By any measure, it’s been an unbelievable 12 months for brand spanking new eating places in Houston. Regardless of all of this 12 months’s challenges — all the things from the double whammy of the derecho and Hurricane Beryl to the lingering results of post-pandemic inflation — these eating places have established themselves as must-visit locations.
As an alternative of providing the definitive assertion of “finest,” these 12 institutions are our “favourite” new eating places to open within the final 12 months. They’re the locations we’re most excited to dine at many times (and now we have, as all the chums who’ve been inspired to go to Baso can attest). That’s additionally why they’re offered alphabetically, as all are worthy of your time.
Bar Bludorn
This energetic tavern in Memorial from chef Aaron Bludorn, his spouse, Victoria Pappas Bludorn, and their enterprise associate Cherif Mbodji harnesses the informal vibe of the bar at their flagship restaurant Bludorn in Montrose. Led by chef Allie Peña, the result’s a restaurant that maintains sure factors in frequent with its extra upscale sibling whereas additionally establishing a definite id.
Like Bludorn and Navy Blue, Bar Bludorn meals will probably start with oysters 3 ways — uncooked, roasted, and fried — earlier than persevering with with shareable small plates, house-made pastas, and well-executed meat and seafood dishes. Grounding the menu in American consolation meals — suppose steak, fried hen, and a well-executed burger — retains issues accessible, whereas Peña provides touches of her Mexican heritage with dishes corresponding to a tuna tostada and masa gnocchi. After all, diners can depend on different Bludorn staples corresponding to polished service and a complete beverage program.
Baso
Cooks Jacques Varon and Max Lappe teamed as much as open this Basque-inspired dwell hearth restaurant in the Heights. Minimally embellished, the main target is on the meals produced on the restaurant’s wood-fired fireplace.
Staple dishes corresponding to tuna tartare, grilled shrimp with preserved chile, and a large pork chop with a pork jowl sauce have rapidly change into fan favorites. As a diner, what’s been much more thrilling than coming again for one more chunk of shrimp is watching Lappe hone Baso’s culinary perspective because the California native learns extra about Texas components. For instance, a summer time dish of a roasted peach developed into an endive salad with blackberries by way of the frequent components of cheese and horseradish. Equally, the opening menu’s dinner rolls have been changed by a extra Texan cornbread with butter and jam.
In lower than a 12 months, Baso earned recognition from Yelp customers and a Advisable designation from the Michelin Information. Might a star be on the best way in 12 months two?
Credence
Levi Goode has described this Memorial-area restaurant as his solo album. Similar to you possibly can hear components of the Heartbreakers traditional Rattling the Torpedoes in Tom Petty’s Full Moon Fever, sufficient Goode Co DNA is current at Credence within the type of a wood-fired grill, South Texas flavors, and serving lunch (or brunch) and dinner day by day that diners received’t even discover that Credence doesn’t serve signatures such because the seafood campechana or pecan pie.
The setting is extra upscale than a typical Goode Co institution, with extra refined service and extra luxurious components like caviar and Texas wagyu. Nonetheless, it’s not simply fancy touches. Dishes like deviled crab with smoky tomato butter, entire duck with soiled rice, and grilled snapper exhibit the kitchen’s appreciable abilities. Taken collectively, it’s a promising debut for the Levi Goode model. Right here’s hoping no matter he does subsequent is nearly as good as Wildflowers.
Drake’s Hollywood
Proprietor Hunter Pond calls his retro-inspired supper membership “the best third date spot in America.” No matter how the evening ends for diners, the Dallas import’s pink leather-based cubicles, murals of Hollywood celebrities, and dim lighting set the stage for a celebratory atmosphere. Whereas the restaurant has a gown code displayed on its web site, it doesn’t appear to be a difficulty. Nearly everybody appears to be like like they’re carrying outfits which can be applicable for a memorable night.
As soon as seated, diners choose from a well-executed array of latest restaurant staples like hamachi crudo, tavern-style pizza, and spicy rigatoni. Beef lovers will admire that the kitchen cooks steaks to a correct temperature with a great crust. Pair them with the marketed “World’s Coldest Martini” for the complete expertise.
Dipping Tiger Pho
Admittedly, pho could not encourage the identical sort of devotion that it did when native meals obsessives made their first visits to Pho Binh Trailer (r.i.p.), however Houstonians will at all times admire a well-spiced bowl of noodles. No shock then that chef Mike Tran, proprietor of a various suite of eating places that features pioneering ramen restaurant Tiger Den and Cantonese consolation meals vacation spot Mein, has delivered a really satisfying expertise at his newest Chinatown venture. The easy menu, primarily simply pho with totally different meat choices, crispy Vietnamese egg rolls, and drinks, permits the sunshine, natural broth to shine.
Ema
By now, you’ve in all probability already heard fairly a bit about this Mexican breakfast and lunch spot from cooks Stephanie Velasquez and Nicolas Vera. In any case, it earned Bib Gourmand recognition within the Michelin Information, a James Beard Award semifinalist nomination for Excellent Pastry Chef or Baker, and The New York Instances included its horchata Berlinesa on its checklist of favourite dishes of 2024. Not unhealthy for a restaurant with roots in a meals corridor stand, downtown’s Papalo Taqueria, and a stand on the City Harvest farmers market.
A meal at Ema reveals the premise for all that acclaim. Contemplate the Berlinesa’s horchata cream that’s seasoned with simply the correct amount of cinnamon or the mushroom tetela — made with nixtamalized corn, naturally — that comprises a savory mixture of mushrooms, cheese, and black beans alongside a smoky salsa macha. Even a simple-looking papaya salad presents a compelling mixture of flavors, with candy fruit balanced by the tang of yogurt, a little bit acidity from agave-lime dressing, and crunch from housemade granola. Getting such considerate preparations at very reasonably priced costs illustrates why the restaurant has a line out the door each weekend.
Ishtia
After 10 years of delighting diners on the theatrical tasting menu restaurant Eculent, David Skinner determined to change issues up. As an alternative of taking inspiration from the modernist eating places he encountered in his international travels, Skinner makes use of Ishtia as a platform for an 18-plus course development of recent dishes impressed by his Choctaw heritage and different Native cuisines.
At Ishtia, the Native staple Three Sisters (corn, beans, and squash) get an upscale companion of an expertly seared scallop and served in a mist of ocean-water scented fog. Bison steak is paired with Texas beef for instance the distinction in taste and texture between the 2 proteins. Teppay beans sourced from Native farmers are served in particular person pots to pay homage to the neighborhood beans served to tribal guests.
After all, the chef continues to be refining his strategy. He guarantees to introduce a “meat trolley” within the coming weeks, including one other stage of theatricality (and deliciousness) to his development.
Kira
Comma Hospitality could have began with Neo, certainly one of Houston’s most unique and costly omakase counters, however they’ve proven an actual aptitude for extra reasonably priced eating at this restaurant in Higher Kirby that serves crudo, temaki (hand rolls), and donburi (rice bowls). As an alternative of a set development, diners can select from an a la carte menu that features each acquainted fare like ocean trout and spicy tuna hand rolls and a few extra luxurious choices like lobster, uni, and caviar. Whereas Neo is usually BYOB, Kira presents a full beverage program constructed round cocktails, champagne, and sake.
The 15-seat counter is each surprisingly snug — because of table-height seating — and energetic, courtesy of an all-vinyl soundtrack that’s powered by an audiophile-worthy McIntosh turntable and amplifier. Even higher, those that dine earlier than 6 pm could go for a $50 prix fixe that features a number of the restaurant’s finest dishes, together with its kakigori made with ice that’s imported from Japan.
Little Rey
If all Ford Fry’s fast-casual Mexican restaurant did was serve hen wings, it might in all probability be sufficient to earn a spot on this checklist. They’re crispy, smoky, and tossed in a surprisingly spicy salsa macha. However Little Rey does way over that.
Ready in a custom-built wood-burning oven, its hen and steak al carbon keep juicy whereas selecting up a nice smoke taste. The flour tortillas are exemplary, and the salsa bar has choices to swimsuit a variety of spice preferences. It actually shines at brunch, because of first-rate breakfast tacos and mini variations of the pancakes from its sister idea Superica.
With a menu that has choices for even the pickiest fussbuckets and an expansive inexperienced house for working round, Little Rey has emerged as successful for households, particularly since dad and mom can sip the potent margaritas whereas their children play. That’s a win-win.
Milton’s
Native Meals Group’s Italian restaurant in Rice Village has numerous interesting qualities. That begins with the eating room, which has a retro appeal with out resorting to stereotypes like checkered tablecloths or wicker-wrapped Chianti bottles.
Even higher is the menu created by cooks Kent Domas and Seth Siegel-Gardner. It has all of the staples one expects from an Italian American joint — suppose linguine vongole, spaghetti with meatballs, and a destination-worthy hen parm — together with surprises corresponding to crispy sweetbreads, spicy tuna toast, and parsley salad with heat guanciale dressing. The beverage program earns equally enthusiastic raves, courtesy of sips such because the Rubycello, which swaps the acquainted lemon for Texas grapefruit, and the Caffe Noncoretto, a mix of amari and pistachio that’s served heat in a frozen cup.
Okto
Sof Hospitality, the powerhouse group behind Doris Metropolitan and Hamsa, opened this subtle Mediterranean restaurant within the Montrose Collective mixed-use growth. Whereas its siblings are primarily grounded in Israel’s eclectic flavors, Okto incorporates a broader sweep of the Mediterranean, with Spanish, Greek, and even French touches included within the tidy menu.
With fewer than 20 objects on provide, chef Yotam Dolev and his group can focus their consideration on every dish. It exhibits on the succulent tiger shrimp with Arak beurre blanc, ingenious eggplant carpaccio, and, after all, octopus with romesco. Just like Doris Metropolitan, an outsized bar serves as a focus for each eating and socializing, giving them an lively really feel that’s as dynamic because the meals.
Prime 131
Berg Hospitality has opened a bunch of eating places up to now two years, however it’s this dwell hearth steakhouse in Lazybrook/Timbergrove that outshines the remainder. Taking some inspiration from superstar chef José Andrés’ Las Vegas restaurant Bazaar Meat, Prime 131 places its cooks on stage by inserting a wood-burning grill in the midst of the eating room. Not solely do diners get a present because the cooks hearth the steaks (together with wagyu from Australia and Japan), the scent of scorching meat permeates the air.
That spectacle extends to different dishes, such because the outsized bone marrow and present stopping sushi platter. Teams of associates could go for one of many 4 tables dedicated to Korean barbecue, ready on tabletop grills by the well-trained workers.
