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Bright burrata salad at Emmaline
Kirsten Gilliam

8 Stunning Salads To Eat In Houston Right Now

Eat cool when it’s hot outside

by Amy McCarthy Updated
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Bright burrata salad at Emmaline
| Kirsten Gilliam
by Amy McCarthy Updated

Summer is still in full swing in Houston, and there’s still a few (too many) more sweaty weeks to go before there’s any reprieve from the heat. The city is home to plenty of burgers and barbecue, but when it’s positively sweltering outside, there’s no meal more satisfying than a salad.

They may not get the same shine as Houston’s heartier dishes, but the city is home to a stunning array of fresh and bright salads. The next time you’re feeling a little overheated, try one of these veggie-packed bowls that are as delicious as they are healthy.

Is your favorite Houston salad missing from this map? Shout it out in the comments.

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Note: Restaurants on this map are listed geographically.
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Local Table

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At the newest outpost of Local Table in Cypress, find a ton of fresh salads for lunch all summer long. The honey-ginger roasted brussels sprouts are an excellent choice, as is the Tex-Mex inspired shrimp tostada salad.

Lakeland Village Center, 10535 Fry Rd Ste 100, Cypress, TX 77433
(832) 653-6477
(832) 653-6477
Julie Soefer

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Squable

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Before digging into that raclette-drenched burger that’s become Squable’s most Instagrammed dish, order the marinated heirloom tomatoes. Tossed with briny tonnato sauce, herbs, and bread crumbs, it’s a perfect showcase of plump, juicy tomatoes.

632 W 19th St, Houston, TX 77008
(832) 834-7362
(832) 834-7362
Seven white plates with various dishes atop a wooden table. Jenn Duncan Photography

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1751 Sea and Bar

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This newly-revamped seafood hotspot in the Heights boasts plenty of light dishes perfect for the summer, and the Rohan duck salad is a must-try. Served over an herbaceous Thai salad and brightened with Vietnamese vinaigrette, the luscious duck adds a decadent touch of richness.

191 Heights Blvd, Houston, TX 77007
(832) 831-9820
(832) 831-9820
Shannon O’Hara

Also featured in:

Emmaline

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The newly-debuted summer menu at Emmaline boasts a ton of fresh new dishes. Try the burrata, served with cherry tomato and caponata, or perhaps the salmon gravlax salad, made with mango, cucumber, green apple, and arugula, all tossed in orange dressing.

3210 W Dallas St, Houston, TX 77019
(713) 523-3210
(713) 523-3210
Kirsten Gilliam for Emmaline

MAD

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Spanish cuisine reigns at this River Oaks newcomer, and the cuisine here is endlessly compelling. Start dinner with a crudo, then move on to the chic tomate en su jugo, a modern preparation of heirloom tomatoes, tomato gelee, piparra peppers, and garlic flowers.

4444 Westheimer Rd Suite C180, Houston, TX 77027
(281) 888-2770
(281) 888-2770
Mai Pham/EHOU

UB Preserv

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Crispy rice and a ton of herbs are a ridiculously addictive combination, as this salad at UB Preserv proves. Looking for something even lighter? Try the tomato salad, a mix of blackberry, peach, and ridiculously fresh tomatoes.

1609 Westheimer Rd, Houston, TX 77006
(346) 406-5923
(346) 406-5923
Julie Soefer Photography

Also featured in:

Local Foods

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Whenever healthy food tastes as delicious as its greasy counterpart, it’s always a success. The vegan taco salad at Local Foods serves up the same flavor profile as the Tex-Mex classic, with plenty more healthy ingredients. Packed with vegan “taco meat,” avocado, pickled red onions, and kale, this is the kind of salad that even carnivores can appreciate.

2424 Dunstan Rd, Houston, TX
(713) 521-7800
(713) 521-7800
Local Foods/Facebook

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Third Coast Restaurant

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Watermelon salad is a summer classic, and Third Coast’s take adds a tangy Mexican twist to the dish. Cubes of sweet melon are paired with shaved onion, baby heirloom tomatoes, cotija cheese, basil, and a drizzle of sweet chamoy.

6550 Bertner Ave f6, Houston, TX 77030
(713) 749-0400
(713) 749-0400

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Local Table

Lakeland Village Center, 10535 Fry Rd Ste 100, Cypress, TX 77433
Julie Soefer

At the newest outpost of Local Table in Cypress, find a ton of fresh salads for lunch all summer long. The honey-ginger roasted brussels sprouts are an excellent choice, as is the Tex-Mex inspired shrimp tostada salad.

Lakeland Village Center, 10535 Fry Rd Ste 100, Cypress, TX 77433
(832) 653-6477
(832) 653-6477
Julie Soefer

Squable

632 W 19th St, Houston, TX 77008
Seven white plates with various dishes atop a wooden table. Jenn Duncan Photography

Before digging into that raclette-drenched burger that’s become Squable’s most Instagrammed dish, order the marinated heirloom tomatoes. Tossed with briny tonnato sauce, herbs, and bread crumbs, it’s a perfect showcase of plump, juicy tomatoes.

632 W 19th St, Houston, TX 77008
(832) 834-7362
(832) 834-7362
Seven white plates with various dishes atop a wooden table. Jenn Duncan Photography

1751 Sea and Bar

191 Heights Blvd, Houston, TX 77007
Shannon O’Hara

This newly-revamped seafood hotspot in the Heights boasts plenty of light dishes perfect for the summer, and the Rohan duck salad is a must-try. Served over an herbaceous Thai salad and brightened with Vietnamese vinaigrette, the luscious duck adds a decadent touch of richness.

191 Heights Blvd, Houston, TX 77007
(832) 831-9820
(832) 831-9820
Shannon O’Hara

Emmaline

3210 W Dallas St, Houston, TX 77019
Kirsten Gilliam for Emmaline

The newly-debuted summer menu at Emmaline boasts a ton of fresh new dishes. Try the burrata, served with cherry tomato and caponata, or perhaps the salmon gravlax salad, made with mango, cucumber, green apple, and arugula, all tossed in orange dressing.

3210 W Dallas St, Houston, TX 77019
(713) 523-3210
(713) 523-3210
Kirsten Gilliam for Emmaline

MAD

4444 Westheimer Rd Suite C180, Houston, TX 77027
Mai Pham/EHOU

Spanish cuisine reigns at this River Oaks newcomer, and the cuisine here is endlessly compelling. Start dinner with a crudo, then move on to the chic tomate en su jugo, a modern preparation of heirloom tomatoes, tomato gelee, piparra peppers, and garlic flowers.

4444 Westheimer Rd Suite C180, Houston, TX 77027
(281) 888-2770
(281) 888-2770
Mai Pham/EHOU

UB Preserv

1609 Westheimer Rd, Houston, TX 77006
Julie Soefer Photography

Crispy rice and a ton of herbs are a ridiculously addictive combination, as this salad at UB Preserv proves. Looking for something even lighter? Try the tomato salad, a mix of blackberry, peach, and ridiculously fresh tomatoes.

1609 Westheimer Rd, Houston, TX 77006
(346) 406-5923
(346) 406-5923
Julie Soefer Photography

Local Foods

2424 Dunstan Rd, Houston, TX
Local Foods/Facebook

Whenever healthy food tastes as delicious as its greasy counterpart, it’s always a success. The vegan taco salad at Local Foods serves up the same flavor profile as the Tex-Mex classic, with plenty more healthy ingredients. Packed with vegan “taco meat,” avocado, pickled red onions, and kale, this is the kind of salad that even carnivores can appreciate.

2424 Dunstan Rd, Houston, TX
(713) 521-7800
(713) 521-7800
Local Foods/Facebook

Third Coast Restaurant

6550 Bertner Ave f6, Houston, TX 77030

Watermelon salad is a summer classic, and Third Coast’s take adds a tangy Mexican twist to the dish. Cubes of sweet melon are paired with shaved onion, baby heirloom tomatoes, cotija cheese, basil, and a drizzle of sweet chamoy.

6550 Bertner Ave f6, Houston, TX 77030
(713) 749-0400
(713) 749-0400

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