Time loves Indigo

Time magazine names Houston restaurant to World's Greatest Places list

Indigo is back in the national spotlight.

Photo by Caroline Fontenot

National media acclaim for Restaurant Indigo shows no signs of slowing down. Time magazine has named chef Jonny Rhodes 13-seat, tasting menu concept to its list of the World's Greatest Places for 2019.

Indigo is one of only two places in Texas on the list, joining San Antonio art museum Ruby City. Only seven American restaurants are included in the "To Eat and Drink" section of Time's list, which includes everything from the Macallan whisky distillery in Craigellachie, Scotland, to the Long Bar at the Raffles Hotel in Singapore.

"At Indigo, history is on the menu," the magazine writes. "The restaurant serves 'neo-soul food,' dishes intended to provoke conversation about the history of black and indigenous people in America. For example, a smoked-pastrami main comes with a primer on the different experiences of Italians and African Americans during the Great Migration."

Being included in such lofty company is only the latest time Indigo has been in the spotlight. The restaurant has been included in best new restaurant lists by Texas Monthly, GQ, Food & Wine, and Eater. Rhodes also earned a James Beard Award semifinalist nomination for Rising Star Chef.

“This last year has been such a ride. It’s an incredible honor to be featured on this list going into year two of business," Rhodes said in a statement. "We actually got the official news this morning while we are in NYC prepping for our first James Beard dinner. It’s just motivation for our team to continue to strive for greatness and making our community proud. We are so grateful to everyone that has had a hand in our development."

Currently, Indigo is closed for August, but Rhodes has stayed busy. He's cooking at the James Beard House in New York City on Friday, August 23, and has teamed up with three other Houston chefs to launch the Food Apartheid Dinner Series. Indigo is currently accepting reservations for its fall menu, which begins September 5.

Time polled its editors, contributors, and industry experts to compile the list of museums, hotels, parks, and restaurants. Factors included "quality, originality, sustainability, innovation, and influence." Other American destinations include Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge in Disneyland, The Shed in New York City, and the Blackberry Mountain resort in Walland, Tennessee.

chefs awards

steakhouse switcheroo

River Oaks restaurant fields a new menu devoted to prime and wagyu steaks

Courtesy of Fielding's Steak

The new menu includes steak and sides such as onion rings.

A River Oaks restaurant is switching things up. After a year of operations, Fielding’s River Oaks has rebranded as Fielding’s Steak with an all-new menu that will launch on Tuesday, January 27.

While the restaurant has always served steaks from Texas ranch 44 Farms, Fielding’s Steak leans more heavily into beef with more cuts and more kinds of beefs, including both American and Japanese wagyu. Similarly, diners can pair their steaks with steakhouse sides such as lobster mac and cheese, creamed spinach, and onion rings.

The new menu starts with four prime steaks — filet, ribeye, NY strip, and bavette — along with a dry-aged cuts including a 35-ounce cowboy ribeye, a porterhouse, a 12-ounce bone-in ribeye, and a 22-ounce bone-in ribeye. Those seeking the most luxurious experience may opt for a wagyu tasting that features four ounces each of Japanese, Australian, and American striploin.

Appetizers and salads include a number of familiar dishes, such as lobster bisque, wedge salad, fried calamari, shrimp cocktail, and an imperial crabcake. Non-steak entrees include maple-brined salmon, lobster risotto, lamb chops, and a grilled Kurobata pork chop with apple mostarda.

Fielding’s River Oaks opened in December 2024. Part of Fielding’s Culinary Group, The Woodlands-based hospitality company behind Fielding’s Local Kitchen & Bar and Fielding’s Wood Grill, the restaurant served a European-inspired menu that included pizzas, pastas, steaks, and seafood.

“Fielding’s Steak represents the natural evolution of who we are and where we’re going,” said CEO Cary Attar said in a statement. “We wanted to create a true steakhouse experience — one that’s chef-driven, ingredient-focused, and worthy of the River Oaks dining scene — while still feeling warm, welcoming, and unmistakably Fielding’s. This new menu allows us to showcase exceptional proteins, refined flavors, and a level of execution that reflects our passion for hospitality and culinary excellence.”

Fielding’s Steak will be open Tuesday through Sunday for lunch from 11:30 am-3 pm and dinner beginning at 5 pm. Reservations are available on OpenTable.

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