Diverse and affordable, the Houston restaurant scene is well worth exploring. But like other aspects of Houston, it is spread out. Below, organized by city district, are restaurants that members of the Hospitality Subcommittee recommend. As you look around, note that April 3-10, 2016, is Black Restaurant Week in Houston (see menus).
Key: $ = under $11 $$ = $11-30 $$$ = $31-60 $$$$ = above $61
DOWNTOWN
(area surrounded by I-10, I-45, and I-69)
Downtown Houston with Hilton Americas-Houston and George R. Brown Convention Center Marked by Pins
* The Grove, 1611 Lamar St., 713-337-7321 (slightly formal; located in Discovery Green) $$
*Phoenicia Specialty Foods, 1001 Austin St., 832-360-2222 (partly a gourmet market) $$
* Guadalajara, 1201 San Jacinto St., 713-650-0101 $$
* Kolache Factory, 777 Walker St., 713-222-2253 (closes at 2 p.m.) $
* Niko Niko’s Greek and American Café, 301 Milam St., 713-224-4976 $$
* Bombay Pizza Co., 914 Main St. #105, 713-654-4444 $$
* Café Express, 650 Main St., 713-237-9222 $$
* Nit Noi Thai Restaurant, 301 Main St., 713-225-1069 $$
*Pappas Bros. Steakhouse, 1200 McKinney St., 713-658-1995 (formal) $$$$
* Spaghetti Warehouse, 901 Commerce St., 713-229-9715 $$
*China Garden, 1602 Leeland St., 713-652-0745 $$
For food court options downtown, scroll to “Convenient Cheap Eats” on the Resources & Accessibility page or on the Downtown Resources page.
Franklin St., North Side of Downtown
EAST OF DOWNTOWN
(across I-69)
* Kim Son, 2001 Jefferson St., 713-222-2461 $$
* The Original Ninfa’s on Navigation, 2704 Navigation Blvd., 713-228-1175 $$
Restaurant on Navigation Blvd.
* Kanomwan, 736 ½ Telephone Rd., 713-923-4230 $$
MIDTOWN
(south of Downtown)
Midtown Houston
*Gloria’s Restaurant, 2616 Louisiana St., Suite 101, 832-360-1710 (has a dress code) $$
*Pho Saigon, 2828 Milam St., 713-524-3734 $
* Les Givral’s, 2704 Milam St., 713-529-1736 (cash only) $
* Tacos a Go-Go, 3704 Main St., 713-807-8226 $
* Weights + Measures, 2808 Caroline St., 713-654-1970 $$
*Oporto, 125 W. Gray St., #500, 713-528-0115 (formal) $$
*Brennan’s of Houston, 3300 Smith St., 713-522-9711 (formal) $$$
Midtown Eateries on Milam St.
MUSEUM DISTRICT
(south of Midtown; around the north end of Hermann Park)
* Bodegas Taco Shop, 1200 Binz St., 713-528-6102 $$
* Café Express, 5601 Main St., 713-639-7370 (inside the Houston Museum of Fine Arts) $
*The Raven Grill, 1916 Bissonnet St., 713-521-2027 (slightly formal) $$
MONTROSE
(west of Midtown; area surrounding the intersection of Montrose Blvd. and Westheimer Rd.)
Montrose
* Niko Niko’s, 2520 Montrose Blvd., 713-528-4976 $$
* Nidda Thai Cuisine, 1226 Westheimer Rd., 713-522-8895 $$
* La Guadalupana Bakery & Café, 2109 Dunlavy St., 713-522-2301 $
* Baba Yega Café, 2607 Grant St., 713-522-0042 $$
*Riva’s Italian Restaurant, 1117 Missouri St., 713-529-3450 $$
* Baby Barnaby’s, 602 Fairview St., 713-522-4229 $$
* Aladdin Mediterranean Cuisine, 713-942-2321 $$
* Kolache Factory, 2045 Westheimer Rd., 713-523-5567 (closes at 2 p.m.) $
* Torchy’s Tacos, 2411 S. Shepherd Dr., 713-595-8226 $
* Thai Pepper Restaurant, 2049 W. Alabama St., 713-520-8225 $$
* Brasserie Max & Julie, 4315 Montrose Blvd., 713-524-0070 (slightly formal) $$$
*Backstreet Cafe, 1103 S. Shepherd Dr. 713-521-2239 (formal) $$
*Hugo’s, 1600 Westheimer Rd., 713-524-7744 $$$
*The Black Labrador, 4100 Montrose Blvd., #8, 713-529-1199 $$
* Jus’ Mac Montrose, 106 Westheimer Rd., 832-203-8340 $
*McGonigel’s Mucky Duck, 2425 Norfolk St., 713-528-5999 $$
Westheimer Rd. in Montrose Facing East
UPPER KIRBY and environs
(west of Montrose; on and around Kirby Dr.)
*Pondicheri, 2800 Kirby Dr., Suite B132, 713-522-2022 $$
*Giacomo’s Cibo e Vino, 3215 Westheimer Rd., 713-522-1934 $$
* Chuy’s, 2706 Westheimer Rd., 713-524-1700 $$
*Carrabba’s Grill, 3115 Kirby Dr., 713-522-3131 $$
* Fat Bao, 3419 Kirby Dr., 713-677-0341 $
*Field of Greens, 2320 W. Alabama St., 713-533-0029 $$
*Mia’s Table, 3131 Argonne St., 713-522-6427 $$
* Oishii Restaurant, 3764 Richmond Ave., 713-621-8628 $$
*Pico’s, 3601 Kirby Dr., 832-831-9940 $$
* Kolache Factory, 3813 Southwest Fwy., 713-629-9626 (closes at 2 p.m.) $
WASHINGTON AVENUE AREA
west-northwest of Downtown
* El Rey Taqueria, 910 Shepherd Dr., 713-802-9145 $
* Les Givral’s Washington, 4601 Washington Ave., 832-582-7671 (cash only) $
THE HEIGHTS
(northwest of Downtown; north of I-10, usually west of I-45, and inside the 610 loop)
Restaurants on W. 19th St. in The Heights
* Down House, 1801 Yale St., 713-864-3696 $$
*Teotihuacan Mexican Cafe, 1511 Airline Dr., 713-426-4420 $$
* Torchy’s Tacos, 350 W. 19th St., 713-595-8229 $
* Tacos a Go-Go, 2912 White Oak Dr., 713-864-8226 $
* Jus’ Mac in the Heights, 2617 Yale St., 713-622-8646 $
RICE VILLAGE
(west of Hermann Park and Rice University)
* Shiva Indian Restaurant, 2514 Times Blvd., 713-523-4753 $$
* The Bombay Brasserie, 2414 University Blvd. #210, 713-355-2000 $$
* Torchy’s Tacos, 2400 Times Blvd., 713-487-0067 $
* Black Walnut Café, 5510 Morningside Dr., 713-526-5551 $$
* Istanbul Grill and Deli, 5613 Morningside Dr., 713-526-2800 $$
* Mi Luna, 2441 University Blvd., 713-520-5025 $$
* Local Foods, 2424 Dunstan Rd., 713-521-7800 $$
*Benjy’s, 2424 Dunstan St., 713-522-7602 (slightly formal) $$
*Prego, 2520 Amherst St., 713-529-2420 (slightly formal) $$
MAHATMA GANDHI DISTRICT
(mainly along Hillcroft Ave. between I-69/Southwest Fwy. and Westpark Dr.)
Hillcroft Ave., North of I-69
* Udipi Café, 5959 Hillcroft Ave., 713-334-5555 $
* Shiv Sagar, 6662 Southwest Fwy., 713-977-0150 $
* Bijan Persian Grill, 5922 Hillcroft Ave., 832-242-1500 $$
Note that to many Houstonians, this newly named district is simply called Hillcroft. It is on the city’s west side.
CHINATOWN
(along Bellaire Blvd. immediate east of W. Sam Houston Pkwy.)
Shopping Center in Chinatown, Bellaire Blvd.
* Fu Fu Café, 9889 Bellaire Blvd. #105, 713-981-8818 $
* Spicy Hunan, 9889 Bellaire Blvd. c307, 713-271-6666 $$
* Café Yummy, 9888 Bellaire Blvd. #118 $$
* Sinh Sinh, 9788 Bellaire Blvd., 713-541-2888 $$
OTHER RESTAURANTS OUTSIDE THE 610 LOOP
* Fadi’s Mediterranean Grill, 4738 Beechnut St., 713-666-4644 $$
* Korean Noodle House, 1415 Murray Bay St., 713-463-8870 $$
*Kenny & Ziggy’s New York Delicatessen, 2327 Post Oak Blvd., 713-871-8883 $$
* Cafe Pita, 5506 Richmond Ave., 713-952-9066, and 10852 Westheimer Rd., 713-953-7237 $$
*Churrascos, 9705 Westheimer Rd., 713-952-1988 $$$
*Ciao Bello, 5161 San Felipe St., 713-960-03333 (formal) $$
*Etoile Cuisine et Bar, 1101-11 Uptown Park Blvd., 832-668-5808 $$$
CCCC Houston 2016: Subcommittee on Information, Hospitality, and Special Events 