This popular seafood destination has a lively location on San Felipe in River Oaks, but its Memorial counterpart is worth visiting too. In addition to a selection of East Coast and Gulf Coast oysters, a sushi menu, and decadences like Texas redfish on the half-shell, the location tucked quietly off of the interstate at Bunker Hill boasts live music from local artists every Friday and Saturday evenings.

Run by mother-son duo Nadereh Ahly and Iman Yarjani, Ember & Greens offers a laid-back, family-friendly atmosphere (and dog-friendly patio) where diners can feast on a variety of flatbreads, a compelling wagyu burger, sweet chili brussels sprouts, and top-notch seafood dishes like blackened salmon with lemon butter and avocado salsa. 

Houston hospitality veteran Kerry Pauly’s new BYOB bistro is a comfortable place to eat, drink and mingle. Hearty lunch and dinner features include a Gulf crab cake atop a bed of house slaw, and 12-hour baby back ribs with a chili-citrus glaze, while desserts like the deep dish double chocolate chip cookie and crème fraiche cheesecake are worthy. Weekend brunch is equally as enticing with a fried egg-topped hot chicken biscuit and seasonal quiche.

Breaking bread at this popular cafe is always a good choice — the in-house bakery turns out fresh baked scones, tarts, and muffins in the morning while delivering a lengthy menu of lunch and dinner options. The charred octopus arrives with toasted baguette, while layered meat sandwiches are presented on brioche buns and butter croissants.

Memorial residents no longer need to trek to Montrose or the Heights in order to wine down at Postino — the beloved Phoenix-based wine bar has opened a location among the retail and restaurants at Town & Country. In addition to shareable bruschetta boards and daily $5 wine happy hour, the Memorial location is the first to debut wine-based cocktails.

Find old-fashioned comfort eats like beef chili Frito pie and fried green tomatoes at this neighborhood gem, or indulge on King Ranch chicken spaghetti or a fried Gulf shrimp platter with jalapeño hushpuppies. Burgers are worth a mention here too. Built with a half-pound Texas Akaushi beef patty and a potato bun, fun varieties include a bacon and egg-topped brunch burger and the Dixie burger with a slather of pimento cheese.

As restaurants offering exclusive tasting menus continue to trend, ReikiNa is the latest to hit the scene, now open at CITYCENTRE. The reservation-only restaurant, helmed by former Uchi chef Thomas Stacy, offers a journey through an adventurous eight-course menu which will rotate often in an effort to maintain its seasonality. At the moment, guests may see dishes like chicken liver mousse with a lychee reduction and char siu pork with cherry bao and pickled fennel.

This beloved Houston steakhouse is a longtime fixture in the area, situated steps from Memorial City Mall. A destination for ladies who lunch, happy hour-goers and the Energy Corridor’s power lunch crowd, Perry’s features steakhouse classics like jumbo shrimp cocktail and crab cakes, plus steaks, chops and bone-in cuts. Visit on Friday for Perry’s popular pork chop lunch special, and settle in with a glass or bottle of Perry’s own reserve wine for some fine food, drink and people watching.

This family-owned restaurant nestled among the retail and shopping at Memorial Green offers guests a full-service experience with hearty comfort eats including a section affectionately coined “New Houston” cuisine. Try the blackened shrimp, scallops and grits, or the smoked bone-in pork chop with bacon-onion gravy. Sunday brunch offerings include the usual suspects, from veggie omelets to steak and eggs, but for something truly unusual, spring for the churro-style waffles.

The food is just half the fun at this South Korean-inspired steakhouse. Seating is centered around open grills, where a member of the Bori staff cooks proteins like filet mignon and marinated boneless short rib, allowing guests to take in all of the sights, sounds and smells of their culinary experience. Here, the grilled meats aren’t the only thing worth feasting your eyes on — Bori is home to its own art gallery featuring local Korean artists, as well as pieces from the owner’s private collection. 

A pioneer among Memorial restaurants, Hungry’s has been a reliable eatery for residents of the area for decades, and it continues to impress. Like its Rice Village location, the restaurant shines when it comes to fresh, farm-to-table eats, sourcing ingredients from Freedman Ranch, Patty’s Herbs and Houston Dairymaids, among others. Opting to evolve with the seasons, Hungry’s remains current with its menus, at the moment showcasing items like chickpea penne pasta, green chile shrimp ceviche, and Cajun red ruby trout.