Must-see restaurants in Houston

Welcome to Houston's favorite steakhouse. While other beef palaces start perusing Las Vegas leases at the first sign of success, this long-running gem…

The most famous name in New Orleans cooking runs this refined restaurant in Midtown. No mere offshoot, it’s a culinary temple all of its own, blending New…

This vintage neighborhood grocery store is now dedicated to serving some of Houston's finest burgers. Thick, juicy and loaded condiments, what more could…

Chef Hugo Ortega elevates regional Mexican cooking and street food to high art in this much-celebrated Montrose bodega. Many menu items may seem familiar,…

Formal but friendly, this large Mexican restaurant, just east of downtown, is a true local institution. Houstonians have flocked here since the 1970s to…

In a town where the competition for best burger is tough, Stanton's is always on the A-list, with big, stacked juicy burgers. The chipotle option has…

Pairing Vietnamese seafood with Cajun flavors was inevitable once Vietnamese immigrants entered the Gulf Coast fishing economy. This shiny, hugely…

Head north up past I-45, past the I-610 beltway and then drive into an unassuming neighborhood. Pass some modest homes and look for a jammed parking lot…

Though essentially a park cafe, adjoining the Lost Lake Visitor Center at Buffalo Bayou Park, this flamboyant place is festooned with chandeliers and even…

Set among blooming flowers in a River Oaks garden shop, this lovely cafe is a natural respite for food lovers looking for inventive fare. The breakfasts…

Houston has had many influxes of people from Asia through the years and many have added to the city's culinary bounty. The family behind this dead-on…

The name sums up your experience at this delightfully authentic crawfish boil joint. Order your shellfish by the pound and a steaming pile of crawfish or…

Set in a former movie theater, El Real serves up first-rate Tex-Mex, with sizzling fajitas, steaming enchiladas and fluffy soft-shelled tacos among many…

A pint-sized outlet of the locally beloved Barnaby's Cafe chain. Breakfasts and lunches are imaginative versions of American diner classics such as hash…

Usually to be found serving lunch somewhere around the University of Houston, or pretty much anywhere in the city when school's out – check the website…

Take a break from the hip shopping of the Heights. Craft beer and creative sandwiches are on the daily menu, but so are larger evening dishes like a bone…

Gulf Coast seafood is creatively prepared and served in a sleek and sophisticated dining room. Chef Bryan Caswell has won oodles of national awards for…

A striking art deco edifice houses the busy downtown location of this ever-growing Houston cafe chain. It's won local hearts with fresh and flavorful…

Definitive diner classics served 24/7. The pies are really the thing here: banana cream, lemon ice box, buttermilk, German chocolate, wild blueberry... It…

Houston's freshest sushi. Specialty rolls and super toro tuna (tuna belly; fatty tuna) aren't the only options that shine on this eclectic menu, which…