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| Spectacular Dining in Houston |
With so many restaurants opening all over Houston, it can be overwhelming to keep track of what’s new and where to go. The following is a selection of Houston’s newest restaurants opening within the past six months and a little bit about them so that the next time you are looking for something new, you will know where to go.
Set on the bottom floor of the Westin Houston Memorial City Hotel, the Trattoria Il Mulino provides a casually elegant atmosphere and a menu filled with pizzas, pastas, signature Italian dishes and an extensive wine list. Inside, the interior is warmly inviting with a well-matched blend of rustic and contemporary accents. The open kitchen gives guests the perfect view of the culinary action. Guests can reserve one of the private dining rooms and enjoy customized menus, too.
The Blue Fish Sushi, located at the Bayou Place, is all about serving up the freshest sushi in a modern atmosphere. The restaurant features panoramic seascape murals surrounded by ultra-modern fixtures and design elements. There’s a long sushi bar for those who want that intimate experience with the sushi chef. You will also get a fantastic view of the Theatre District and surrounding downtown.
Located in the West Ave development, Pondicheri is a casual breakfast, lunch and dinner eatery serving up bite-sized pakoras, seekh kebabs and goat biryani. It is all happening in a sleek and modern space in the middle of the mixed-use center. Large steel and glass window panels and handcrafted doors are veritable works of art. The tiles provide a great contrast to the countertops and tabletops made from reclaimed wood damaged during Hurricane Ike. Indian influences abound here, from the bright patterned upholstery purchased in open-air markets to the unmistakable scent of Indian food being prepared.
Seven years after the founding of the first Tasting Room, the family-run wine café and retail shop concept has expanded with a third location to west Houston’s City Centre. Inside, the open kitchen, full-service charcuterie bar and wood-burning brick pizza oven add to the restaurant’s allure. This location also ups the ante with an Enoteca wine system that allows customers to swipe pre-paid cards and sample different wines from a temperature-controlled environment.
The Ava Kitchen & Whiskey Bar opened just a few months ago and is already adding to the allure of River Oaks’ West Ave development with a new Continental-focused menu. You can look forward to a mix of seafood, pasta and steak dishes, as well as a solid whiskey assortment on the cocktail menu.
Located on Post Oak, just steps from the Galleria, Philippe Restaurant & Lounge brings casual elegance to Uptown Houston and an array of eclectic French fare with a Texas twist. Expect a menu filled with reinvented European classic dishes. Don't think about leaving before experiencing the chocolate cake with house-made hazelnut sorbet. Beyond the cuisine, design also plays heavily into the experience at Philippe.
Mai's is back. After a two-alarm fire gutted the decades-old eatery in early 2010, the owners recently reopened with a whole new look and a new menu. The renovated restaurant has a more contemporary look and feel, with accents such as mosaic tiles, warm wood-toned millwork, bamboo and stone.
From the owner of Ibiza, Brasserie 19 offers guests a place to feel at home, to dine simply, with a well-executed menu of high-quality French fare. The menu features classic French cuisine with modern American influences. Gulf Coast Bouillabaisse, Texas Sweet Onion Soup and Steak Frites are just a few among the menu’s offerings, as is an carefully developed wine list.
Toyama Japanese Restaurant is the newest Japanese restaurant from the same family that owns Osaka on Westheimer. The interior of Toyama shimmers with a modern electricity and neon installations lighting up the room. You can also find natural stonewalls contrasting with stark black and reddish-orange upholstery throughout.
Located in the historic Art Warehouse District in downtown, Latin Bites Cafe brings a new and fresh alternative inspired in the exquisite flavors of South American Cuisine. You can try a fresh Peruvian-style cebiche at the Cebiche Bar, or enjoy a sampler of delicious appetizers such as arepas, causitas and empanadas. Bring your own bottle of wine and enjoy a variety of flavors.
Zimm’s Little Deck is the latest in the Zimmerman family’s growing cadre of Montrose restaurants, this one with a Cajun twist. The Zimm’s Little Deck oyster bar is friendly and casual cuisine. Some of the more popular dishes are the hearty gumbos, shrimp rémoulade and croque monsieur hushpuppies. The sticky, sweet praline bourbon bread pudding is delicious. Specialty drinks include hurricanes and gin fizzes, but there is also wine list and plenty of craft beers.
Fresh, flavorful and authentic describes the cuisine at TQLA Houston. TQLA celebrates the heritage and flavors of Southwestern and Coastal Mexican cooking, by combining the freshest ingredients with a fun and energetic atmosphere. TQLA’s name pays homage to one of the fastest growing spirits in the world. Tequilas and Mezcals can be enjoyed much like any fine wine or single malt Scotch. With complex flavors and undertones present, there is much more than meets the eye. TQLA’s master mixologists use their knowledge of their vast selections to make some of the finest infusions, cocktails and martinis in Houston.
Restaurant CINQ is beginning a new era on its 30th anniversary by introducing a new dinning experience as a completely independent brand for the first time. This romantic restaurant is located at the landmark La Colombe d’Or boutique hotel. CINQ offers modern French cuisine with a Texas twist. Next to their extensive wine list, which consists mostly of French selections, the restaurant also serves its own wine label from the Province.
Set on the bottom floor of the Westin Houston Memorial City Hotel, the Trattoria Il Mulino provides a casually elegant atmosphere and a menu filled with pizzas, pastas, signature Italian dishes and an extensive wine list. Inside, the interior is warmly inviting with a well-matched blend of rustic and contemporary accents. The open kitchen gives guests the perfect view of the culinary action. Guests can reserve one of the private dining rooms and enjoy customized menus, too.
The Blue Fish Sushi, located at the Bayou Place, is all about serving up the freshest sushi in a modern atmosphere. The restaurant features panoramic seascape murals surrounded by ultra-modern fixtures and design elements. There’s a long sushi bar for those who want that intimate experience with the sushi chef. You will also get a fantastic view of the Theatre District and surrounding downtown.
Located in the West Ave development, Pondicheri is a casual breakfast, lunch and dinner eatery serving up bite-sized pakoras, seekh kebabs and goat biryani. It is all happening in a sleek and modern space in the middle of the mixed-use center. Large steel and glass window panels and handcrafted doors are veritable works of art. The tiles provide a great contrast to the countertops and tabletops made from reclaimed wood damaged during Hurricane Ike. Indian influences abound here, from the bright patterned upholstery purchased in open-air markets to the unmistakable scent of Indian food being prepared.
Seven years after the founding of the first Tasting Room, the family-run wine café and retail shop concept has expanded with a third location to west Houston’s City Centre. Inside, the open kitchen, full-service charcuterie bar and wood-burning brick pizza oven add to the restaurant’s allure. This location also ups the ante with an Enoteca wine system that allows customers to swipe pre-paid cards and sample different wines from a temperature-controlled environment.
The Ava Kitchen & Whiskey Bar opened just a few months ago and is already adding to the allure of River Oaks’ West Ave development with a new Continental-focused menu. You can look forward to a mix of seafood, pasta and steak dishes, as well as a solid whiskey assortment on the cocktail menu.
Located on Post Oak, just steps from the Galleria, Philippe Restaurant & Lounge brings casual elegance to Uptown Houston and an array of eclectic French fare with a Texas twist. Expect a menu filled with reinvented European classic dishes. Don't think about leaving before experiencing the chocolate cake with house-made hazelnut sorbet. Beyond the cuisine, design also plays heavily into the experience at Philippe.
Mai's is back. After a two-alarm fire gutted the decades-old eatery in early 2010, the owners recently reopened with a whole new look and a new menu. The renovated restaurant has a more contemporary look and feel, with accents such as mosaic tiles, warm wood-toned millwork, bamboo and stone.
From the owner of Ibiza, Brasserie 19 offers guests a place to feel at home, to dine simply, with a well-executed menu of high-quality French fare. The menu features classic French cuisine with modern American influences. Gulf Coast Bouillabaisse, Texas Sweet Onion Soup and Steak Frites are just a few among the menu’s offerings, as is an carefully developed wine list.
Toyama Japanese Restaurant is the newest Japanese restaurant from the same family that owns Osaka on Westheimer. The interior of Toyama shimmers with a modern electricity and neon installations lighting up the room. You can also find natural stonewalls contrasting with stark black and reddish-orange upholstery throughout.
Located in the historic Art Warehouse District in downtown, Latin Bites Cafe brings a new and fresh alternative inspired in the exquisite flavors of South American Cuisine. You can try a fresh Peruvian-style cebiche at the Cebiche Bar, or enjoy a sampler of delicious appetizers such as arepas, causitas and empanadas. Bring your own bottle of wine and enjoy a variety of flavors.
Zimm’s Little Deck is the latest in the Zimmerman family’s growing cadre of Montrose restaurants, this one with a Cajun twist. The Zimm’s Little Deck oyster bar is friendly and casual cuisine. Some of the more popular dishes are the hearty gumbos, shrimp rémoulade and croque monsieur hushpuppies. The sticky, sweet praline bourbon bread pudding is delicious. Specialty drinks include hurricanes and gin fizzes, but there is also wine list and plenty of craft beers.
Fresh, flavorful and authentic describes the cuisine at TQLA Houston. TQLA celebrates the heritage and flavors of Southwestern and Coastal Mexican cooking, by combining the freshest ingredients with a fun and energetic atmosphere. TQLA’s name pays homage to one of the fastest growing spirits in the world. Tequilas and Mezcals can be enjoyed much like any fine wine or single malt Scotch. With complex flavors and undertones present, there is much more than meets the eye. TQLA’s master mixologists use their knowledge of their vast selections to make some of the finest infusions, cocktails and martinis in Houston.
Restaurant CINQ is beginning a new era on its 30th anniversary by introducing a new dinning experience as a completely independent brand for the first time. This romantic restaurant is located at the landmark La Colombe d’Or boutique hotel. CINQ offers modern French cuisine with a Texas twist. Next to their extensive wine list, which consists mostly of French selections, the restaurant also serves its own wine label from the Province.
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