15 editor picks in Houston.
15 splurge places in Houston, editor-picked. tasting menus and the full big-night-out treatment in Houston. All Houston food.
March in Houston is the Goodnight Hospitality tasting-menu room on Westheimer Road from chef Felipe Riccio, with six- or nine-course menus rooted in one.
OrderThe full nine-course menu. Anything less misses the regional arc.
TipThe wine pairings (June Rodil curates) are unusually well-judged. Take them.
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.
OrderThe full nine-course menu with June Rodil's wine pairings. Anything less misses the regional arc.
TipThe 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.
OrderLobster pot pie. Whole branzino for two. The duck breast with stone fruit in season.
TipBar seats face the open kitchen and serve the same menu. Book the patio if the weather is sub-30C.
Uchi Houston is the Montrose outpost of Tyson Cole's James Beard-winning sushi house, on Westheimer since 2012, with a hama chili and untraditional Japanese.
OrderHama chili and the maguro sashimi with goat cheese, both signatures from the Austin original.
TipSit at the sushi bar, never the dining room, and order omakase off-menu. Sushi happy hour 5 to 6:30 is the city's best deal.
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.
OrderTomato toast in summer. Whatever is on the blackboard with stone fruit in late summer.
TipBar 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.
OrderSit at the sushi bar and order omakase off-menu. If a la carte, hama chili and maguro-and-goat-cheese.
TipSushi happy hour 5 to 6:30pm Sunday to Thursday is the city's best deal. Bar seats only.
Killen's Steakhouse in Pearland (south of Houston) is Ronnie Killen's white-tablecloth room on West Broadway, with a 1,200-bottle wine tower.
OrderThe bone-in ribeye and the 44-Farms wagyu sampler. Order one of the dry-aged cuts off the side menu.
TipReserve four to six weeks ahead for Saturday. The bar serves the full menu and is the easier seat.
Pappas Bros Steakhouse Downtown in Houston is the McKinney Street steakhouse from the Pappas family, with a 4,000-bottle wine list, dry-aged ribeyes.
OrderA 28-day dry-aged bone-in ribeye and creamed spinach.
TipThe wine list is the reason. The downtown room is quieter than Westheimer; both serve the same kitchen.
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.
OrderMole tasting flight. The chichilo (one of the harder moles). House-made tlayuda.
TipLunch 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.
Order28-day dry-aged bone-in ribeye. Creamed spinach. Ask the sommelier for a glass of older Bordeaux.
TipThe wine list is unrivalled in the city. The Galleria-area location on Westheimer serves the same menu but with a busier room.
Killen's Steakhouse in Pearland is Ronnie Killen's white-tablecloth steakhouse on West Broadway, with a 1,200-bottle wine tower, 44-Farms wagyu and dry-aged.
OrderThe bone-in ribeye, dry-aged. Le Cordon Bleu mashed potatoes. The wagyu flight when offered.
TipPearland is south of downtown Houston; 25 minutes drive. The bar serves the full menu and is easier than the dining room.
Da Marco in Houston is Marco Wiles's Italian dining room on Westheimer since 2002, with hand-rolled pastas, a salt-baked branzino and Houston's most serious.
OrderWhichever pasta is on the daily blackboard. Salt-baked branzino if it is on. Order one of the older Barolos.
TipThe upstairs room is quieter and smaller. Closed Sunday and Monday.
Hugo's in Houston is Hugo Ortega's regional Mexican room on Westheimer since 2002, with cochinita pibil, chiles en nogada in season. Book 2 weeks ahead.
OrderCochinita pibil. Chiles en nogada when in season (August to September). Tableside hot chocolate.
TipSunday brunch buffet is the city standard. Reserve the noon slot; it sells out by Tuesday.
Brennan's of Houston is the 1967 Texas Creole dining room on Smith Street, the New Orleans Brennan family's Houston outpost, with turtle soup.
OrderTurtle soup with sherry. Bananas Foster, flambeed tableside, to close. Pecan-crusted Gulf fish at dinner.
TipSunday jazz brunch is the local routine. Reserve the courtyard if the temperature stays under 30C.
State of Grace in Houston is Ford Fry's River Oaks dining room on Westheimer, a Southern-and-steakhouse menu in a redesigned room of limewashed brick.
OrderA dozen Gulf oysters and the wood-grilled wagyu strip. The Gulf fish of the day on a Friday.
TipThe bar serves the full menu and is the quickest seat at peak. Sunday brunch is the local routine.
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