You’re forgiven if you thought of Houston as primarily a barbecue, Tex-Mex or steakhouse destination—it’s the biggest city in Texas, after all.
Benefiting from an incredibly diverse population representing cultures throughout the globe, you may not be too far off the mark by saying a steaming bowl of pho, the signature rice noodle and broth soup of Vietnam, is the reigning champion for Houston’s most popular dish.
Food truck culture also takes center stage, with January’s PCMA Convening Leaders tapping Avenida Houston, the promenade in front of George R. Brown Convention Center, for its opening reception for a food-truck fest for the ages.
[Related: Final Numbers and Top Shots From the 2025 PCMA Convening Leaders Conference]
POST Houston also continues to reign as one of Houston’s top attractions, boasting a five-acre rooftop garden and farm with panoramic views of the city and a global food hall curated by James Beard-nominated chef Ope Amosu. The massive downtown venue also features Art-Club-HTX, an immersive black box art experience that explodes with all manner of dazzling lights.
Just in time for Convening Leaders, Houston’s food scene got a major boost via the November unveiling of Michelin Guide Texas that included 31 Houston restaurants, the first time the culinary authority has covered the Lone Star State. Six restaurants earned a coveted Michelin Star.
Here’s how you can sample H-Town’s culinary delights during your next meeting.
[Related: How Houston Is Making Big Strides in the Meetings and Conventions Market]
Michelin Comes to Town
One Houston foodie who definitely has her fork in the local cuisine scene is Megha McSwain, a regional editor for DiningOut who oversees content relating to food news, restaurants and chefs for Houston and Dallas. McSwain has covered Houston for 10 years and written about the culinary industry there for just about every major outlet in the city as well as national channels such as FoodNet and Food Network.
“I’ve been here my entire life and I’m almost 42,” said McSwain, whose family immigrated from India. “As an immigrant, I moved straight to Houston with my parents and grew up in the different neighborhoods, so I’ve really seen how the neighborhoods have evolved, like Houston’s Asiatown. That was where my parents and I went to eat because we would find Indian food or Chinese food and Vietnamese food that was just close to where we lived. Now, you see it on Anthony Bourdain or you’ll see it on Ugly Delicious on Netflix. They’ve become so world famous because of how Houston’s just such a melting pot of cultures and all these people like me, immigrants, moved here.”
But like many destinations with foodie street cred, it sometimes takes recognition by Michelin to officially put it on the map.
“I know Houston’s always been cool, and I know Houston’s always been a really great food city, but I think with the Michelin Guide finally coming to Houston and putting out their list, it gives some validation,” McSwain said. I think the people who have lived here for so long and who’ve been eating out in Houston for so long know that this is a city worth traveling to for food. I think that the Michelin Guide cemented that.”
[Related: 4 Houston Venues That Tap Into Art and History]
McSwain noted that Houston has become known for its Vietnamese cuisine, and yes, barbecue and steakhouses will never fall out of fashion. But top chefs such as Aaron Bludorn, who moved to Houston from New York in 2019 to open his own restaurant with his wife, are making waves outside of the city’s Asian, Tex-Mex, steakhouse and barbecue staples by serving locally sourced, French-inspired Gulf Coast cuisine at Bludorn.
One of McSwain’s favorite Houston restaurants is Michelin-noted Musaafer, a large, modern Indian restaurant located inside the popular Galleria shopping center, the largest in Texas.
“The build-out is incredible,” she said. “Every piece of furniture, every piece of art came from India and the food is wonderful, and it just got a Michelin star,” she said. “The various rooms can be used for buyouts or for private dining, and they all have different themes, so that one is a standout just because of, obviously, the Michelin recognition and the size, and just how beautiful and grandiose it is.”
Other McSwain group dining recommendations include Brennan’s of Houston, owned by a member of the famed New Orleans restaurant family.
For combing scenic splendor with standout cuisine, the Rainbow Lodge and steakhouse Brenner’s on the Bayou, a Landry’s restaurant, fit the bill on two of Houston’s four bayous.
An appealing aspect for groups visiting Houston is that many of its best options are located downtown, such as Guard and Grace steakhouse, which McSwain singles out because of its “stunning build-out on two levels,” with the top level used for private dining.
BCN Taste & Tradition, named for the code for Barcelona International Airport, is a Michelin-star restaurant hidden away in the trendy Montrose neighborhood in a two-story bungalow with a small private dining room that can accommodate 10-12.
Six Houston Michelin-Star Restaurants
Leading the Houston Michelin charge are six restaurants that earned a star from the prestigious dining authority.
BCN Taste & Tradition
This Spanish restaurant celebrates Barcelona and is owned by a Barcelonan immigrant, serving a mesh of traditional and Spanish cuisine. Private dining is offered in the Main Dining Room (maximum capacity: 50); The Dali Room (4-12 guests); The Roseland Room (10-14); and The Miro Room (10-12).
Musaafer
This massive Indian standout was founded by two chefs who traveled the 29 states of India to bring home regional recipes that could be translated into its eclectic menu. Thus, its name translates to “a traveler,” with a six-course chef’s tasting menu popular for group cuisine journeys, along with a family-style option. Musaafer offers six distinct dining spaces and can accommodate full buyouts for 150-180 guests or cocktail receptions for 250-300.
CorkScrew BBQ
While Houston has greatly diversified its dining scene, good old-fashioned barbecue is still a tried-and-true staple and, in the end, may be what your attendees crave most! In fact, there’s often a line of people out the door waiting for their taste of pit-grilled glory. Reservations are not available, so this is more of a great individual dining recommendation for attendees craving Instagram cred.
Le Jardinier
Located in the Museum of Fine Arts Houston, this French favorite created by chef Alain Verzeroli seeks to connect guests to nature through seasonal French menus. Curated by Le Jardinier and sister company Bastion Catering, four rooms are available for private dining, with the Main Dining Room able to accommodate up to 90. Its light-filled Cafe Leonelli can accommodate up to 70 seated and 80 for a reception. Full buyouts are available.
MARCH
Specializing in Mediterranean cuisine stretching from northwest Africa to southern Spain and Greece, the name of this creative yet unpretentious restaurant signifies a territory in boundary lands, with the concept celebrating biodiversity and overlapping ecosystems. The restaurant’s private dining room can accommodate 12, with additional space in the lounge.
Tatemó
Since it only offers 16 seats, this tiny restaurant in a modest strip mall cannot accommodate parties larger than four, with no buyouts available. Formerly a tortilleria, chef Emmanuel Chavez celebrates heirloom corn sourced from throughout Mexico for takes on traditional favorites such as ceviche, quesadillas and gorditas, with creative salsas and a mole negro that was heralded by Michelin. Since the venue doesn’t have a liquor license, diners have to bring their own wine or beer.
Latest & Greatest
Meow Wolf debuted its Houston permanent exhibit in October, the fifth Meow Wolf in the U.S. The immersive art offering bursting with eye-popping color is located a short walk from Saint Arnold Brewery, the oldest craft brewery in Texas.
Hotel Saint Augustine, Bunkhouse Hotel’s first property in Houston, opened in December. The 71-room upscale boutique hotel is located in the eclectic Montrose neighborhood near Rothko Chapel and Menil Collection. The hotel is situated in five buildings and includes onsite restaurant Perseid, with it, the lobby bar and all event spaces managed by noted Houston chef and restaurateur Aaron Bludorn.
Houston Bush Intercontinental Airport expanded its Terminal D with a West Pier addition that offers six gates and 16 retail and dining options, among other features.
Connection
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