Le Mistral

Photo by Shannon O'Hara
Innerloop diners who make the trek out to Le Mistral sometimes refer to the drive as going halfway to San Antonio — but they make it all the same. That's because co-owner and executive chef David Denis has been wowing diners with Provence-style French creations for years, earning recognition from Zagat as the best restaurant in Houston. After an expansion in 2008 that upped the space from 2,700 to more than 9,000 square feet, Le Mistral has perhaps the loveliest dining room on the west side, plus a patio that feels like a trip to Italy.