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A tray of three pieces of foie gras topped with an artsy blue garnish.
Foie gras at Tobiuo in Cinco Ranch.
Dragana Harris

18 Essential Restaurants in Katy

Whether you’re craving true Texas barbecue or fiery Southeast Asian plates, Katy is a hotbed for good eats

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Foie gras at Tobiuo in Cinco Ranch.
| Dragana Harris

Thirty miles west of downtown Houston lies Katy, one of the city’s fastest growing suburbs home to museums, parks, shopping centers, and some of the city’s top restaurants. At the northeast corner of I-10 and the Grand Parkway lies Katy Asian Town, a destination in and of itself, for lauded chef-led restaurants, dessert bars, coffee shops, and Southeast Asian markets. And, beyond this bustling development is an increasingly buzzy food scene that plays to all of the hits— from Texas barbecue to South African cuisine.

Its countless choices and diversity make Katy one of the most exciting pockets in the city to dine right now. Not sure where to start? Consider this list of essential restaurants in Katy to explore.

Is your favorite Katy restaurant missing from this map? Shout it in the comments or send a tip to Eater Houston.

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Phat Eatery

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Helmed by James Beard Award semi-finalist Alex Au-Yeung, the menu at Phat Eatery takes diners on a journey through Southeast Asian cuisine, with dishes like roti canai, Hainan chicken, mee go reng, beef rendang, and kerabu prawns. Dumpling lovers can indulge in the dim sum platter— complete with har gau, siu mai, and served alongside sticky rice prepared in a lotus leaf. Craving seafood? You can’t go wrong with the salt and pepper lobster tails or the chili prawns. 

A bowl of fried rice topped with an egg.
Malaysian fried rice.
Jenn Duncan

Yummy Seafood & Oyster Bar

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Seafood boils are synonymous with Houston, and this Katy Asian Town restaurant is a great place to get your fix. Find fresh boiled and fried seafood, po’boys, and stiff libations. Go big and order the ultimate seafood platter— complete with grilled or fried soft shell crab, scallops, shrimp and fish, or go with any of the boiled seafood platters, served by the pound. Chug down a michelada with your meal — the 22-ounce guzzler rings in at a cool six bucks.

Dim Sum Box

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With more than 40 steamed and fried dim sum dishes highlighting the menu, this Katy Asian Town dim-sum staple treats diners to soup dumplings, lava buns, Peking duck, and more. The Peking duck and the golden egg yolk soft shell crab is the perfect surf-and-turf combo to pair with many of the lava buns or dumplings. Find a seat at one of the communal tables, or get your eats to go.

Tim Ho Wan

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This globally-renowned dim sum chain recently opened its first Texas outpost in Katy Asian Town. The menu reveals all of the dim sum favorites, from steamed pork dumpling siu mai, baked barbecue pork buns, and steamed shrimp dumplings. Its braised beef brisket dish, with tendon and noodles, is a flavor bomb of gelatinous goodness. Save room for dessert — the sweet red bean dessert is a Cantonese classic, or opt for French toast with custard “Tim Ho Wan” style. 

This popular Pacific Northwest ramen chain boasts an outpost in Katy Asian Town. From miso and garlic tonkotsu ramen bowls to more seasonal bowls like the wood ear mushroom-heavy hakata tonkotsu, there’s a ramen bowl for every palate. Izakaya dishes like the chicken karage and pork belly buns are worth a try too.

Alegria

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For a Brazilian grilled meat experience without the pomp and circumstance of a steakhouse, head to this casual restaurant. The picanha steak is the dish many diners flock to, but don’t overlook the feijoada — a traditional Brazilian black beef stew with pork ribs and smoked sausage. Get an order of pao de quijo cheese bread to dip into the stew, and then cap off your meal with an order of coconut flan for a sweet finish.

Twenty Five Teishoku House

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This Japanese restaurant presents izakaya staples from tonkatsu to soba noodles, alongside hand rolls and sashimi. Don’t overlook its 25 burger either — a salmon patty served in a toasty rice bun with wakame, tobiko, avocado, cucumber, lathered with a honey wasabi mayo.

Babin's Seafood House

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Cajun flavors and fresh Gulf coast gems come together at this lively Katy seafood restaurant. Find Creole favorites like gumbo, boudin, crawfish pies, and crawfish étouffée. For a comprehensive sampler, go for the Babin’s mixed grill — a broiled seafood platter with tilapia, lemon butter crawfish, stuffed shrimp shrimp, scallops, crab cakes, and dirty rice.

Ephesus Mediterranean Grill

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This family-owned restaurant is known for its Turkish cuisine, featuring kebabs, mezze, and yogurt-marinated mixed grills. The kofte, grilled ground beef and lamb meatballs seasoned with spices, is a good place to start. An education in Turkish cuisine is not complete without an order of two of traditional desserts. Try the keskul, a rice flour-based milk pudding with almonds, or the sutlac, a rice pudding garnished with cinnamon.

Pearl & Vine

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The steaks are the main draw at this new American restaurant, which features RC Ranch Texas wagyu ribeyes and NY strips grilled over post oak. Also find seafood towers, crab cakes, and seafood entrees like blackened redfish and pistachio crusted snapper. Save some room for the churro cheesecake, or try an adult milkshake, a riff on the brandy Alexander.

Ferso’s

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Take a break from retail therapy for a meal at Ferso’s, located inside Katy Mills Mall. There are classic enchilada and taco platters, but for something different, try the Yucatan speciality filete de pescado Yucatan, a fish filet cooked in a banana leaf with aromatic achiote paste, tomato, onion, and green pepper. Another seafood standout is the filete de pescado a la Veracruzana, a red snapper filet covered in a rich tomato sauce with California peppers, olives, capers and Veracruz-style spices served with fried plantains and rice.

Brett's BBQ Shop

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This barbecue joint, now open at its new location in Katy, is home to some of the finest smoked meats in town. Find smoked prime beef brisket, pork ribs, pulled pork, turkey breast, and all-beef sausage, plus traditional sides like macaroni and cheese, coleslaw, and potato salad. The weekend specials are where Brett’s really shines— from pork belly burnt ends on Saturdays to the bacon-wrapped mac and cheese-stuffed brisket meatloaf available on Sundays only.

Tiger Noodle House

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This popular Szechuan restaurant has an outpost in Katy Asian Town. For a tongue-tingling moment, try the Chengdu grilled whole fish or the spicy and numbing hot pot. No visit can be complete without a sampling of noodles. The dan dan noodles are a house favorite, while the Szechuan noodles, loaded with generous portions of sliced beef, lamb, and pork intestines, make a hearty meal.

Astor Farm to Table

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South African cuisine is showcased in all its glory at this Katy restaurant. Chef-owner Casey Castro blends Latin American and South African flavors in dishes like oxtails, signature peri peri oysters Rockefeller, and skirt steak with Argentinian chorizo, and cured pork sausage. To get a good feel for the menu, order the South African sampler — a heaping platter of various cured meats and sausages consisting of biltong, Boerewors sausage, bobotie, droewors and stuffed peppadews with cream cheese. Astor is also a popular destination in Katy for brunch.

For an elevated Japanese dining experience, head to this strip mall restaurant at La Cantera. Amongst the hot plates, the short rib takes the crown — a 72-hour sous vide preparation, plated with peach carrot puree and pickled red onions and herbs. The sushi menu features popular cuts, from bluefin toro to uni. And, for maki roll lovers, the restaurant has a variety of rolls, like the Tokyo City Lights, a tuna, asparagus, and ponzu roll. Can't decide what to order? Go for the nine-course tasting menu for $120 and get a comprehensive snapshot of some of the chef’s favorites.

A plate of hamachi in a yellow oil topped with greens and edible flowers.
Hamachi Kosho.
Kimberly Park

Perry's Steakhouse & Grille

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Find an outpost of this lively steakhouse chain in Cinco Ranch. The menu boasts all of the steakhouse classics, plus the restaurant’s signature pork chop. For dessert, order the off-the-menu white chocolate cheesecake, a decadent, white chocolate cheesecake with a graham cracker crust, served with blueberry compote and sour cream icing.

Local Table

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This family-friendly restaurant, with multiple locations in the Houston area, recently opened in Cinco Ranch. The menu is large and approachable, with entrees like slow-braised short rib, Mama’s meatloaf, and Mediterranean salmon. Weekend brunch is a popular time to visit, with menu highlights including fried chicken and waffles, crab cakes eggs Benedict, plus “bigmosas” and Bloody Marys.

A bowl with roasted vegetables topped with sauce.
The vegan bowl is one of Local Table’s many meatless offerings.
Jenn Duncan

Da Vinci Ristorante Italiano

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Nonna-approved Italian fare is front and center at this intimate restaurant. Da Vinci boasts antipasti offerings like the gamberoni alla Genovese, jumbo shrimps sautéed in a delicate garlic, lemon and champagne sauce, plus entrees like veal parmesan. Pasta lovers can revel in the various selections, ranging from spaghetti bolognese to alfredo. Be on the lookout for nightly specials like osso buco and snapper milanese.

Phat Eatery

Helmed by James Beard Award semi-finalist Alex Au-Yeung, the menu at Phat Eatery takes diners on a journey through Southeast Asian cuisine, with dishes like roti canai, Hainan chicken, mee go reng, beef rendang, and kerabu prawns. Dumpling lovers can indulge in the dim sum platter— complete with har gau, siu mai, and served alongside sticky rice prepared in a lotus leaf. Craving seafood? You can’t go wrong with the salt and pepper lobster tails or the chili prawns. 

A bowl of fried rice topped with an egg.
Malaysian fried rice.
Jenn Duncan

Yummy Seafood & Oyster Bar

Seafood boils are synonymous with Houston, and this Katy Asian Town restaurant is a great place to get your fix. Find fresh boiled and fried seafood, po’boys, and stiff libations. Go big and order the ultimate seafood platter— complete with grilled or fried soft shell crab, scallops, shrimp and fish, or go with any of the boiled seafood platters, served by the pound. Chug down a michelada with your meal — the 22-ounce guzzler rings in at a cool six bucks.

Dim Sum Box

With more than 40 steamed and fried dim sum dishes highlighting the menu, this Katy Asian Town dim-sum staple treats diners to soup dumplings, lava buns, Peking duck, and more. The Peking duck and the golden egg yolk soft shell crab is the perfect surf-and-turf combo to pair with many of the lava buns or dumplings. Find a seat at one of the communal tables, or get your eats to go.

Tim Ho Wan

This globally-renowned dim sum chain recently opened its first Texas outpost in Katy Asian Town. The menu reveals all of the dim sum favorites, from steamed pork dumpling siu mai, baked barbecue pork buns, and steamed shrimp dumplings. Its braised beef brisket dish, with tendon and noodles, is a flavor bomb of gelatinous goodness. Save room for dessert — the sweet red bean dessert is a Cantonese classic, or opt for French toast with custard “Tim Ho Wan” style. 

Kizuki

This popular Pacific Northwest ramen chain boasts an outpost in Katy Asian Town. From miso and garlic tonkotsu ramen bowls to more seasonal bowls like the wood ear mushroom-heavy hakata tonkotsu, there’s a ramen bowl for every palate. Izakaya dishes like the chicken karage and pork belly buns are worth a try too.

Alegria

For a Brazilian grilled meat experience without the pomp and circumstance of a steakhouse, head to this casual restaurant. The picanha steak is the dish many diners flock to, but don’t overlook the feijoada — a traditional Brazilian black beef stew with pork ribs and smoked sausage. Get an order of pao de quijo cheese bread to dip into the stew, and then cap off your meal with an order of coconut flan for a sweet finish.

Twenty Five Teishoku House

This Japanese restaurant presents izakaya staples from tonkatsu to soba noodles, alongside hand rolls and sashimi. Don’t overlook its 25 burger either — a salmon patty served in a toasty rice bun with wakame, tobiko, avocado, cucumber, lathered with a honey wasabi mayo.

Babin's Seafood House

Cajun flavors and fresh Gulf coast gems come together at this lively Katy seafood restaurant. Find Creole favorites like gumbo, boudin, crawfish pies, and crawfish étouffée. For a comprehensive sampler, go for the Babin’s mixed grill — a broiled seafood platter with tilapia, lemon butter crawfish, stuffed shrimp shrimp, scallops, crab cakes, and dirty rice.

Ephesus Mediterranean Grill

This family-owned restaurant is known for its Turkish cuisine, featuring kebabs, mezze, and yogurt-marinated mixed grills. The kofte, grilled ground beef and lamb meatballs seasoned with spices, is a good place to start. An education in Turkish cuisine is not complete without an order of two of traditional desserts. Try the keskul, a rice flour-based milk pudding with almonds, or the sutlac, a rice pudding garnished with cinnamon.

Pearl & Vine

The steaks are the main draw at this new American restaurant, which features RC Ranch Texas wagyu ribeyes and NY strips grilled over post oak. Also find seafood towers, crab cakes, and seafood entrees like blackened redfish and pistachio crusted snapper. Save some room for the churro cheesecake, or try an adult milkshake, a riff on the brandy Alexander.

Ferso’s

Take a break from retail therapy for a meal at Ferso’s, located inside Katy Mills Mall. There are classic enchilada and taco platters, but for something different, try the Yucatan speciality filete de pescado Yucatan, a fish filet cooked in a banana leaf with aromatic achiote paste, tomato, onion, and green pepper. Another seafood standout is the filete de pescado a la Veracruzana, a red snapper filet covered in a rich tomato sauce with California peppers, olives, capers and Veracruz-style spices served with fried plantains and rice.

Brett's BBQ Shop

This barbecue joint, now open at its new location in Katy, is home to some of the finest smoked meats in town. Find smoked prime beef brisket, pork ribs, pulled pork, turkey breast, and all-beef sausage, plus traditional sides like macaroni and cheese, coleslaw, and potato salad. The weekend specials are where Brett’s really shines— from pork belly burnt ends on Saturdays to the bacon-wrapped mac and cheese-stuffed brisket meatloaf available on Sundays only.

Tiger Noodle House

This popular Szechuan restaurant has an outpost in Katy Asian Town. For a tongue-tingling moment, try the Chengdu grilled whole fish or the spicy and numbing hot pot. No visit can be complete without a sampling of noodles. The dan dan noodles are a house favorite, while the Szechuan noodles, loaded with generous portions of sliced beef, lamb, and pork intestines, make a hearty meal.

Astor Farm to Table

South African cuisine is showcased in all its glory at this Katy restaurant. Chef-owner Casey Castro blends Latin American and South African flavors in dishes like oxtails, signature peri peri oysters Rockefeller, and skirt steak with Argentinian chorizo, and cured pork sausage. To get a good feel for the menu, order the South African sampler — a heaping platter of various cured meats and sausages consisting of biltong, Boerewors sausage, bobotie, droewors and stuffed peppadews with cream cheese. Astor is also a popular destination in Katy for brunch.

Tobiuo

For an elevated Japanese dining experience, head to this strip mall restaurant at La Cantera. Amongst the hot plates, the short rib takes the crown — a 72-hour sous vide preparation, plated with peach carrot puree and pickled red onions and herbs. The sushi menu features popular cuts, from bluefin toro to uni. And, for maki roll lovers, the restaurant has a variety of rolls, like the Tokyo City Lights, a tuna, asparagus, and ponzu roll. Can't decide what to order? Go for the nine-course tasting menu for $120 and get a comprehensive snapshot of some of the chef’s favorites.

A plate of hamachi in a yellow oil topped with greens and edible flowers.
Hamachi Kosho.
Kimberly Park

Related Maps

Perry's Steakhouse & Grille

Find an outpost of this lively steakhouse chain in Cinco Ranch. The menu boasts all of the steakhouse classics, plus the restaurant’s signature pork chop. For dessert, order the off-the-menu white chocolate cheesecake, a decadent, white chocolate cheesecake with a graham cracker crust, served with blueberry compote and sour cream icing.

Local Table

This family-friendly restaurant, with multiple locations in the Houston area, recently opened in Cinco Ranch. The menu is large and approachable, with entrees like slow-braised short rib, Mama’s meatloaf, and Mediterranean salmon. Weekend brunch is a popular time to visit, with menu highlights including fried chicken and waffles, crab cakes eggs Benedict, plus “bigmosas” and Bloody Marys.

A bowl with roasted vegetables topped with sauce.
The vegan bowl is one of Local Table’s many meatless offerings.
Jenn Duncan

Da Vinci Ristorante Italiano

Nonna-approved Italian fare is front and center at this intimate restaurant. Da Vinci boasts antipasti offerings like the gamberoni alla Genovese, jumbo shrimps sautéed in a delicate garlic, lemon and champagne sauce, plus entrees like veal parmesan. Pasta lovers can revel in the various selections, ranging from spaghetti bolognese to alfredo. Be on the lookout for nightly specials like osso buco and snapper milanese.

Related Maps