A strong selection of small plates await at this laid-back Heights favorite, ranging from gougeres served with green garlic gravy to marinated mussels served with calico beans and bonito aioli. As far as the larger dishes are concerned, consider the bolognese lasagna with pickled collards, or the restaurant’s famed French cheeseburger, which is showered in raclette cheese.

Feges’ expansive menu includes boudin, brisket, and pulled pork, but what makes it special is that it goes far beyond the barbecue staples. The Spring Branch outpost offers top-notch sides like Moroccan-spiced carrots, kale salad, elote corn salad, spiced cracklins, pimento mac and cheese, and Brussels sprouts, sandwiches and wings, creative desserts, $10 frozen margaritas, and a wide selection of wine and beer. Added plus: The restaurant also allows diners to buy in bulk, including entire racks of ribs and vacuum-sealed slabs of brisket, so if you go home empty-handed, that’s on you.

Malaysian street food is the star at this Katy dining destination, but its menu is wide-ranging. Chef Alex Au-Yeung’s curry-sauced crawfish is big and juicy, and dishes like sizzling black pepper beef, Hainanese chicken with a trio of sauces for dipping, and grilled whole snapper in sambal sauce shine every single time.

Chefs Christine Ha and Tony Nguyen have teamed up for this James Beard Award-nominated modern Vietnamese restaurant. Located near the Sixth Ward, Xin Chao pays homage to both chefs’ heritage, alongside Texas and Gulf Coast cuisine, with dishes like smoked beef rib flat rice noodles made with 44 Farms ribs, or lemongrass-buttermilk fried chicken with pandan rice, pickled cucumber, beef tallow aioli, and hot satay honey.

Visit Post Houston and you’re bound to encounter the many walks of Houston life and its various flavors. From a blend of West African flavors at ChòpnBlọk, budget-friendly sushi, decadent cakes at Lucy Pearl’s, and Filipino cuisine at Soy Pinoy, there’s something for everyone.

This iconic Tex-Mex spot’s claim to fame is the invention of fajitas. Enjoy sizzling platters of its signature dish, plus queso flameado and mango-habanero margaritas for a truly Houston Tex-Mex feast.

Chef Hugo Ortega’s Downtown destination for Oaxacan cuisine is as strong as ever. Consider the memelas, served with roasted pork rib and tomatillo-avocado sauce, or a crispy tlayuda topped with grilled skirt steak and mole negro.

Pizaro’s is serious about Neapolitan pizza — so serious that it earned certification from the prestigious Vera Pizza Napoletana organization, which governs “authentic” pies from the region. Keep it classic with a margherita pie, or order the Calabrese, topped with pepperoni, sopressata, fresh mozzarella, and Parmesan.

Though a newcomer to Houston’s barbecue scene, J-Bar-M has quickly made a name for itself, regularly serving up and selling out of its succulent brisket, pork ribs, and homemade sausages — all cooked in its Instagram-worthy pit room, which features four 1,000-gallon, offset steel barrel smokers. Showstopping sides include Cajun-style potato salad, charro beans, and cauliflower au gratin, and desserts like banana pudding, peach cobbler, and giant cinnamon rolls are a surefire cure for a sweet tooth. Added bonus: You can enjoy your food outdoors on J-Bar-M’s delightful, dog-friendly patio, with views of the Downtown skyline.

A known Houston favorite, so much so that pop star Dua Lipa paid a visit, Nancy’s Hustle offers intriguing cuisine, like a “pickle party” served with Spanish chorizo and cheese and the famous griddled Nancy cakes served with butter and soaked trout roe. Be sure to try the grilled golden tilefish served with roasted beets and confit fennel, or squid ink linguine and Gulf shrimp in fermented chili butter.

Technically, Eater Young Gun Ryan LaChaine is operating two restaurants out of his Montrose space right now. The first, a pickup- and delivery-only spot called Louie’s, is a super fun sandwich shop serving up pizza subs, a riff on the classic Filet-o-Fish, and of course, LaChaine’s famed butter burger sliders. There’s also an excellent menu from Riel, boasting a Korean “crunch wrap” stuffed with blackened rice and skirt steak, mushroom empanadas, and crawfish rolls.

This ultra-luxe tasting menu restaurant highlights a different region of the Mediterranean roughly every quarter. The restaurant previously captivated diners with the cuisines of Andalusia and Murcia in Southern Spain, where chef Ian Payne spent part of his childhood. This spring, March staff brings diners on a new adventure — this time to the historic region of Occitania, which spans the South of France. Its reinventions of classics include bouillabaisse, a seafood stew; cassoulet; and a mont blanc dessert with creme puffs reminiscent of the Alps.

Home to one of Houston’s best oyster bars, look beyond the bivalves on the menu at this River Oaks favorite for stunning, splurge-worthy plates like hearth-roasted octopus, cacio e pepe spaghettini showered in grana padano cheese, and bearnaise-slathered steaks.

An “unapologetically Thai” restaurant, Street to Kitchen doesn’t mince words about its commitment to staying true to its culinary roots. Look forward to chef Benchawan Painter’s rice bowls topped with crispy pork belly and pork Panang curry, super-fresh green papaya salad with dried shrimp and crushed peanuts, and stir-fried Thai basil beef. 

Don’t let the line out the door be too intimidating — the chicken and waffles at this legendary Houston breakfast joint are a must. Thanks in part to a stamp of approval from Beyonce, this Midtown staple is a casual spot for wings and grits, cheesy breakfast sandwiches, and an excellent eggs Benedict served on a biscuit.

This loungey Montrose spot, tucked away in a neighborhood next to the Menil, serves vibes unlike any other place in Houston. Partners Lung Ly and Jeff Potts deliver compelling dishes like red kuri squash with chili oil and goat cheese mousse, duck confit with bruleed figs, mussels, beef tartare, and a not-so-basic chicken sandwich, along with a creative roster of rum, gin and rye cocktails. The atmosphere is enhanced by the bar’s massive in-house vinyl collection, which focuses on 90s hip hop, African jazz, and more. On any given night, diners might hear anything from Wu-Tang to Lee Fields to Nas, making this the perfect spot to start — or end — a good night.

Find barbecue with a tinge of Tex-Mex at The Pit Room in Montrose, where freshly smoked meats pair with creative sides like charred okra, chips and queso, and chicharrones with hot sauce. The brisket and smoked chicken tacos are also standouts. Grab a plate and an icy cold beer and head next door to the patio to watch the Astros or Rockets play while dining.

Chef Manabu “Hori” Horiuchi’s constantly changing menu features fresh fish flown in almost daily from Japan, with dishes like lobster and crab ramen, fried green tomatoes with kimchi aioli, and uni chawanmushi, tender egg custard that packs a punch of briny flavor. Sushi-wise, choose from a wide variety of smaki rolls, or splurge for the full omakase experience.

Founded as one of Houston’s first vegetarian-friendly restaurants in 1972, the Hobbit Cafe is still serving up veggie-packed eats, massive burgers, and fresh dishes like gazpacho, tropical chicken salad and mezze platters in a quirky old house dedicated to the work of J.R.R. Tolkien. Over the years the Hobbit has also gained a reputation for its wide selection of craft beers. Not a drinker? Try a fruit-packed smoothie instead.

At Mo’ Better Brews, dining is an experience — earning DMs from songstress Lizzo and visits from media personality Tabitha Brown. The vegan spot boasts dishes like peach cobbler pancakes, flatbread pizzas, and its fan-favorite chik’n fried shrooms and grits, drizzled with either a hot honey syrup or “Trill” remoulade sauce. While you’re there, be sure to grab a coffee and peruse its vinyl collection for the perfect soundtrack to take home.

Serving up an extensive menu with everything from burgers to breakfast tacos in the Third Ward, Sparkle’s is a favorite of famous Houstonians like rapper Paul Wall. Keep it classic with the excellent chili cheeseburger, or consider a pork chop sandwich paired with one of Sparkles’s frozen daiquiris as a real lunchtime splurge.

This celeb-favorite restaurant, dishing out smoked turkey legs stuffed with everything from crawfish mac and cheese to dirty rice is a favorite of celebrities like Snoop Dogg and locals alike. Houstonians know the drill — if you wanna avoid the line at TLH’s Third Ward location, go for lunch on a weekday.

One of the best Indo-Pak restaurants in Texas — and the country — Himalaya is a Houston icon. The crispy, spicy fried chicken and hunter’s beef are essential Space City dishes, and chef Kaiser Lashkari’s menu of innovative specials keeps this bustling restaurant’s menu fresh all the time.

With three Houston locations, including an outpost in Katy, Mala makes it easy to eat some of the city’s best Sichuan cuisine. Everything from DIY dan dan noodles to mapo tofu to dry-fried bullfrog is on the menu, along with tons of additional options like red oil dumplings, cucumber salad, and dry-fried peanuts and tofu.

Asian flavors and Texas barbecue techniques collide at this Bellaire smokehouse. Head to the restaurant for takeout options like togarashi smoked chicken and gouda mac and cheese, but be prepared for a socially distanced line. Alternatively, place a bulk order of pork belly burnt ends, jalapeno-cheddar sausage, brisket fried rice, and ambrosia salad. Advance orders require a minimum of five pounds of meat, and must be placed 48 hours in advance via Blood Bros’s website.

Viet-Cajun crawfish is a distinctly Houston dish, and there’s no better place to find it than this James Beard Award-nominated spot in Asiatown. Big, juicy mudbugs are tossed in a spicy, buttery, garlicky sauce that will have even skeptical crawfish newbies coming back for more.

This beloved Ghanaian restaurant off Bissonnet Street and the Southwest Freeway is fully back in action, which means that diners can enjoy the goat pepper soup and jollof rice in Afrikiko’s casual, convivial atmosphere.

Helen’s, the self-proclaimed “best Jamaican food in Houston,” serves up dishes like oxtails, curried goat, jerk wings, roti, and, the national dish of Jamaica, ackee and saltfish. They also offer a wide variety of tropical drinks including both sorrel and Jamaican soda.