Where to eat on Valentine's Day

More than 20 Houston restaurants serving romantic Valentine's Day meals

Love is in the air across the city. Whether couples are looking for romance and fun, or gal pals are seeking a spot for a Galentine's bash, restaurants all over Houston have something for everyone celebrating this day dedicated to love.

Photo by Andrew Hemingway

Enjoy a decadent, five-course meal at Leo's River Oaks.

Artisans
Give Valentine’s Day a French flair at this Galleria-area spot. The restaurant’s French Kiss Menu includes dishes like foie gras torchon au cognac, beef Wellington, fromage chaud et sa micro-pousses salade, and un gâteau Napolitain glace à la pistache. The cost is $189 per person, and the menu is available from 5 to 10 p.m. Seating is limited. Book on Open Table or by calling 713-529-9111.

Aya Sushi
Celebrating Valentine's Day with the West University restaurant’s True Love Omakase experience. Chef Yoshi’s menu includes 20 different bite plates for two. Bottles of wine or sake are 50 percent off. The cost for dinner is $298.00 for two or $149 per person. A $50 deposit per person to secure reservations. Refunds can be made only if the reservation is cancelled 24 hours to the reservation time. Reserve online.

Chez Nous
Head to the intimate Humble restaurant for “A Culinary Poem,” a three-course dinner with a trio of choices for each course. Selections include shrimp and lobster chowder, a berry salad, steamed flounder, roasted Berkshire pork loin, and triple chocolate cheesecake. The cost is $95 per person, and dinner is available on Friday, February 14 and Saturday,February 15. The full menu and reservation details are on the restaurant’s website.

Doves
The Midtown spot offers Valentine’s Day deals from Wednesday, February 12 through Sunday, February 16. The dinner package is $175 and includes a rose and a bottle of wine, along with two entrees and a dessert. Diners can select from options like Asian smokehouse double-cut pork chop, Szechuan salmon with stir-fry vegetables, Opelousas pasta, and other Asian-inspired fare. Reserve online.

Guard and Grace
From Thursday, February 13 to Saturday, February 15, enjoy a thoughtfully curated special menu designed for two to share. Selections include crispy Gulf oysters, duck nuggets with a trio of dipping sauces, and a Wagyu Filet Flight of three four-ounce filets in a variety of preparations. A la carte selections are also available. Reserve online at Open Table.

Haywire
Head to this Shadow Oaks-area restaurant along I-10 and share a 32-ounce Porterhouse steak for two. It’s accompanied by creamy crab mac and cheese, grilled broccolini, and a zesty chimichurri with roasted garlic. The cost is $125 and the special is available from Wednesday, February 12 through Sunday, February 16. Reserve online.

Hidden Omakase
Celebrate Valentine’s Day with an intimate candlelight dinner inspired by the classic Disney Lady & The Tramp. A special shareable 15-course menu crafted by chef Marcos Juarez will be available on Thursday, February 13 and Friday, February 14. Dinner highlights include four specialty oysters per couple, a shareable house made pasta, a sweet takeaway dessert, and complimentary wine. The cost is $225 per couple. Two seatings are available at 6 and 8:30 p.m. Book reservations through resy.com.

Hugo’s
The iconic Montrose Mexican spot helmed by chef Hugo Ortega has a special four-course couples menu available from Wednesday, February 12 through Sunday, February 16. Share pan-fried potato tacos, then select from items such as sliced yellowtail; braised short rib; pan-seared scallops; and grilled lamb chops. The cost is $120 per couple. See the menu and make reservations online.

JŪN
For Valentine's Day, the Heights restaurant is serving a four-course prix fixe menu that's yet to be revealed. The cost is $110 per person, with the option to add a $55 wine pairing. Reservations can be made at Open Table.

Late August
Chris Williams' Michelin-recommended Midtown restaurant will serve a three-course, $85 prix fixe menu. Selections include Gulf oysters, tomato salad, gumbo, strip loin, roasted fish, chile relleno, and a dessert for two. Add a champagne ($35), wine ($45), or cocktail pairing ($45). Available from Thursday, February 13 until Saturday, February 15, reservations are available online.

Le Jardinier
Dinner at the Michelin-starred French restaurant is already sold out, but diners still have the options of a four-course lunch menu. Priced at $120 per person, the choices include chestnut ricotta agnolotti, poached Maine lobster, and choice of dessert. Make reservations online.

Leo’s River Oaks
The neighborhood’s newest restaurant offers an exclusive five-course chef’s tasting menu, featuring indulgent dishes such as an East Coast oyster trio, lobster ravioli, and a chocolate tart. The cost is $199 per person or $375 per couple, and is available Thursday, February 13 through Monday, February 17. Reservations are highly recommended and can be made online.

The Marigold Club
Revel in romance with the Mayfair-inspired restaurant’s selection of special menu items for Valentine's Day. Options include caviar service, Duck Wellington, a raw bar, and an expertly curated wine collection. Make reservations on Open Table.

Musaafer
The Indian restaurant has a Kama Sutra-inspired, six-course Valentine’s Day dinner. Each course is named for a different hormone, and diners will scratch off a scratch-and-sniff sticker that reveals the sexual position which releases that hormone. Dinner selections include beetroot with Faggotini cream cheese; sea bass or trumpet mushroom tikka; and a lotus dessert of Opalys 33 percent dark chocolate. The cost is $165 per person, and reservations can be made on Open Table.

Mutiny Wine Room
Those looking for something elegant and approachable, whether spending the holiday with friends or lovers, will appreciate Mutiny’s three-course dinner, available from Friday, February 14 through Sunday, February 16. Choose from dishes like fresh East Coast oysters with a Thai twist, house-smoked Peking duck breast served with ginger fried rice, and a decadent chocolate and red wine pot de crème. The cost is $75 per person and reservations are available between 4-9 pm. The full menu and reservation details are online.

Októ
The Mediterranean restaurant in the Montrose Collective has two specials for Valentine’s Day. Diners can opt for squid ink pasta topped with fresh crab meat and Israeli caviar for $60, or surf and turf with a 10-ounce steak and four-ounce lobster tail for $130 that’s perfect for sharing. Beluga vodka shots with caviar are also on the main menu for the holiday, along with a couple of specialty cocktails. All prices are a la carte. Reservations can be made online.

Perry’s
All locations of the popular steakhouse are offering a Valentine’s Candlelight Dinner for Two. Love is in the air with this menu. Tables will be decorated with rose petals and illuminated by candlelight. Dinner begins with a choice of individual salad, followed by filet mignon, lobster tails, and sides for two. It finishes with a half-dozen chocolate-dipped strawberry kisses. The menu is available from Tuesday, February 12 through Sunday, February 16 and the cost is $185 per couple, Reserve online.

Picos
On Valentine’s Day, Picos has a mariachi band serenading couples, photographers from 6-9 pm, and backdrops for photo ops. There’s also a specialty menu with dishes including charbroiled oysters, lambchops, tomahawk for two, and concha bread pudding, and a shaker margarita to share. All prices are a la carte. The Valentine’s menu is available from February 13 through the 16. Make reservations online.

Roma
The cozy Rice Village Italian spot offers a three-course dinner on Friday, February 14 that includes a choice of appetizer, entree, dessert. Options include Caesar salad, caprese salad, spaghetti with fresh vegetables, chicken breast with lemon and capers, a limoncello tart, and tiramisu. The cost is $59 per person. Reservations are available between 4-10 pm and can be made online.

Rosie Cannonball
The restaurant’s Abba-inspired Mama Mia Valentine’s Day dinner for two is a pre-fixe including a shared Caesar salad, choice of a heart-shaped pizza or Focaccia di Recco, chicken parmesan or truffled white lasagna, and a choice of dessert. Expect red-and-white checkered tablecloths and a real red sauce vibe. The cost is $85 per person and the menu is available on February 13 and 14. Make reservations via Open Table.

Sixty Vines
Grab gal pals and head to any of the wine bar’s locations on February 13 for the Galentine’s Day party. The event includes a featured rosé flight, a specialty No Strings Spritz cocktail, and a Carajillo Tasting Station. Additional pop-ups may include vendors such as a jewelry bar, build-your-own bouquet station, and a friendship bracelet kit. Make reservations online.

State of Grace
Enjoy a four-course dinner including selections such as beef tartare, redfish on the half shell, lasagnette with black winter truffle, and more. The cost is for $145 per person, and wine pairings are available for an additional $65 or $125. Reserve online.

Tony’s
Go with old-school elegance on Valentine’s Day with the restaurant’s three-course dinner. Select from items such as long-stem Roman artichoke; burrata Pugliese; butternut squash-filled pasta; fettuccine with jumbo lump crab; branzino; and beef filet with black truffle butter. The first seating is from 5-7 pm and costs $120 per person. The second seating is from 7:45-11 pm and is $155 per person. Reservations are a must. See the full menu and reserve online.

Urbe
The Mexican street food kitchen has a special Valentine’s Day three-course menu, available every evening from Wednesday, February 12 through Sunday, February 16. Selections include corn soup, chipotle adobo shrimp, Yucatan-style slow-cooked pork, and heart-shaped churros. The cost is $85 per couple. An optional beverage pairing is an additional $33. See the full menu and reserve online.

where-to-eat holidays valentines day

slice of life

Exclusive: Houston pizza legend to open new neighborhood joint in Spring

Photo by Eric Sandler

Anthony Calleo will open Galaxy Pizza in the coming weeks.

Any conversation about the evolution of Houston’s pizza offerings over the last decade or so would have to include a discussion of chef Anthony Calleo. As the founder of Pi Pizza, the co-founder of Gold Tooth Tony’s, and a consultant for Betelgeuse Betelgeuse, he’s contributed to the rise (sorry) of better pizza in the Bayou City.

After some time away from the restaurant business (more on that in a minute), Calleo will soon open his latest project, a neighborhood pizza joint in Spring that he’s calling Galaxy Pizza. Smaller in size and more focused than his previous restaurants, Galaxy Pizza showcases many of the lessons Calleo has learned along the way.

As Calleo tells CultureMap, he quietly left Gold Tooth Tony’s and his partnership in Rudyard’s last year after being diagnosed as autistic right around his 45th birthday. He says it pained him to leave — Gold Tooth Tony’s had just opened its Bellaire location and Rudyard’s was doing well — but his doctors gave him an ultimatum.

“‘You need to take time to stop and rest or die,’” Calleo says they told him. “I love this, but I don’t want to die. I had to stop. I didn’t think there was a way for me to do this again.”

The Location

Calleo took time off to rest. He got back into commercial real estate and began consulting with restaurateurs about new concepts they wanted to open. Through those efforts, he found the former Jackpot Pizza space at 6450 Louette Rd. in Spring, a small space that’s ideally suited to carryout and to-go with just a couple of tables for either dine-in or waiting.

While the location may seem obscure to people who know Calleo for his inner loop eateries, it’s part of a busy dining district that includes the Spring location of Trill Burgers as well as neighborhood favorites like Toki, a Japanese restaurant that serves ramen and sushi.

“I have found so much good food up here. Really good food. At a bunch of mom-and-pop places. Some are trucks. Some are little restaurants that have been here forever,” he says.

As Calleo studied the location’s economics, he came to a realization. “At the end of the day, I really miss doing this. I miss making pizza. It is my autistic special interest,” he says.

The location’s lower lease rate compared to what landlords can get inside the loop allows Galaxy Pizza to be closed on Tuesday and Wednesday. That will give both its staff and its owner some much-needed time off.

“The rent makes it doable. I can sell food out here and actually make a living and not just pay a lease,” Calleo says.

While it has a small footprint, the interior features murals by Houston artist Brian Dibala (aka Neon Thrash), who contributed to the design of both Endless Bummer, the speakeasy-style tiki bar in Montrose, and Radio Tave, Houston's Meow Wolf installation.

The Pizza

Calleo made “Houston pizza” at Pi Pizza and Detroit-style pizza at Gold Tooth Tony’s and Rudyard’s. For Galaxy, he’s chasing something a little more, shall we say, nostalgic.

“It’s a classic neighborhood pizzeria. It’s almost a thing that doesn’t exist anymore. It’s how Pizza Hut made pizza in 1987,” he says. “It’s got a good rise on the crust. It doesn’t droop, but it’s not stiff like a cracker. It’s got a little too much cheese and sauce on it. It’s slutty, do you know what I mean?

“A culinary instructor would tell you it’s unbalanced, and that’s the point. There’s some sneaky tricks we’re going to do that will be really nostalgic, but done with cheffy intention.”

The menu is still being finalized, but Calleo acknowledges he’ll serve classics like pepperoni and cheese. He’ll have salads, sandwiches, and appetizers like breadsticks and cheesy garlic bread. Notably, the menu doesn’t contain any chicken, which covers its sandwiches, pizza toppings, and appetizers, which means no wings or buffalo chicken pizza — at least for now.

Generally speaking, the preparations will be simpler and more traditional than his previous stops, where toppings included bacon-braised collard greens with pancetta or blackberries with chevre. For example, Galaxy Pizza will be the first time Calleo will serve raw onions rather than caramelizing them.

“This is a neighborhood pizza place,” he says. “There’s no goat cheese on the menu. This place doesn’t know how to spell ‘confit,’ and it doesn’t need to.”

In an acknowledgement of the neighborhood’s demographics, all of the beef at Galaxy Pizza will be halal. The restaurant will have two pizza ovens and two prep stations — one for pizzas with pork and one for pizzas without. Each oven will also have dedicated pans, utensils, and other cooking tools to prevent cross-contamination. Calleo acknowledges it won’t satisfy the most observant Muslims in the area, but he hopes it will help demonstrate a commitment to serving that community well.

The restaurant will soon host an invite-only friends and family service to see how its team works in the space. Then, they’ll go dark for a couple of weeks of practice before announcing an official opening date.

Once it’s open, Galaxy Pizza will offer carryout and delivery via third-party apps. Those who want more of a dine-in experience can walk next door to HR Bar and Grill.

Wherever a customer decides to eat his pizza, Calleo hopes it conjures a very specific memory.

“I am still chasing Showbiz Pizza in 1986 from my fifth birthday — the way it smelled, how it made me feel, the way the pepperoni crunched and how it tasted. I’m still chasing that. This is my chasing it in its most authentic form” he says.

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