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    Foodie News

    Where to eat right now: 10 hot, must-try restaurants for July

    Ruthie Miller
    Jul 9, 2012 | 10:43 am
    • Chris Leung's modern desserts offer finishing fireworks to an already stellarexperience at Kata Robata.
      Photo by Ruthie Johnson Miller
    • Double Trouble offers coffees, cocktails and beers.
      Photo by Ruthie Johnson Miller
    • A lunchtime omelet with caramelized onions and frites at Cafe Brussels
      Photo by Ruthie Johnson Miller
    • Sale Sucre offers a menu of French favorites, including sweet and savory crepes.
      Photo by Ruthie Johnson Miller
    • The ever-fabulous Ceviche Mixto at Latin Bites Cafe
      Photo by Ruthie Johnson Miller
    • The oblong burgers at Mia's are delicious, but are they worth the price tag?
      Photo by Ruthie Johnson Miller
    • The Dan Dan Noodles at Mala Sichuan are always satisfyingly on point.
      Photo by Ruthie Johnson Miller
    • Sliders are the way to go at J. Black's. Stop by for Happy Hour.
      Photo by Ruthie Johnson Miller

    Houston is hoppin’ these days! Need a lunch or dinner recommendation? Here are 10 hot places to try in July.

    Some are new restaurants entirely, while others are seasoned venues with new offerings, but all are well worth a visit.

     Kata Robata
     Kata Robata quietly maintains its place as one of Houston’s top restaurants, and recently it's kicked up its offerings even further with the addition of pastry chef Chris Leung. Leung’s creative, modern desserts offer a breathtaking complement to the stellar Japanese menu. Sushi offerings are as brilliant as ever.

     Cafe Brussels
    The former Dharma Cafe space has been converted to a Belgian delight with brightly colored walls and an enviable display of art. A recent lunchtime visit to Cafe Brussels included a dreamy mushroom soup, as well as an excellent omelet with caramelized onions.

    Remember the wonderful mussels and frites at the Broken Spoke Cafe? You’ll find them here, too.

     Mia’s
     Mia’s, the new fast-casual offering from the Carrabba's group, has family friendly written all over it. Literally. It’s actually painted multiple times on the walls out front.

    Burgers dominate the menu, and they’re tasty, though pricey (cheeseburger = $10.50). Milkshakes made with Blue Bell ice cream are delicious, but you might opt for the soft serve offered “free to kids of all ages.”

     Salé-Sucré
    There’s a new French bistro in town: Salé-Sucré on the new White Oak “restaurant row” in the Heights. Crepes are a specialty, but if that’s not your fancy, there’s a full menu of French favorites to peruse.

    Salé-Sucré is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It also boasts a fully stocked bar so you can truly capture the Parisian spirit. Haw haw haw.

     J. Black’s
    The crowds have already discovered J. Black’s, which has taken over the former Phil’s Barbecue spot on Washington Avenue at Heights Boulevard. Sliders are the star of the menu, and we sure enjoyed the version with Niman Ranch bacon, caramelized onion and sautéed mushrooms.

    Pizzas are middling, but the hot wings are worthy. Fun for happy hour.

     Trader Joe’s
    This upscale California-based market recently opened its first Houston-area location, right in the heart of The Woodlands. Trader Joe’s offers a nice selection of high-quality produce, meats, cheeses and prepared foods.

    Prices are decent, but that often means buying in multiples (fruits and vegetables, for example, are often packaged in groups of three).

     Double Trouble
     Double Trouble, in Midtown near the Continental Club, offers two times the fun with both coffee and cocktails for the taking. There’s a nice craft beer selection too, so perhaps we should dub it Triple Trouble.

    The vintage furniture is great for lounging, and Melange Creperie serves crepes out front some nights (check the Twitter feed for updates).

     Mala Sichuan
    This new Sichuan go-to spot is hot — in both the literal and figurative senses. The meat dishes have been hit-or-miss for me, but the noodles and veggies dishes are consistently excellent. And apparently some of Houston’s top chefs like to dine here as well.

    Don’t forget to BYOB, and you’ll get a five-percent discount on your bill if you pay in cash.
     
     Firehouse Tacos
    This fiery food truck is owned and operated by a retired Houston fire fighter. Large, fajita-like tacos are the specialty, though you can also find quesadillas and other sundry items. You’ll often find this truck perched in the Museum District, but check its Twitter feed for a daily location.

    You can’t miss the truck, a bright ruby red, complete with ladder, fire ax and flashing lights.
     
     Latin Bites Cafe
    This Peruvian place has quietly and consistently turned heads in Houston. The place still fills nightly, even in its much larger new space on Woodway in Tanglewood.

    The menu features a fantastic selection of ceviches, chifas empanadas, and other South American specialties. Recently it's started offering a Sunday brunch, a weekday happy hour and a Pisco bar.

    Need more recs? Try our lists from previous months:

     November – December – January – March – May – June
     

    unspecified
    news/restaurants-bars

    hola, mayahuel

    Netflix chef's modern Mexican restaurant opens in Houston this month

    Eric Sandler
    Jul 7, 2025 | 6:45 pm
    Mayahuel restaurant
    Photo by Bethany Ochs
    Mayahuel's menu combines seasonal ingredients and heirloom corn.

    The countdown is on to Houston’s newest modern Mexican restaurant. Mayahuel will officially open for dinner on Friday, July 18.

    Located in the Autry Park mixed-use development, Mayahuel united Culinary Khancepts — the hospitality group behind Liberty Kitchen, State Fare, and Leo’s River Oaks (among others) — with star chef Luis Robledo Richards. Known locally for his short-lived taqueria Comalito, Richards is the pastry chef behind Mexico City’s celebrated Tout Chocolat. His resume includes serving as a judge on the Netflix series Sugar Rush: The Baking Point and being named the Best Pastry Chef in Latin America by the World’s 50 Best Restaurants.

    At Mayahuel, Richards will feature dishes made with seasonal ingredients and heirloom corn that’s imported from Mexico. At opening, it will be a tidy group of 16 savory dishes — divided into starters, “Tacos y Masa,” and entrees, as well as a separate tasting menu. The restaurant takes its name from the Mexica goddess of the maguey plant, which only blooms once, to emphasize its connection to Mexico’s land and culture.

    “At Mayahuel, we’re not just preparing food — we’re honoring time, place, and process,” Richards said in a statement. “Our ingredients are chosen only when they’re at their best. We don’t force nature to fit our schedule — we follow its lead.”

    Dinner at Mayahuel could begin with dishes such as bread and tortillas served with miso and salsa matcha butters, a bluefin tuna tostada with uni cream and yuzu aioli, salmon aguachile, or a beef carnitas croquette. The “Tacos y Masa” section includes beef cheek and shrimp tacos, a duck confit tamal, and a squash blossom tetela. Entree choices include filet mignon with mole negro, cochinita with black bean puree and tortillas, and sea bass with potatoes and salsa Veracruzana.

    Brunch is a more casual affair built around items such as chilaquiles, French toast, enfrijoladas, and a Mexican take on eggs Benedict topped with salsa roja hollandaise.

    Large format desserts each take inspiration from one of three ingredients — vanilla, coffee, or cacao. Priced at $28 each, the menu describes them as “a thoughtful, interactive finale that honors tradition through technique, seasonality, and imagination.”

    Pairings include cocktails made with agave spirits, fresh juices, and house made syrups. Notably, all tequilas will be additive-free, which means some prominent brands may not be featured behind Mayahuel’s bar.

    The restaurant occupies an approximately 5,100-square-foot space that’s divided into a 16-seat bar, a 40-seat dining room, an eight-seat chef’s table, a 36-seat, second floor dining room, and a 34-seat patio. It joins other concepts in Autry Park such as French restaurant Annabelle Brasserie, sushi spot Doko, fine dining steakhouse Turner’s Cut, Vietnamese restaurant Annam, and a still-unnamed concept from Austin’s Emmer & Rye Hospitality.

    “Mayahuel is about creating a sense of place and story,” Culinary Khancepts founder Omar Khan said. “It’s a natural evolution for our group — rooted in culture, crafted with care, and designed to be as memorable as it is welcoming.”

    Mayahuel will be open for happy hour and dinner Monday-Saturday and brunch on Saturday and Sunday. Reservations are available on OpenTable.

    Mayahuel restaurant
      

    Photo by Bethany Ochs

    Mayahuel's menu combines seasonal ingredients and heirloom corn.

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