Your Expert Guide
Memorial Forest: A prime location with storied tradition and tree-lined surrounds
There are so many great places to live in Houston that it helps to have an expert on your side. The Neighborhood Guide presented by Martha Turner Sotheby's International Realty gives you insider access from the agents who live and work there, providing in-the-know info about your possible new community.
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Located in the epicenter of Houston, Memorial Forest is known for its beautiful natural topography, upscale properties, and easy access to major city freeways like the Beltway and I-10.
“Memorial Forest is very much a front-yard neighborhood, surrounded by restaurants and parks and boasting two elementary schools — Bunker Hill and Frostwood — which are within walking distance, as is Memorial Mall,” says Janice Murphy, who is the third generation of a four-generation real estate family.
She lists and sells predominantly in the Memorial neighborhoods, where she has also lived and been an active community member for more than 30 years.
Murphy offered up a few of her personal favorites about life in Memorial Forest. Here's her guide to the area:
Where to eat & drink
"Ciro's Italian Grill not only has great food, there’s a beautiful patio along with an outdoor space for children to run and play, and you can often catch live music there, too,” says Murphy.
She also suggests several other fine restaurants within a five-minute drive, including the coastal flavors of Liberty Kitchen & Oysterette, State Fare Kitchen & Bar’s casual-fun menu (dill pickle dip with house-made barbecue potato chips, anyone?), farm-to-table flair at Dish Society, Southern comfort at Treebeards, and elevated steakhouse fare at Jonathan’s The Rub.
Smoky goodness is served up at Goode Co. Barbeque — and don’t miss sister restaurants Goode Co. Kitchen & Cantina and Goode Co. Seafood, she adds.
For mixing and mingling over drinks, Murphy recommends by Popular Demand (or "bpd," as the locals say).
Where to play
To maximize your downtime in the area, there are parks, movie theaters, shopping, and spas and salons all very close to the Memorial Forest neighborhood.
What to see
Memorial Forest is quite close to the Houston Museum of Natural Science, The Museum of Fine Arts, and the Theater District, where a number of venues host everything from touring Broadway shows to the Houston Grand Opera and the Houston Ballet, along with concerts, bands, comedians, and more.
Where to live
“The average lot size in Memorial Forest is about 10,500 square feet,” advises Murphy. One- and two-story homes range from 2,400 square feet to about 5,600 square feet. “The Architectural Committee ensures that the new builds are styled to fit into the original neighborhood,” she adds.
Murphy highlights the European flair of the stunning 12222 Cobblestone Dr. as representative of the Memorial Forest area, what with its timeless remodel and expansion along with it pool and garage apartment.
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Janice Murphy lives, works, and plays in Memorial Forest. For more information on buying and selling a home in the area, click here, email janice.murphy@sir.com or call 281-236-6853.