WALKABLE / BIKEABLE - Before (or after) you eat and drink all that Houston has to offer, take a walk in the morning or evening along the beautiful Buffalo Bayou Park. Access is super easy at multiple points from downtown Houston, and bicycles are available for rent by the skateboard park. The park itself is approx 3 miles long each way, and you can tie it into other trails for a longer run or ride.
DRIVEABLE - Free admission at one of the premier private collections of contemporary modern art in America. The Rothko Chapel is attached to the Menil, and is not to be missed!
DRIVEABLE OR METRO RAIL - The MFAH is one of the best hoslitic fine art museums in the South and Southwest US. Great collections are augmented by frequent amazing temporary exhibitions. Easily accessed from downtown on the Metro Light Rail.
WALKABLE - Houston's Theater District is one of the largest concentrations of performing arts venues in America. Located easy walking distance from the downtown hotels, the Houston Grand Opera, Houston Symphony, Alley Theater, Houston Ballet, Theater Under the Stars, the Hobby Center for Performing Arts, and Da Camera offer a huge array of performances.
WALKABLE - Our friend Justin Vann runs this amazing wine and whisky bar, just across the street from our home at Bayou Lofts! It's a really cool space - with a friendly staff and a great menu.
WALKABLE - Conservatory is a super fun food hall and underground biergarten. Multiple kiosks serve different foods - from kolaches to poke bowls, from pizza to crepes. A great list of local and craft beers. Open late-night for food!
WALKABLE - A great spot for brunch or lunch. Great coffee, too. Easily walkable from the hotels and the Cathedral.
WALKABLE - Hearsay is a good "gastro lounge" restaurant in an AMAZING interior space. Worth seeing for the incredible architectural volume - and a great spot for brunch or lunch. Open late for food, too.
WALKABLE - This hidden gem is located inside the also-excellent Pastry War (one of the country's premier craft tequila bars) in downtown Houston. Walk all the way to the back, open the unmarked door, and go upstairs to find a tiny, exquisitely-appointed Japanese-inspired cocktail bar.
WALKABLE - A great spot for delicious and healthy brunch, lunch, or dinner. Great salads and sandwiches, super close to the downtown hotels and the Cathedral.
WALKABLE - More than 300 beers, good pub food, and a relaxed atmosphere, walkable from the downtown hotels and the Cathedral.
DRIVEABLE - Our friend Chef Justin Yu has collaborated on this amazing cocktail bar with phenomenal small bites. Located a 7-min drive from downtown in The Heights.
DRIVEABLE - Located less than 10 min from downtown Houston, Pizaro's makes fantastic Neapolitan-style pizzas in special-built 900-degree ovens. Very relaxed, and great pizzas - one of our favorites!
DRIVEABLE - An amazing (and tongue-tingling) spot for spicy Sichuan Chinese cuisine. One of our favorites! Our friend Justin Vann (of Public Services) has curated a great small list of beers and wines to pair.
DRIVEABLE - Uchi is one of the premier destinations for sushi and exquisite Japanese cuisine in Texas. Excellent service and delcious food. Reservations needed for dinner - or a small party can walk in and sit at the bar.
DRIVEABLE - One of our favorite places for delicious pasta and tasty pizzas. A great list of Italian wines as well. Located in Rice Village, with many shops and boutiques nearby.
DRIVEABLE - Chef Ryan Pera offers an excellent spiffy-casual spin on rustic Italian combined with Gulf Coast flair. No reservations - but they offer excellent cocktails in the herb garden while you wait.
DRIVEABLE - Not "Tex-Mex", but instead excellent high-end Mexico City cuisine from Chef Hugo Ortega. One of the best brunches in Houston - and a great spot for dinner.
DRIVEABLE - A Houston classic - with some of the best chocolate chip cookies you'll ever have. Located in the side-yard of a green nursery a short drive from downtown Houston. A lovely place for brunch (get there early - the lines can be long), lunch, or a romantic dinner.
DRIVEABLE - Vietnamese Cajun food! In Houston's expansive suburban Asiatown district. This Houston original will knock your socks off, with spicy crawfish wth a Cajun-Asian flair. Try the salt and pepper crab - whole mature blue crabs, seasoned battered and fried. Not for the faint of heart!
DRIVEABLE - Located about 35-min south of Houston in Pearland, this fantastic BBQ joint makes some of the best brisket, pork ribs, and caveman-size beef ribs in the United States. Worth a drive - but go before noon for lunch and plan to stand in line. (They offer free Lone Star beers while you wait!)