13 Houston food and drink gems you must check out before the Super Bowl
Head to mainstays where locals will be laying low.
To be sure, Houston’s flat cityscape is dotted with myriad burger shacks, ‘cue joints, and steakhouses. However, the nation’s fourth largest metropolis is also hugely diverse, as recently discovered by Anthony Bourdain. Mutt City’s vibrant mashup of culinary delights, combined with year-round availability of fresh ingredients and a migration to the city by rising star chefs and bartenders, promises a dining and drinks scene with something for everyone.
And so, if Houston has a problem, it’s too many options. Here are a few spots in several happening neighborhoods where locals flock. (Oh, and it’s worth noting, none require reservations.)
Downtown
The Original OKRA Charity Saloon
Last time the Super Bowl came to Houston in 2004, locals probably wouldn’t have recommended you head downtown. But in recent years, enterprising bar owners have banded together to reignite the nightlife in the heart of Houston. The heart of the heart—and one of the first tenants on Congress Avenue during its revival—is OKRA, where you can cast votes to determine which local charity receives the bar’s monthly profits. Drinking for a cause? Way cool. (924 Congress Ave., Houston)
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The Honeymoon Café & Bar
Polished, brightly lit décor and New Orleans sensibilities ensure a pleasant stop-in for well-crafted tipples, caffeination (sneak a peek at the glassed-in Boomtown Coffee roaster on your way in), or a combination of the two: Leather Elbows blends rye, cold brew, and sweetened condensed milk. Pair your libation of choice with Creole-tinged upscale eats. (300 Main St., Houston)
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Conservatory
Little known fact: Beneath Houston’s downtown is a maze of tunnels where the business set disappear on their lunch breaks. The newest addition (not connected to the barber shops and phone stores): an underground food hall meets beer garden where you can drink craft beer and nosh on local artisan eats. It’s the stuff of Mikey and Donnie’s dreams… that is, if the reptilian teenagers were into ramen, barbecue, crepes, and gyros. (1010 Prairie St., Houston)
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Midtown
Enjoying a sneakily tasty frozen mojito, flatbread pizzas, and a platter of Vietnamese fries while lounging in oversized wooden booths under strings of backyard lanterns? Awesome. Also, the name of the game on this laid-back bar’s expansive wraparound patio. (307 Fairview St., Houston)
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Izakaya
Japanese pub food. Enough said, right? Except not quite, because this bar team also knows its way around a cocktail shaker. Standout small plates by chefs Jean-Philippe Gaston and Manabu Horiuchi include typical izakaya offerings, such as skewers (don’t miss the house venison sausage), takoyaki, chicken karaage, and the strange and wonderful bacon-wrapped mochi, as well as noodle and poke bowls. Now enough said. (318 Gray St., Houston)
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Axelrad
The beauty of a Houston winter is that everyone’s still partying outside, especially at Axelrad, where the taproom hosts a bevy of interesting suds, and you can enjoy them in the sprawling beer garden. Plus, there are food trucks, a giant projection screen, and a hammock grove, y’all. Peep the spot’s Facebook page for details on Super Bowl specials and fun all week long. (1517 Alabama St., Houston)
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Montrose
La Guadalupana Bakery & Café
Settle into a vinyl chair and wake up your taste buds with this unassuming, always bustling mom-and-pop’s Mexican breakfast fare. Choose from migas, huevos rancheros, and overstuffed breakfast tacos, all served with pillowy flour tortillas. Don’t forget to check out the full case of Mexican pastries—the almond croissant is downright indulgent. Cinnamon-laced coffee will help you power through flea market browsing—and day drinking?—just south along Westheimer. (2109 Dunlavy St., Houston; 713-522-2301)
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Mala Sichuan Bistro
Montrose residents whooped when this Chinatown darling opened a second location in their neighborhood on the hip Westheimer drag. The spacious upstairs dining room and quick family-style service make it a great destination to bring a crowd for authentic Sichuan eats. Musts: slippery sweet-and-sour wontons, dan dan noodles, tingly peppercorn-laced, and chili oil-drizzled water boiled fish. (1201 Westheimer Rd., Ste. B, Houston; 832-767-0911)
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West Alabama Ice House
When a dive is what you seek, Houston’s oldest ice house delivers. Post up at a picnic table, pick up a game of ping-pong, pool, or cornhole, and use local brews to wash down dirt cheap, best-in-town street tacos from Tacos Tierra Caliente, always parked next door. (1919 W. Alabama St., Houston, 713-528-6874)
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Houston’s Heights
The Boil House
Thanks to a cozy proximity to the Louisiana border, backyard crawfish boils are as common this time of year as burgers on the grill. For a standout version, head to this seasonal shack to take your poundage of Cajun-spiced mudbugs to go, or BYOB and chow down at a sunny table. Bonus: For the Houston version of this Gulf Coast staple, visit LA Crawfish inside the massive Asian grocery mart 99 Ranch Market (1005 Black Rd., Houston) for a Viet-Cajun fusion concept so good, it seems crazy that Houston’s the only place doing it. (606 E. 11th St., Houston)
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Eureka Heights
A favorite of the surge of new area breweries in town, Eureka’s cavernous, game-filled warehouse is a great spot to while away an afternoon sampling its stable of easy-drinking, cheekily named beers. Try the chocolate, cinnamon, and cayenne-spiked Moo Caliente Milk Stout and well-balanced newcomer Business Time IPA. (941 W. 18th St., Houston)
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Washington Corridor
Ninja Ramen
Lucky you: Ramen fever has struck the Bayou City. There are plenty of solid selections around town, but like a sneaky ninja, this modest ramen shop doubles as a whiskey den, particularly specializing in Japanese brands. Neat or mixed in a house cocktail, the booze slices swiftly through the rich, fatty ramen broths, from which you can choose White (original), Red (spicy), Black (garlic), or Gold (miso). Slurp, sip, then hit the scene on Washington. (4219 Washington Ave., Houston, 281-888-5873)
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Julep
Owner and bar mistress Alba Huerta oozes charm and style, so you’d expect nothing less from her elegant Southern barroom with a dreamy, speakeasy ambience. It’s hard not to feel suave sipping from the extensive bourbon selection or cocktail list. (Dirty martini lovers, try the onion brine-soused Farmhouse Gibson.) Pair with Southern small bites, including a stunning seafood tower. (1919 Washington Ave., Houston)
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Jenna K. White is a freelance writer and regular contributor to Houstonia and Edible Houston magazines. You can follow her food adventures (and her cats) on Instagram at @starvingfoodist.
