This new neighborhood establishment brings a much-needed hangout spot to the GOOF, offering dishes like hand-made pasta; grilled Texas quail with cherry olive tapenade and quinoa; and shareable like balloon bread with a selection of sauces, plus an extensive cocktail and wine list.

This new Vietnamese drive-thru is drawing lots of attention to a Garden Oaks intersection, and for good reason. Boba tea, sizzling rice bowls made-to-order, and banh mi using freshly baked bread are all on-the-go options, but if in no hurry, the colorful, mural-covered outdoor patio invites diners to stay awhile.

James Beard Award winners Aaron Franklin and chef Tyson Cole bring the holy grail flavors of Texas barbecue and fuse it with that of Asian cuisine at Loro’s Houston newest location. Located in place a former church, this Asian Smokehouse features dishes like candied kettle corn with burnt brisket ends, rice bowls, char siu pork belly, and beef brisket with chile gastrique and Thai herbs.

Executive chef Thomas Bille brings Mexican-American cuisine to the space formerly occupied by Calle Onze, with dishes like pozole dumplings, duck in fig mole, and truffle butter and salmon roe. The restaurant employs traditional techniques like nixtamalization for making tortillas.

This intimate spot in the M-K-T development in the Heights is modeled after the tropical seaside cafes and fresh cuisine of Tulum, Mexico. Dishes include cobia tostadas topped with grapefruit guacamole and crema; roasted sweet potatoes in a peanut-carrot mole; blue crab-stuffed masa, and drinks like the Cenote, made with green chartreuse, elote liqueur, and pineapple juice.

Overlooking Buffalo Bayou Park, this elegant treehouse replaces The Dunlavy, offering a taste of small towns in Mexico with a Houston flair. Here, you’ll find slammin’ al pastor tacos, charred octopus and chorizo, an alluring yellowtail ceviche negro using squid ink, and their spin on tender fajitas, plus what might be the best margarita in the city, made with fresh juices and rimmed with an addicting cricket salt.

Common Bond has gone all-in with its on-the-go format in the past year, but the beloved Montrose bakery has recently switched gears, opening its first full-service restaurant, Brasserie, downtown. At the chic new spot, diners can look forward to dishes like french onion soup, wild mushroom and goat cheese flatbread, a croque madame sandwich, coq au vin, smoked duck rillettes, raw oysters, seafood towers, and more.

From Top Chef Master winner Chris Cosentino, this critically-acclaimed Downtown restaurant reopened in 2021 after an 18-month COVID hiatus. Now it’s back serving Cosentino’s classic Italian-American dishes, including bold, rustic red sauces, wood-fired pizzas, blue crab manicotti, Texas wild boar ragu, and red snapper with wild mushrooms and arugula.

The self-proclaimed “father of modern Mexican cuisine” Richard Sandoval has opened a new Latin-influenced steakhouse at downtown’s Four Seasons Hotel. Expect dishes like a giant, 52-ounce mezcal-flambéed prime tomahawk steak, Spanish octopus, and antelope tenderloin, sourced from Texas’ Broken Arrow Ranch. There’s also a ceviche bar, and every steak is served with both chimichurri and barbecue sauce.

EaDo’s buzzy new barbecue joint comes from Willow Villareal, who ran the popular but short-lived Willow’s Texas BBQ food truck. At J-Bar-M, find barky brisket, slow-smoked turkey breast, housemade jalapeno-cheese sausage, and contemporary sides like marinated cherry tomatoes, and cauliflower au gratin. Just get there early — it’s been selling out regularly.

With inviting decor and an expansive wine list, Marmo offers an exciting haven from a bustling Montrose, with classic pasta dishes and hand-cut dry-aged steaks. Start with the surprisingly juicy Tuscan chicken bites, served with fried artichokes and garlic aioli, and fill up on the creamy squid ink campanelle dish, served with fresh blue crab, uni cream sauce, basil, and a dash of chili and bread crumbs. Dessert calls for the light and heavenly tiramisu — you’ll want to finish it in one sitting.

Housed at the former location of the Houston’s, chef Antoine Ware pays homage to the historic establishment with classics like the rich spinach dip, the Thai noodle salad, and the sweet and savory 16-ounce Hawaiian rib-eye that’s marinated for 48-hours in a pineapple, brown sugar, and ginger concoction. But the new restaurant, with its swanky decor, also holds its own with mouthwatering dishes like the chili-glazed Gulf shrimp, the grilled lamb chops, and a gooey, warm caramel bread pudding served with a side of vanilla ice cream — Ware’s family recipe.

Craving a burger? Reopened in its new location on West Alabama, this burger joint is still dishing out its delicious 44 Farms patties, falafel, and hot dogs with punchy flavors and creative condiments like kimchi relish, sambal mayo, and scallion aioli. Don’t forget to pick a side, whether it be the fried cheese curds, taro root chips, tater tots, or fries, in offered in French fry, curly, or sweet potato form.