Housed in the former space of the iconic Little Pappas Seafood House, the first chef-driven Pappas restaurant has left a big impression on the Houston food scene since opening in 2023. Along with an impressive raw bar and caviar service that features eggs from harvested White Sturgeon, chef Jason Ryczek further spotlights Gulf Coast cuisine and seafood in thoughtful dishes like crab croquettes, wild mussel escabeche, Texas redfish in heirloom tomato sauce vierge, and a delicate Yellowedge grouper in radish beurre blanc and caper brown butter.

Housed in an old Montrose bungalow, this new American restaurant, led by husband-and-wife duo Martin and Sara Stayer, offers a cozy space to enjoy belly-busting dishes that incorporate local ingredients. Nonno’s pasta, a slow-cooked bolognese sprinkled with plenty of Parmesan, is a mainstay with a local cult following, as is the fried chicken dinner, which is a crowd-pleaser among groups. But the menu here rotates often, with quirky-named dishes like the Parsnippin on Four Fours, cabbage-wrapped halibut with parsnip puree, veggie demi glaze, and compressed apple. The desserts here are all worthy, but Nobie’s pies are exceptional. Choose from flavors of the day, which most recently include salted caramel and the popular peanut butter pie, or score a whole pie by ordering online.

This smash burger pop-up turned restaurant from rap legend Bun-B dishes out sticks to what it knows best. Thus, its menu is filled with one-, two-, and three-patty smash burgers topped with American cheese, pickles, caramelized onions, and a spread of Trill sauce. Vegetarians rejoice — Trill also offers a vegan burger that packs the same level of flavor.

New to the Montrose neighborhood, Barcelona Wine Bar celebrates the beauty of the Catalonia region in a dark and lively space and features more than 400 wines by the bottle and dozens by the glass. Chef Thomas Laczynski has crafted a menu of tapas like patatas bravas in salsa brava and aioli, a fluffy potato and egg Spanish tortilla, jamon and manchego croquetas, and bacon-wrapped dates with blue cheese. A heartier alternative is the paella salvaje, which combines crispy bits of rice, rabbit meat, chorizo, escargot, and chickpeas. Always end with the warm, crowd-pleasing olive oil cake.

At Ostia, a comforting menu of Mediterranean fare with an Italian touch reflects chef Travis McShane’s approach to farm-to-table dining. The roasted lemon chicken served with a salsa verde is one of the restaurant’s mainstays, but wood-fired pizzas served all day and a rotating menu of pasta, including seasonal gnocchi, keep dining here forever interesting.

This family-owned cafe is a Montrose neighborhood staple known for its Mexican breakfast classics, enchiladas verdes, and cinnamon coffee. Open for breakfast and lunch, Guadalupana delivers some of the best migas in Houston, served with refried beans, delicious tres leches cake, and pastries like almond croissants and alfajores.

This posh-tasting menu restaurant changes its offerings quarterly as it explores the various regions of the Mediterranean. With six- and nine-course tasting menus, March treats diners to a full sensory experience and an explorative feast for the palate. The current iteration explores the cuisine of the Italian region of Genova, with dishes like chilled Capponada and cabbage-topped Ligurian sausage loaded with salami and served atop spiced blackcurrant pork jus, plus inventive cocktails like the refreshing rum-fueled Zucca, a mix of Orgeat syrup made with blended toasted pumpkin seeds, lime, and rhubarb liqueur served over crushed ice. Pro tip: If you don’t want to commit to the full tasting menu, March is open to guests for cocktails and light bites.

Sister to tasting menu restaurant March and the more casual Rosie Cannonball, this stunning new French restaurant by Goodnight Hospitality falls somewhere in between. Those looking for a more laidback experience can dine at its bar, where expertly made iced cold martinis, drinks tailored to the diner’s palate, and chilled seafood from its nearby raw bar are a given. The dining room, however, is a fun place to take in all Marigold has to offer — the luxurious decor and a menu filled with standouts, including the duck Wellington, the Fish Not Chips, an assortment of fried scallops, oysters, shrimp, and green beans; and a delicate ricotta gnudi. Finish with the ice cream sundae, which is built in front of you with fun and fancy toppings like banana jam.

Sister to diner-favorite Kata Robata, Katami is the crown jewel of the newly minted Harlow District. Like Kata, the restaurant showcases sushi and sashimi, such as Golden Eye snapper and unagi, which are flown in almost daily from Japan, but Katami offers more of an emphasis on sake and hot dishes. Diners can find top-tier selections of award-winning Teppanyaki-style wagyu (at least one type comes with a certificate of verification), the can’t-miss smoked sake kasu black cod, and delightfully refreshing seasonal items like Katami’s tomato somen cold noodle dish. Chef Hori’s iconic foie gras PB&J — milk bread topped with Nutella, maraschino cherry, and blueberry — is the ideal sweet and savory bridge before digging into a dessert like green tea-flavored kakigori or apple-caramel bread pudding.

When searching for hand-crafted central Texas-style barbecue inside the loop, the Pit Room is a flavorful option. Find staples like smoked beef brisket and venison sausage, plus sides like charro beans, elote, and mustard potato salad. The Pit Room is just as lauded for its breakfast tacos, with rich brisket-fat flour tortillas stuffed with smoked meats. For even more Tex-Mex-forward plates, dine at the Pit Room’s sister restaurant, Candente, which is located just down the street.

Blacksmith is synonymous with great coffee in Houston, but it deserves just as much praise for its food menu. Along with serving one of Houston's best biscuits, this Montrose coffeehouse features hearty dishes to kickstart the day, like Vietnamese steak and eggs and a smoked salmon dill scramble. Lunch brings items like arugula and avocado salad, which can be paired with steak or tempeh, and agua frescas made in-house.

With its California-cool aesthetic and wraparound patio overlooking the Montrose Collective, Graffiti Raw feels like an escape within the city. The all-day menu draws from various regions around the globe, with plates like charred octopus, a Thai chili-basil crab and shrimp fried rice, ceviche, and red enchiladas. Weekend brunch, held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, reveals even more sweet and savory enticements, like rum-soaked Texas toast, chilaquiles omelets, and a golden schnitzel topped with Grafitti’s signature spaghetti carbonara.

Though hailing originally from Austin, this modern Japanese restaurant’s Montrose location remains one of the city's best sushi destinations. Classics like the hama chili, spicy crunchy tuna, bluefin tuna selections, and the fried milk dessert are house favorites, but don’t be afraid to branch out to some of its other offerings. Its “hot tastings” include oak-grilled escolar with candied citrus, ponzu, and myoga, and a selection of Australian wagyu seared on hot rocks. Save some cash by making a reservation during weekday happy hour from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. when wine and food are discounted, and consider Uchi’s next-door sister restaurant Oheya, which offers a 12-seat, 15-course omakase experience for $175 per person.

This Italian chophouse within the Montrose Collective has a buzzy bar complemented by live music from a pianist, a breezy wraparound patio, and a swanky dining room where guests can enjoy heaping platters of pasta and hand-cut prime steaks. The restaurant is one of few in the area that offers a two-course prix-fixe lunch menu, with offerings like blue crab bruschetta, Tuscan fried chicken, and bolognese.

A newcomer to the Montrose collective, this new vibey restaurant combines some of the best flavors from the Mediterranean, which means the menu is incredibly diverse. Diners can start with the bread service, which serves warm Moroccan Frena-style bread, plus bright and refreshing sea bass carpaccio that’s laced with pistachio, spicy squid ink crab linguine, and steak Rossini, a tenderloin topped with foie gras and a peppercorn sauce with morel mushrooms. Cocktails like the Októ’s G&T, made with a gin infused with shishito, Italicus, and Fever Tree Indian Tonic, and the olive oil martini are enticing enough to stay awhile at the illuminated horseshoe-shaped bar.

Chef Aaron Bludorn’s namesake restaurant infuses French and New American cuisine with an undeniable punch of the Gulf Coast. Whether fried, roasted with smoked butter and lemongrass, or served raw, oysters are a necessary start to every meal here before digging into small plates like its seasonal pepper jam ricotta-stuffed squash blossoms and the smoked short trib ravioli, which is served with halved red onion fig and blue cheese crumbles for the perfect balance of salty and sweet. Every diner should try the lobster pot pie, a Bludorn signature, at least once, but the dry-aged duck, served with rice pillar, liver mousse sorghum, and a foie gras jus, is a hit every time. Order the flaming Baked Alaska for two for a showy ending, or indulge in the warm, pillowy Zeppole. These irresistible fried dough balls are stuffed with ricotta and served with spiced berry jam and citrus curd for dipping.