Bistro Lancaster

Short of spilling red wine on a new Saville Row suit, there are few things more frustrating than endlessly waiting at a fine restaurant for dinner to arrive, only to inhale it in order to make it to the theater on time. Enter Bistro Lancaster—housed in the historic Lancaster Hotel, just across the street from the Alley Theatre and Jones Hall—which has mastered the art of executing elegant and timely pre-theater dining. There’s no stress in the dining room or emotional breakdowns in the kitchen when it comes to delivering quick culinary offerings, because the limited gourmet menu insures that dishes such as encrusted Angus beef filet nestled in Swiss chard, diver scallops with vegetable risotto and Colorado lamb chops will arrive long before they start dimming the house lights for the show. Afterwards, come back to this little jewel box of a restaurant for a slice of cheesecake or a snifter of brandy.

This sunny spot also make for a great downtown breakfast.