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    Meet the Top 100

    Introducing CultureMap's Top 100: The very best restaurants in Houston right now

    Eric Sandler
    Sep 5, 2019 | 1:50 pm

    "What's your favorite restaurant?" That question, sometimes phrased as, "What's the best restaurant in Houston?" is the one CultureMap readers ask me most often.

    For the entirety of my six years at CultureMap, I haven't had a comprehensive answer to that inquiry. Our Where to Eat Right Now series provides a monthly snapshot, the annual Best New Restaurants list provides more definitive rankings for a single year, and our annual Tastemakers Awards offers a perspective on the year in dining from restaurant industry leaders.

    Consider this list — CultureMap's Top 100 — a more thorough accounting of the current state of the dining scene. Or, to adopt the rubric of our headlines, the 100 best Houston restaurants right now.

    That phrasing is important. Generally, the list looks at our city's dining scene from a CultureMap perspective. Specifically, that means it prefers culinarily ambitious casual concepts to fine-dining temples and Inner Loop favorites over suburban hot spots. In other words, the restaurants on this list that are beyond the Beltway are really, really good. Veteran establishments have to be operating at a high level to merit consideration; longevity is not a substitute for quality.

    Serving delicious, well-prepared food is only the first hurdle a restaurant has to clear for a spot on this list. A restaurant should also provide excellent service and an appealing atmosphere. Smart, focused beverage programs and innovative dishes made with thoughtful techniques and high-quality ingredients all helped elevate some establishments over others. The results reflect an overall assessment of their quality based on food, service, atmosphere, and overall excitement.

    Generally, readers may think of the ranking as follows:

    • 1-30: The city's most outstanding restaurants regardless of price, cuisine, location, or style.
    • 31-60: Restaurants that are outstanding in their category (the best burgers, barbecue joints, steakhouses, Tex-Mex, etc.).
    • 61-90: Restaurants that do most things very well and generally make Houston a better, more exciting place to dine.
    • 91-100: Restaurants with one or two outstanding dishes or that I feel a personal affection towards (for example, the French dip at Houston's, which is an outstanding dish at a restaurant that I feel affection for).

    This list is based on my personal experiences visiting all of these restaurants since 2018 — the vast majority in 2019. Since June, I've been on a dedicated hunt to round this list out by visiting places I had overlooked in the past (Hai Cang and Aga's being two examples), trying places I had heard good things about but that didn't make the list for one reason or another (Habanera and The Guero), and revisiting places I really liked previously that came up a little short in their current iteration (sorry, Tiger Den).

    With that acknowledgement come some frank admissions: in a city with more than 10,000 restaurants, I can't visit every possible place that might deserve a spot. For example, despite the urgings of a member of the CultureMap sales team, I didn't take the time to visit Artisans. I also didn't revisit places where my prior experience didn't match its lofty reputation, including a well-known Montrose restaurant with a very strict footwear policy. To Da Marco fans, I say, have you been to Potente? Have you tried the pastas at Weights + Measures? You really should.

    It also skews toward my personal taste. This list is heavy on barbecue, steakhouses, and other meaty places. While it pains me not to have any Thai, Korean, or West African restaurants, I didn't find any that stood out. Flood my inbox with suggestions. I'll try them by next year.

    One other admission: This list will start to feel outdated by the end of the year. Summer and fall's new arrivals — Rosie Cannonball, Rosalie Italian Soul, The Annie Cafe, Guard & Grace, Toukei Izakaya, Musaafer, Penny Quarter, etc. — all have the potential to occupy spots on a list like this one. That's just a testament to how dynamic the city's dining scene is and how talented the people are who work in it. Things move pretty fast around here.

    I'm excited for people to read and react to the list. I hope my work guides CultureMap readers to great meals at places they've never tried before or prompts people to revisit a familiar place that's slipped off their radar.

    As for the No. 1 spot, my esteem for Riel is hardly a secret. Ryan Lachaine's Montrose restaurant continues to improve in all aspects. Consider this summer's butter burgers, which have become a social media sensation, or the new cocktails general manager Nicholas Nguyen has added to the menu. I am always excited about dining there, and I have never left disappointed. It is, in my educated opinion, Houston's best restaurant. For now.

    ---

    Use CultureMap's Top 100 list to visit the most outstanding institutions, old-guard favorites, and neighborhood gems in Houston.

    No. 2: Nancy's Hustle.

    Nancy's Hustle Nancy Cakes
      
    Courtesy photo
    No. 2: Nancy's Hustle.
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    a very fine house

    East Coast-inspired tavern shakes up Rice Village with 'World's Coldest Martini'

    Eric Sandler
    May 19, 2025 | 9:09 am
    Hudson House restaurant Rice Village
    Photo by Becca Wright
    Hudson House is bringing its signature martinis to Rice Village.

    The “World’s Coldest Martini” is coming to Rice Village. Hudson House will open its second Houston-area location this Wednesday, May 21.

    Located between CB2 and Banana Republic at 2414 University Blvd., Hudson House is part of the Dallas-based Vandelay Hospitality Group that also includes Drake’s Hollywood, a retro-styled steakhouse that opened in Montrose last summer. For Rice Village, Hudson House’s new, 6,000-square-foot restaurant follows the model of the River Oaks location that opened in 2023. That means navy leather booths, brass accents, and a polished wood bar that serves as a focal point.

    The menu takes its inspiration from East Coast taverns. That includes items such as a cheeseburger, lobster roll, lobster mac and cheese, steak frites, entree salads, and chicken parm. Raw bar offerings include East Coast oysters, shrimp cocktail, and sushi rolls. The brunch menu features pancakes, eggs Benedict, and a bagel with lox and cream cheese.

    Hudson House pairs its dishes with a selection of classic cocktails that is highlighted by the “World’s Coldest Martini.” To achieve the proper effect, the drink is poured from a frozen bottle and served in a frozen glass. Other martini options include the Bleu & Gold (made with olive juice and blue cheese-stuffed olives) and a Lemon Drop that’s topped with limoncello foam. Hudson House also offers wines by-the-glass, beer, and non-alcoholic options.

    Hudson House opens at 11 am for lunch and dinner during the weekend and at 10 am on Saturday and Sunday for brunch. Happy hour, served Monday-Friday from 3-6 pm, includes half-off all martinis, bellinis, and wines by-the-glass as well as $10 cheeseburgers and $3 East Coast oysters.

    “We’re looking forward to bringing a second Hudson House to Houston,” Vandelay founder and CEO Hunter Pond said in a statement. “Our River Oaks location has seen strong support since opening just over a year ago, and we’re confident Rice Village will follow suit. With its already vibrant community and bustling shopping scene, Rice Village offers an ideal background for our beloved coastal-inspired American cuisine.”

    Hudson House restaurant Rice Village
      

    Photo by Becca Wright

    Hudson House is bringing its signature martinis to Rice Village.

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