• Home
  • popular
  • EVENTS
  • submit-new-event
  • CHARITY GUIDE
  • Children
  • Education
  • Health
  • Veterans
  • Social Services
  • Arts + Culture
  • Animals
  • LGBTQ
  • New Charity
  • TRENDING NEWS
  • News
  • City Life
  • Entertainment
  • Sports
  • Home + Design
  • Travel
  • Real Estate
  • Restaurants + Bars
  • Arts
  • Society
  • Innovation
  • Fashion + Beauty
  • subscribe
  • about
  • series
  • Embracing Your Inner Cowboy
  • Green Living
  • Summer Fun
  • Real Estate Confidential
  • RX In the City
  • State of the Arts
  • Fall For Fashion
  • Cai's Odyssey
  • Comforts of Home
  • Good Eats
  • Holiday Gift Guide 2010
  • Holiday Gift Guide 2
  • Good Eats 2
  • HMNS Pirates
  • The Future of Houston
  • We Heart Hou 2
  • Music Inspires
  • True Grit
  • Hoops City
  • Green Living 2011
  • Cruizin for a Cure
  • Summer Fun 2011
  • Just Beat It
  • Real Estate 2011
  • Shelby on the Seine
  • Rx in the City 2011
  • Entrepreneur Video Series
  • Going Wild Zoo
  • State of the Arts 2011
  • Fall for Fashion 2011
  • Elaine Turner 2011
  • Comforts of Home 2011
  • King Tut
  • Chevy Girls
  • Good Eats 2011
  • Ready to Jingle
  • Houston at 175
  • The Love Month
  • Clifford on The Catwalk Htx
  • Let's Go Rodeo 2012
  • King's Harbor
  • FotoFest 2012
  • City Centre
  • Hidden Houston
  • Green Living 2012
  • Summer Fun 2012
  • Bookmark
  • 1987: The year that changed Houston
  • Best of Everything 2012
  • Real Estate 2012
  • Rx in the City 2012
  • Lost Pines Road Trip Houston
  • London Dreams
  • State of the Arts 2012
  • HTX Fall For Fashion 2012
  • HTX Good Eats 2012
  • HTX Contemporary Arts 2012
  • HCC 2012
  • Dine to Donate
  • Tasting Room
  • HTX Comforts of Home 2012
  • Charming Charlie
  • Asia Society
  • HTX Ready to Jingle 2012
  • HTX Mistletoe on the go
  • HTX Sun and Ski
  • HTX Cars in Lifestyle
  • HTX New Beginnings
  • HTX Wonderful Weddings
  • HTX Clifford on the Catwalk 2013
  • Zadok Sparkle into Spring
  • HTX Let's Go Rodeo 2013
  • HCC Passion for Fashion
  • BCAF 2013
  • HTX Best of 2013
  • HTX City Centre 2013
  • HTX Real Estate 2013
  • HTX France 2013
  • Driving in Style
  • HTX Island Time
  • HTX Super Season 2013
  • HTX Music Scene 2013
  • HTX Clifford on the Catwalk 2013 2
  • HTX Baker Institute
  • HTX Comforts of Home 2013
  • Mothers Day Gift Guide 2021 Houston
  • Staying Ahead of the Game
  • Wrangler Houston
  • First-time Homebuyers Guide Houston 2021
  • Visit Frisco Houston
  • promoted
  • eventdetail
  • Greystar Novel River Oaks
  • Thirdhome Go Houston
  • Dogfish Head Houston
  • LovBe Houston
  • Claire St Amant podcast Houston
  • The Listing Firm Houston
  • South Padre Houston
  • NextGen Real Estate Houston
  • Pioneer Houston
  • Collaborative for Children
  • Decorum
  • Bold Rock Cider
  • Nasher Houston
  • Houston Tastemaker Awards 2021
  • CityNorth
  • Urban Office
  • Villa Cotton
  • Luck Springs Houston
  • EightyTwo
  • Rectanglo.com
  • Silver Eagle Karbach
  • Mirador Group
  • Nirmanz
  • Bandera Houston
  • Milan Laser
  • Lafayette Travel
  • Highland Park Village Houston
  • Proximo Spirits
  • Douglas Elliman Harris Benson
  • Original ChopShop
  • Bordeaux Houston
  • Strike Marketing
  • Rice Village Gift Guide 2021
  • Downtown District
  • Broadstone Memorial Park
  • Gift Guide
  • Music Lane
  • Blue Circle Foods
  • Houston Tastemaker Awards 2022
  • True Rest
  • Lone Star Sports
  • Silver Eagle Hard Soda
  • Modelo recipes
  • Modelo Fighting Spirit
  • Athletic Brewing
  • Rodeo Houston
  • Silver Eagle Bud Light Next
  • Waco CVB
  • EnerGenie
  • HLSR Wine Committee
  • All Hands
  • El Paso
  • Avenida Houston
  • Visit Lubbock Houston
  • JW Marriott San Antonio
  • Silver Eagle Tupps
  • Space Center Houston
  • Central Market Houston
  • Boulevard Realty
  • Travel Texas Houston
  • Alliantgroup
  • Golf Live
  • DC Partners
  • Under the Influencer
  • Blossom Hotel
  • San Marcos Houston
  • Photo Essay: Holiday Gift Guide 2009
  • We Heart Hou
  • Walker House
  • HTX Good Eats 2013
  • HTX Ready to Jingle 2013
  • HTX Culture Motive
  • HTX Auto Awards
  • HTX Ski Magic
  • HTX Wonderful Weddings 2014
  • HTX Texas Traveler
  • HTX Cifford on the Catwalk 2014
  • HTX United Way 2014
  • HTX Up to Speed
  • HTX Rodeo 2014
  • HTX City Centre 2014
  • HTX Dos Equis
  • HTX Tastemakers 2014
  • HTX Reliant
  • HTX Houston Symphony
  • HTX Trailblazers
  • HTX_RealEstateConfidential_2014
  • HTX_IW_Marks_FashionSeries
  • HTX_Green_Street
  • Dating 101
  • HTX_Clifford_on_the_Catwalk_2014
  • FIVE CultureMap 5th Birthday Bash
  • HTX Clifford on the Catwalk 2014 TEST
  • HTX Texans
  • Bergner and Johnson
  • HTX Good Eats 2014
  • United Way 2014-15_Single Promoted Articles
  • Holiday Pop Up Shop Houston
  • Where to Eat Houston
  • Copious Row Single Promoted Articles
  • HTX Ready to Jingle 2014
  • htx woodford reserve manhattans
  • Zadok Swiss Watches
  • HTX Wonderful Weddings 2015
  • HTX Charity Challenge 2015
  • United Way Helpline Promoted Article
  • Boulevard Realty
  • Fusion Academy Promoted Article
  • Clifford on the Catwalk Fall 2015
  • United Way Book Power Promoted Article
  • Jameson HTX
  • Primavera 2015
  • Promenade Place
  • Hotel Galvez
  • Tremont House
  • HTX Tastemakers 2015
  • HTX Digital Graffiti/Alys Beach
  • MD Anderson Breast Cancer Promoted Article
  • HTX RealEstateConfidential 2015
  • HTX Vargos on the Lake
  • Omni Hotel HTX
  • Undies for Everyone
  • Reliant Bright Ideas Houston
  • 2015 Houston Stylemaker
  • HTX Renewable You
  • Urban Flats Builder
  • Urban Flats Builder
  • HTX New York Fashion Week spring 2016
  • Kyrie Massage
  • Red Bull Flying Bach
  • Hotze Health and Wellness
  • ReadFest 2015
  • Alzheimer's Promoted Article
  • Formula 1 Giveaway
  • Professional Skin Treatments by NuMe Express

    where to eat right now

    Where to eat in Houston right now: 9 fresh restaurants to sample in the new year

    Eric Sandler
    Jan 18, 2022 | 4:47 pm
    Meals at Daily Gather start with shareable plates.
    Meals at Daily Gather start with shareable plates.
    Photo by Debora Smail

    Even by the usual standards of Houston's bustling restaurant scene, the past couple of months have been a busy time for new openings. Successful operators have debuted several promising concepts that all clamor for people’s attention.

    From the return of a beloved burger joint to a new burger joint from a James Beard Award winner — wait, that doesn’t sound like much diversity. Let’s highlight a new omakase concept from a veteran chef, a new interior Mexican restaurant for the Memorial area, the barbecue restaurant Cypress has been clamoring for, and a compelling new option for Memorial-area diners.

    As always, these are roughly ordered by the priority I would give to trying them, but all of the entries on the list have something to offer. Write-ups are based on actual experiences dining at the listed restaurants (sometimes more than once). They’re less formal reviews than a guide of what to expect along with some suggestions for what to order.

    Daily Gather
    This new spot from the owners of Dish Society offers a refreshing, locally owned alternative to CityCentre’s roster of mostly corporate restaurants. The former International Smoke space has been given a homey makeover by Gin Design Group. Daily Gather demonstrates its commitment to “gatherings” in a number of ways, including by providing every table with a deck of cards that suggest topics designed to spark conversation.

    Those who know chef Brandi Key from her time at Clark Cooper Concepts will find much to like about Daily Gather’s eclectic menu. Start with cold seafood dishes such as the flavorful tuna aguachile before moving on to shareable small plates like elote cornbread, roasted bone marrow, and the must-order citrus avocado. Braised short rib with Parisian-style gnocchi and seared salmon with Vietnamese herbs are standouts among the entrees.

    An extensive selection of cocktails, both alcoholic and zero proof, offers plenty of pairing options. Like Dish Society, it’s family friendly with a kids menu available.

    Kinokawa
    After earning acclaim at Blackbird Izakaya and opening Hidden Omakase, chef Billy Kin returns to the kitchen with this intimate omakase counter in the former Golden Bagels space. Kin is an incredibly affable host, engaging in banter with his diners as he explains the conception of his dishes.

    Part of what sets Kinokawa apart from other, similar restaurants is Kin’s improvisational style. Instead of following a standard progression of nigiri that ends in tuna and wagyu beef, meals at Kinokawa mix hot and cold dishes that keep diners intrigued about what might come next. For example, lightly charred toro nigiri opened the meal, which was followed by shirako, fried cod milt (it has a mild flavor and the texture of organ meat). Other unexpected bites included ankimo in vinaigrette and sauteed Spanish eels. Towards the end, Kin served rice bowls that combined uni, caviar, scallops, and wagyu beef. Of course, any of those courses could be swapped out for others depending on what items he’s had flown in from Japan that week.

    Since my visit, consulting chef Brandon Silva has departed for his next project, but the restaurant always reflects Kin’s vision. While the specific dishes Silva prepared may or may not be available, fans of omakase dining will find an evening at Kinokawa to be well spent.

    Burger-Chan
    Admittedly, this restaurant isn’t new, but its new location near the Galleria provides a good opportunity to revisit the Asian-influenced burger joint. Not only does being above ground make Burger-Chan easier to find, it’s also open for dinner (limited days during its soft opening with more nights in the weeks to come).

    What remains the same is chef Willet Feng’s burgers, which are made with Texas beef from 44 Farms and boosted with an umami glaze. Every burger is built to order; diners choose from two different patty sizes, four different buns, extra proteins (egg, bacon, or spam), three cheeses, all the usual veggies, and a compelling range of housemade sauces such as scallion aioli and sambal mayo.

    The glaze gives the beef a deeply savory flavor that makes the restaurant’s burgers easy to devour, and the numerous topping choices means everyone will find a choice to suit their tastes. Add in fries or tots — available regular or “loaded” with bacon, cheese, scallions, and sour cream — for the full experience.

    Burro & Bull
    Originally a stand in the Conservatory food hall, Veronica and John Avila have brought their smoked Texana concept to a former Corky’s location in Cypress. Now in a dedicated space, Burro & Bull has substantially expanded its menu to cover both traditional barbecue meats like brisket, housemade sausage, and pork ribs alongside Mexican-influenced proteins like beef fajitas, chicken fajitas, and pork steak with pastor seasoning.

    Sides are similarly diverse ranging from potato salad and cole slaw to ranchero beans and calabacitas (Mexican squash with onions, garlic, and corn). A full range of beer and cocktails helps make the restaurant an appealing dinner option.

    While the barbecue needs some tweaking to match Houston’s best joints (ribs on a recent visit were undercooked), the overall menu offers enough tasty options to make it a very compelling addition to the area.

    Norigami
    This sushi hand roll pop-up occurs a couple of times each month in the Hidden Omakase space near the Galleria. As at similar concepts, diners may either order from prix-fixe progressions of three, four, or five rolls or order a la carte (or supplement a progression with a couple of a la carte choices).

    Whereas most hand rolls are served fully wrapped, Norigami’s are left open like a taco, which gives the impression of providing more filling than rice. Options include spicy tuna with a pleasant pop of heat, salmon with yuzu-soy and a tangy roasted garlic aioli, and yellowtail with yuzu koshu, garlic-chili, and avocado. Those looking for something more decadent may opt for toro, uni, foie gras, wagyu beef, or the “menage foie gras” — a combination of all four plus caviar. Reasonable prices (only the menage costs more than $20), speedy service, and the convenience of BYOB enhance the experience.

    Underbelly Burger
    Hay Merchant may be in its final week of operations, but a version of its famed Cease & Desist burger lives on at this newly opened restaurant in the Houston Farmers Market. The entree choices are simple: two different cheeseburgers — one made with meat sourced from 44 Farms and another made with wagyu from R-C Ranch — a veggie burger; a fried chicken sandwich with black pepper buttermilk dressing; and a hot dog made with chef-owner Chris Shepherd’s signature bacon sausage.

    As one would expect, the burger’s combination of two beef patties, two slices of cheese, lettuce, tomato, and pickles on a sesame seed-topped potato bun hits all the classic notes. The bacon sausage hot dog is the menu’s hidden star; it’s split in half, seared on a griddle, and paired with jalapeño mustard. Sidewinder fries balance the thickness and soft interior of a steak fry with the crispy exterior of thinner cuts. A soundtrack of pre-Beatles rock ‘n roll from the ’50s and ’60s provides the right touch for this old school, diner-inspired space.

    Maize
    After working at prominent Houston restaurants Mark’s American Cuisine and Hugo Ortega’s Oaxacan restaurant Xochi, chef Fabian Saldana has opened his first solo project in the former Carmelo’s/B.B. Italia space in the Energy Corridor. Overall, the space feels welcoming with comfortable banquettes and an expansive patio.

    To create Maize’s menu, chef Saldana combines his Mexican heritage with the knowledge he gained working for Ortega. Not surprisingly, corn-based dishes are standouts, including the shrimp empanadas, octopus with salsa negra, and Gulf fish with segueza, a corn-based sauce. Other dishes, particularly too dry barbacoa, showed the kitchen is still finding its footing in executing the menu consistently.

    Still, there’s much to like, including the well made, reasonably priced cocktails and first rate desserts. With his mentor Mark Cox and former Carmelo’s owner Carmelo Mauro assisting in getting Maize up and running, Saldana’s future seems promising.

    Mastro’s Ocean Club
    This crown jewel of Tilman Fertitta’s restaurant empire has arrived in The Woodlands. The differences between Mastro’s Ocean Club and Mastro’s Steakhouse comes down to a few more seafood dishes at Ocean Club, but the restaurants are fundamentally the same: a place for lavish entertaining, over the top dining, and big celebrations.

    Diners who want a traditional steakhouse experience of, say, wedge salad followed by dry-aged ribeye with creamed spinach should probably go elsewhere. It’s not that Mastro’s doesn’t do those things well — a ribeye for two arrived expertly medium rare with a spot-on crust — but going to this restaurant without indulging in its non-traditional sushi rolls (wagyu and asparagus is particularly tasty), chilled seafood towers, or decadent sides like lobster mashed potatoes means missing out on what makes the restaurant special.

    So order that $20 Manhattan and save room for the signature butter cake. After all, excess is the point at Mastro’s.

    Solecita Churrería y Taqueria
    The owners of downtown institution Frank’s Pizza have converted the former Frank’s Backyard into this new concept that sells, wait for it, tacos and churros (and tortas). The mostly outdoor space features a small cart that serves freshly fried churros and an Airstream trailer that houses the kitchen.

    Developed with the assistance of consulting chef Omar Pereney, Solecita serves traditional, street-style tacos wrapped in handmade corn and flour tortillas. Fillings include goat barbacoa, chicken tinga, beef birria, pork carnitas, and a vegetarian option that mixes poblano, potato, mushroom, and roasted corn. A trio of flavorful salsas add a little heat to the mix, and a selection of beverages that include agua frescas cool things down. Downtown certainly doesn’t lack taco options, but more choices are always welcome when they’re this tasty.

    Meals at Daily Gather start with shareable plates.

    Daily Gather food spread
      
    Photo by Debora Smail
    Meals at Daily Gather start with shareable plates.
    where-to-eat
    news/restaurants-bars
    series/where-to-eat-houston

    what's on tap

    Dough-obsessed pizzeria picks River Oaks for first Houston location

    Eric Sandler
    May 22, 2025 | 6:10 pm
    Dough-obsessed pizzeria picks River Oaks for first Houston location
    Courtesy of Pie Tap

    A Dallas pizzeria known for its artisanal dough is coming to Houston. Pie Tap will open its first Bayou City outpost in June.

    Located next to Fielding’s River Oaks in the Novel Residences luxury apartment building, Pie Tap is an endeavor from Dallas restaurateur Rich Hicks and Italian chef Giovanni Mauro. The chef is responsible for the restaurant’s pizza dough, which uses a mother starter and a 96-hour fermentation process that uses natural yeast to achieve a good balance of crunch and chew.

    "Without great dough, you can't have great pizza," Mauro told CultureMap Dallas when the first location opened in 2016. "The idea that the crust is simply a vehicle for toppings is the wrong approach. There has to be a perfect balance of sauce and topping, but you have to have a commitment to the dough. If dough is everything it should be, the pizza is stellar."

    Using Italian flour and natural yeast are essential components of the dough’s flavor, Mauro added.

    "It's the kind of dough our great-grandparents used to eat," he says. "It's a very natural, slow process. We don't use any commercial yeasts. We started a 'mother dough' with a starter that's proprietary to us. It's a five-day process, an absolute minimum of 96 hours, from when we start to when we put the pizza on the plate."

    The restaurant uses that dough to create pizzas that include classics like a margherita, pepperoni, and veggie. Some of the more creative options include the Prosciutto (topped with dates, pistachio, arugula, cheese, and balsamic) and the Salami (calabrese salami, fennel sausage, pepperoni, bacon, and mozzarella).

    In addition to pizza, the restaurant touts its rotisserie chicken, which is served both as a half bird with mashed cauliflower and vegetables and as part of sandwiches, pastas, and salads. Other pastas include pappardelle bolognese, ricotta gnocchi, and the on-trend rigatoni in spicy vodka sauce.

    Having covered “pie,” let’s turn to the “tap” portion of the restaurant’s name. The bar program starts with 30 beers and wines on tap. They’re joined by cocktails, more wines by-the-glass, and non-alcoholic options. Taken together, it’s a compelling package that earned Best New Restaurant in the 2017 CultureMap Dallas Tastemaker Awards.

    “Our talented and dedicated team has been anxiously awaiting this exciting entrance to the Houston market as it is the epitome of all things interesting in food and culture and one of the friendliest and most diverse cities in the U.S. When it comes to our brand, if it is not exceptional, it is unacceptable,” Hicks said in a statement. “We are proud that we have one of the most clean, healthy, and delicious artisan pizzas you can enjoy out there because it has no preservatives, fillers, or additives.”

    Pie Tap will be open for lunch, dinner, happy hour, and weekend brunch.

    Pie Tap Pizza
      

    Courtesy of Pie Tap

    That's what crust looks like when its dough is fermented for 96 hours.

    pizzaopeningsnews-you-can-eatpie tap
    news/restaurants-bars
    series/where-to-eat-houston
    CULTUREMAP EMAILS ARE AWESOME
    Get Houston intel delivered daily.
    Loading...