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    green machine

    James Beard-winning chef opens 26-seat new restaurant in the Heights

    Eric Sandler
    Feb 20, 2026 | 2:30 pm

    An intimate new restaurant with a James Beard Award-winning chef is coming to the Heights. The Green Room will open for dinner on Thursday, March 5.

    Located within the same building as Heights & Co. (1343 Yale St.), the Green Room is a 26-seat, fine dining restaurant with a European-inspired menu. Part of Doke Concepts (Heights & Co., Lazy Lane), the restaurant is led by chef-partner Daniel Davidson and chef de cuisine Tom Cunanan, who won Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic in the 2019 James Beard Awards for Bad Saint, a pioneering Filipino restaurant in Washington, D.C. Sous chef Skyler Bancroft comes to the Green Room from Bludorn Hospitality.

    “We’ve always believed Houston deserves experiences that feel exciting but never intimidating,” co-owner Brian Doke said in a statement. “With The Green Room, we set out to create something ambitious yet approachable, where the food is elevated, the wine over delivers and hospitality feels personal from the moment you walk in.”

    The menu includes the chefs’ takes on staples of contemporary fine dining, such as scallop crudo, sliced hamachi, crispy duck, and roast chicken with salsa verde. Other dishes include salmon en croute, smoked bucatini with shrimp, and an heirloom tomato tarte tatin.

    In addition to its a la carte menu, the Green Room will offer a five-course Chef’s Dinner Party Menu that will include dishes not on the regular menu and a glass of wine or a cocktail. Both menus are expected to change monthly.

    The wine list will include both grower champagne and certified organic producers, most of which will be priced at $100 per less or bottle. A separate Cellar Series will feature premium by-the-glass options. They’ll be joined by a range of classic cocktails.

    “It’s no secret that Houstonians are looking for new experiences when dining out,” the restaurant’s partners added. “We’re trying to meet them where they are, where the experience feels curated without being pretentious and elevated without losing warmth.”

    In November, Doke and Davidson opened Lazy Lane in Garden Oaks. The neighborhood restaurant serves steak, pizza, pasta, and more.

    The Green Room restaurant seafood platter

    Courtesy of The Green Room

    Meals may begin with raw and cold seafood dishes.

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    Meet the Tastemakers

    Announcing the Houston nominees for 2026 CultureMap Tastemaker Awards

    CultureMap Staff
    Feb 20, 2026 | 11:00 am
    2025 CultureMap Tastemaker Awards
    Photo by Daniel Ortiz
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    Houston's culinary scene is unstoppable, and each year we celebrate the city's top restaurant and bar talent with the annual CultureMap Tastemaker Awards. Recently, we revealed the 2026 event dates and released a limited number of discounted tickets, and now it's time for the anticipated unveiling of our Houston nominees.

    These nominees represent the very best in Houston dining right now, from beloved neighborhood establishments to nationally recognized hot spots.

    Our panel of judges — including local culinary experts and a who's who of past Tastemaker Awards winners — have selected outstanding nominees across 10 categories. They'll choose the winner for all but one award — the Best New Restaurant will be crowned by CultureMap readers in an interactive tournament this spring.

    Meet the nominees below, then join us April 16 at Silver Street Studios to find out who wins. You'll nosh on chef-prepared bites from a host of participating nominees, sip perfectly paired cocktails, and be in the room when the winners are revealed. First Dibs tickets are sold out, but you can still score discounted Early Bird tickets for a limited time ($75 for GA and $110 for VIP).

    Now, please join us in toasting the 2026 Houston Tastemaker Awards nominees:

    Restaurant of the Year

    • Bludorn
    • Casaema
    • Credence
    • Jūn
    • Katami
    • Little's Oyster Bar
    • March
    • Maximo
    • Milton's
    • Nancy's Hustle
    • Squable

    Chef of the Year

    • Thomas Bille, Belly of the Beast
    • Jassi Bindra, Amrina/Kitchen Rumors
    • Evelyn Garcia and Henry Lu, Jūn
    • Shawn Gawle, Camaraderie
    • Manabu Horiuchi, Katami/Kata Robata/Sushi Horiuchi
    • Mayank Istwal, Musaafer
    • Lucas McKinney, Josephine's
    • Benchawan Painter, Street to Kitchen
    • Felipe Riccio, March
    • Nick Wong, Agnes and Sherman

    Bar of the Year

    • Augustine Lounge
    • Bandista
    • Berwick's Birds of Paradise
    • Catbirds
    • Donna's
    • EZ's Liquor Lounge
    • Lee's
    • Melrose
    • Starduster Lounge
    • Winnie's

    Best New Restaurant

    • Agnes and Sherman
    • Barbacana
    • Boo's Burgers
    • Camaraderie
    • Chardon
    • Fielding's Steak
    • Hypsi
    • Jane and the Lion Bakehouse
    • Kaisen Sushi
    • Kitchen Rumors
    • Latuli
    • Murray's Pizza & Wine
    • Oru
    • Perseid
    • Yiayia's Greek Kitchen
    • Zaranda

    Neighborhood Restaurant of the Year

    • Aga's
    • Aladdin Mediterranean Cuisine
    • ChòpnBlọk
    • Cuchara
    • Feges BBQ
    • Handies Douzo
    • Moon Rabbit
    • Nonno's Family Pizza Tavern
    • North China
    • Pinkerton's Barbecue

    Rising Star Chef of the Year

    • Ope Amosu, ChòpnBlọk
    • Joseph Boudreaux, Boo's Burgers
    • Christian Hernandez, Barbacana
    • Frank Hernandez, Credence
    • Suu Khin, Burmalicious
    • Raffi Nasr, Craft Pita
    • Alexandra “Allie” Peña, Bludorn
    • JC Ricks, Dandelion Cafe
    • Adrian Torres, Maximo
    • Nicolas Vera, Casaema/Papalo Taqueria

    Bartender of the Year

    • Josh Alden, Bandista
    • Brandon Choate, Nancy's Hustle
    • Peter Jahnke, Catbirds
    • Corey Martin, Montrose Grocer
    • Chad Matson, Lee's
    • Alejandro Medina, Bar Bludorn
    • Craig Mickle, Baso
    • Julia Miles, Refuge
    • Javier Ruano, BCN
    • Jacki Schromm, Donna's

    Dessert Program of the Year

    • The Bake Happening
    • Barbacana
    • Blacksmith
    • Bludorn Hospitality
    • EaDough
    • Fluff Bake Bar
    • Jane and the Lion Bakehouse
    • Koffeteria
    • Luciana's Pastry and Coffee
    • Mayahuel
    • Sweet Bee's Bakehouse

    Coffee Shop of the Year

    • Blendin Coffee Club
    • Catalina Coffee
    • Coral Sword
    • Koffeteria
    • Little Dreamer Coffee
    • Simply Coffie
    • Tenfold Coffee
    • Third Place
    • TwoTone
    • Un Caffe

    Best Sandwich

    • Bayou Butchers
    • B'Tween Sandwich Co.
    • Cali Sandwich
    • Craft Pita
    • Kenny & Ziggy's
    • Local Foods
    • Stuffed Belly
    • Thien An
    • Winnie's
    • Yuma

    ---

    The CultureMap Tastemaker Awards ceremony is sponsored in Houston by Culinary Kahncepts, Shutto, NXT LVL Event, and more to be announced. A portion of the proceeds will benefit Southern Smoke Foundation.

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