinghani's modern Indian room at WestAve on Kirby Drive since 2011, with masala omelette breakfasts, thali plates and a Bake Lab pastry counter upstairs.
Signature: Masala omelette and roti, Thali plates
Order: Masala omelette with roti at breakfast. The thali plate at dinner. The Bake Lab's masala chai bun for the road.
Tip: Breakfast (7am to 11am) is the lesser-known peak. The thali changes daily; ask what is on it before you order.
