polls are now open

Houston's 16 best new restaurants compete for coveted Tastemakers title

For nine of the 10 categories in the 2025 CultureMap Tastemaker Awards, our judges’ panel picks the winners. The one exception is Best New Restaurant, where we ask CultureMap readers to name the champion.

We’ve matched up 16 Houston restaurants that opened in 2024 in a bracket-style, head-to-head tournament. After all, March is for tournaments, right?

To keep things interesting, round one always matches up restaurants that have a common tie, whether it’s geography, style of cuisine, or something a little more ephemeral. Let the debates begin!

Voting is open now at this link. People may vote once per day. The results are closely monitored for cheating and other shenanigans, so don’t even try to game the system. Round one ends at 11:59 pm on Monday, March 17.

Which restaurant will win? Find out April 3 at the Tastemaker Awards party at Silver Street Studios. We’ll dine on bites from this year’s nominated restaurants and sip cocktails from our sponsors before revealing the winners in our short and sweet ceremony.

Buy your tickets now before they sell out.

Here are the eight matchups in the Best New Restaurant contest:

Bar Bludorn vs. Credence
This matchup features two of the hottest new restaurants to open in Memorial. Diners have flocked to Bar Bludorn for its lively atmosphere and comfort food staples such as fried chicken and a short rib Reuben. Credence puts an elevated spin on Texas fare with dishes such as deviled crab and dry-aged steaks that are cooked over live fire. Both of these restaurants are owned by successful chefs, but only one will move on to round two.

MF Lobster & Ceviche vs. Okto
Two of Montrose’s most exciting new eateries square off in this matchup. At MF Lobster & Ceviche, chefs Chris Kinjo and Miguel Alvarez feature everyone’s favorite crustacean in dishes such as lobster tacos, lobster bisque, and, of course, lobster rolls. Okto builds on the success of Doris Metropolitan and Hamsa with a broader range of flavors inspired by Greece, Italy, and France. Both restaurants cook seafood well, but only one will move on in the tournament.

Drake's Hollywood vs. Leo's River Oaks
Two lively supper clubs square off in this matchup. With red leather booths and murals of Hollywood celebrities, Drake’s has a retro charm that pairs well with dishes such as spicy rigatoni pasta, lobster escargot, and steak. At Leo’s, diners will enjoy the live piano player who creates an atmosphere for enjoying cold seafood, steaks, and the newest contender for Houston’s best bread service. Both restaurants inspire people to get a little dressed up for dinner, but only one will advance.

The Marigold Club vs. Ishtia
Two versions of modern fine dining square off in this matchup. The Marigold Club conjures the spirit of Mayfair London with its exuberant interior and a menu of French fare created by chef Austin Waiter. Chef David Skinner interprets his Choctaw heritage at Ishtia by crafting 20-course tasting menus that use Native American ingredients and techniques. Both restaurants have Michelin aspirations, but only one will move on to round two.

ChòpnBlọk vs. Traveler's Cart
This matchup features two cutting-edge fast casual concepts. At the Montrose location of ChòpnBlọk, James Beard Award semifinalist Ope Amosu has expanded his vision beyond what his original food hall location could serve by adding more dishes, a posh environment, and cocktails. Like its sister restaurant Traveler’s Table, Traveler’s Cart takes diners around the world by serving dishes that range from fish and chips to curry lamb dumplings and lomo saltado. Both restaurants serve their interpretation of street food, but only one will advance to round two.

Maximo vs. Milton's
As is tradition, whenever a restaurant group earns two nominations in this category, the concepts square off in round one. After initially opening as a casual restaurant, Local Foods Group switched things up at Maximo by challenging 26-year-old chef Adrian Torres with serving sophisticated Mexican cuisine built around a housemade masa program. After initially opening as French restaurant Eau Tour, Local Foods Group switched things up by replacing it with an Italian-American restaurant that serves classics such as spaghetti and meatballs, pasta vongole, and chicken parm. Both restaurants have creative ways to serve caviar, but only one will make it to round two.

Little Rey vs. Ema
Two models of the modern Mexican restaurant square off in this matchup. At Little Rey, a live fire grill and smoker powers a casual menu of tacos, margaritas, and some of Houston’s best chicken wings. Ema takes its inspiration from Mexico City cafes, with a horchata doughnut that’s earned both the attention of The New York Times and the Michelin Guide, which named it a Bib Gourmand. Both restaurants draw lines on the weekends, but only one will compete in round two.

Kira vs. Late August
Two more casual sister concepts of successful Houston restaurants square off in this matchup. A sister concept to omakase counter Neo, Kira’s hand rolls, sashimi, and donburi are served at an intimate, 15-seat counter in an environment inspired by Japanese record bars. Lucille’s chef-owner Chris Williams recruited chef Sergio Hidalgo to lead the kitchen at Late August, a restaurant that explores the connections between African American and Mexican culinary traditions. Although only one of these rising stars will move on, we suggest saving room for dessert at both establishments.

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The Tastemaker Awards ceremony is brought to you by Stella Artois, PicMe Events, and more to be announced. A portion of proceeds will benefit our nonprofit partner, the Southern Smoke Foundation.

Courtesy of Drake's Hollywood

Get spicy rigatoni pasta at Drake's Hollywood.

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service switcheroo

Street food-inspired Houston restaurant swaps counter service for servers

Photo by Andrew Hemingway

Traveler's Cart is add new dishes to its menu, including steak frites and chicken parm.

A globally-inspired Houston restaurant is making a big change to its service model. Traveler’s Cart will switch from counter service to full service beginning this Monday, November 17.

When owners Thy and Matthew Mitchell opened Traveler’s Cart last year as a more casual sister concept to Traveler’s Table, their globally-inspired Montrose restaurant, they decided counter service would match the restaurant’s street food-inspired menu and lower price point. With a year of experience, they’ve decided full service — where diners sit down and order from a server — will improve the customer experience in a number of ways.

First, they noticed that some of their online reviews go to great lengths to explain the ordering process. Moving to traditional table service will elimination that confusion.

“We want to be like a great brasserie or izakaya where people come and enjoy food and drinks at a reasonable price,” Matthew Mitchell tells CultureMap. “There’s a lack of intuitiveness about the process right now. Almost a year in, we’re still having to explain where you go and how you order. That tells you we probably missed the mark.”

He also recognizes that the inherent uncertainty of counter service — people are concerned about how long they’ll have to wait to order and whether a table will be available once they do — limits the restaurant’s appeal as a date night option or for larger groups who want the certainty of having a place to sit.

Even though the restaurant has been a financial success, according to Mitchell, he thinks Traveler’s Cart is missing out on revenue with its counter service model. “I think people order less at the counter. You may not order a cocktail, and you certainly won’t get back up and order more drinks,” he says.

Switching to full service will also help the restaurant’s perceived value. With entrees mostly priced between $15 and $25, the restaurant may feel expensive relative to other fast casual restaurants. Once servers are added, Mitchell thinks diners will appreciate the value, particularly since its prices are about half of sister concept Traveler’s Table.

“I feel like the food quality is outstanding for the price, but when it crosses that $20 or $30 threshold, people perceive it as pricey,” he says.

Traveler’s Cart has other ways to enhance the value of its offering, such as its $18, three-course lunch that includes iced tea or a fountain drink. Happy hour, available Monday through Friday from 3-6 pm, includes $8 cocktails, $3 drafts, $8 small plates, and more.

Along with the new service model, Travelers Cart is updating its menu with a number of new dishes. They include Thai chili queso, Baja shrimp tacos, salmon donburi bowl, chicken parmesan, and steak frites. The cocktail menu has also been refreshed with a Mexican espresso martini and a Tuk Tuk Old Fashioned, named for the vehicle that now sits in front of the restaurant’s entrance.

Recently recognized by the Texas Restaurant Association as Restaurateurs of the Year for the Houston region, the Mitchells hope that these changes will lead to even more success. With the service style refined and the menu dialed in, they’re already looking for another location.

Photo by Andrew Hemingway

Traveler's Cart is add new dishes to its menu, including steak frites and chicken parm.

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