Houston, the fourth-largest city in the country, has over 10,000 hotel rooms just in its downtown. These will hopefully be filled, or nearly so, around the seven matches of the World Cup that will be played in Houston in mid-June through early July. With the understanding that those traveling here will be interested in dining well – they could afford FIFA’s very steep ticket prices for the matches, after all – below are the ten best restaurants located in downtown Houston, listed alphabetically. Downtown might not be the dining nexus for the city, but there are more than a few spots worth touting.
Barbacana – New American – Fully opened in January of 2025 and catercorner from where the late, lamented Public Services once stood, this is an insertion of ambitious dining in an underserved part of downtown. Chef Christian Hernandez, who cooked at top spots locally, in Mexico City, and New York, with Michelin-starred experiences along the way, was chef de cuisine at March before starting Barbacana. In an attractive, industrial-esque space, he serves both a la carte and tasting menus with influences from around much of the globe, currently, France, Mexico, Middle East, New Orleans, India, Vietnam, Japan and Korea. Dry-aged duck breast, with pistachio dukka and a date demi-glace, and braised pork collar with nước chấm are just a couple of the wide-ranging preparations that manage to come together well on the plate and on the menu. Dishes are grouped among small, tartine, medium, large, and sides to mix and match, and share. There is even dessert tasting menu who want to swap protein for sugar, maybe after a nearby show.
Brasserie du Parc – French – Started by Philippe Verpiand, a Master Chef of France, this is a lower-key, but still white tablecloth spot that offers an enticing range of largely well-known French dishes both day and night. There might be more of an emphasis on seafood, but there are several steaks; it’s Texas, after all, plus it needs to satisfy those (mostly male) business travelers that might be congregating at the George R. Brown just a short walk away. It’s an airy and approachable place, that sense might be enhanced by the charmingly cheap-looking reproductions of French poster artwork on the walls.
Pappas Bros. Steakhouse – Steak – Boisterous, always loud, approachable, and often delightfully indulgent and even excessive, this, along with its sibling in the Galleria area, is the best local example of the traditional American steakhouse. Not only is the food excellent, especially the nearly unparalleled wet- or dry-aged steaks, most importantly, but the compendious wine list is the most impressive in the city. The Westheimer original has around 5,000 labels and 28,000 bottles, and the downtown branch slightly less, so there is seemingly everything you might want at a fine dining restaurant with depth in Champagne, Burgundy – both colors, with pages of Grand Cru and Premier Cru – Bordeaux, Napa, Super Tuscans, Barolo, Rhone, and much, much more. You can spend a small fortune on just drink here. Along with the kitchen and cellar, the wait staff here, is also a cut above among the local steakhouses. The attentive, friendly and proficient service stands in stark contrast to the casual, not-so-professional or informed service you might find at Mastro’s, another expense account steakhouse, for example.
Perbacco – Italian – Featuring approachable Southern Italian cooking geared toward local sensibilities from a longtime restaurateur from Capri, off the coast of Naples, the fare is generally lighter and better prepared than similar dishes elsewhere. Set in pleasantly utilitarian fashion in the ground floor of an office building, albeit Philip Johnson and team’s landmark Pennzoil Plaza, the emphasis is on enjoyable eating rather than fine dining. There are several, somewhat hearty, baked pasta dishes such as lasagna and cannelloni, a dozen other pasta and sautéed items such as penne with Gulf shrimp, veal Marsala, and gnocchi with eggplant in a tomato sauce, and several straightforward grilled proteins. Their version of the traditional, simple linguine and clams is one of the best around. Entrées are served with a small salad, helping to make this an especially nice value for lunch. Open for dinner on Friday and Saturday, too.
Potente – American Italian – The preparations here are Americanized Italian with a luxurious bent, as the caviars topping the menu might indicate, it has a top chef at the helm, Danny Trace formerly of Brennan's here and Commander's Palace in New Orleans, and uses approachable preparations inspired from Italy with excellent ingredients to a welcome, if quite expensive result. Trace’s kitchen is very adept with seafood and those preparations occupy much of the menu, but it is tough to go wrong here; decadent pastas, a few steaks and dried porcini-braised veal cheeks are some other options. Directly across from the ballpark, this is owned by Jim Crane who also owns the Houston Astros.
Rosalie’s – Italian-American – Houston has historically been tough on out-of-town restaurateurs and hotel dining, but things might have changed, as West Coast-based television chef Chris Cosentino has channeled his Italian-American roots into what has been a popular and adept smallish spot in a refurbished and now surprisingly hip hotel – the C. Baldwin was a setting for The Bachelor airing in early 2022 – at the southwestern edge of downtown. Chef-created Italian-American might be the best description of the offerings here. The crab cannelloni features Sauce Americane, a French concoction featuring cream and lobster shells. Fairly rich and redolent of the sea, it’s quite tasty if not what any Italian-American family (or restaurant) makes. The menu is enticing with other pastas, spot-on sides such as roasted cherry tomatoes with garlic and breadcrumbs, and protein-centered preparations like a spicy Shrimp Fra Diavolo, a hanger steak Pizzaiolo also with peppers and capers, and a milanese with chicken – there’s no veal on the menu. There are pizzas, too. Though the crusts are not nearly flavorful nor soft enough to pull off a successful margherita, but the other toppings might work well. This cab be a fun stop, and it’s in a hotel!
Theodore Rex – New American – In an out-of-the-way part of downtown, the Warehouse District – it might be a bit far, and too interesting, to walk from any of the hotels – Justin Yu has drawn (mostly) raves in a couple of versions with a technically impressive personal cuisine that draws on a variety of influences, often French, and that gives plants some prominence. A few pastas are usually on the menu like thin strands of freshly made noodles warmed in cultured butter, seasoned with oyster liquor and mignonette, and another not-at-all-Italian creation with fermented radish crisp, mushroom and dill. Larger plates might include a Gulf snapper with soupe au pistou. The restaurant is not for everyone but it’s a destination for those interested in meticulous and informed preparations done with “a little sense of humor,” attentive service and an excellent wine list largely of low-intervention labels.
Vic & Anthony’s – Steakhouse – Catercorner from the ballpark and set in a hefty, bunker-like building, this is actually one restaurant from the sprawling Landry's group of chain concepts that you can visit without having to apologize for yourself, and it’s one of the best steakhouses in the city that checks all the proper boxes, and with an Italian-American accent.
Xochi – Mexican – This opened eight years ago with an array of enticing Oaxacan-themed offerings, most well-suited for sharing that was something a both little different and also quickly familiar. There are crudos, roasted oysters, an array of moles, as Oaxaca is the land of seven moles, after all, and other preparations, all bolstered by excellent sourcing. There are even a few insects on the menu, for the adventurous, even if these tastes might not be too far out. As at their other restaurants, Sean Beck puts together compelling wines and cocktails that makes this a clear winner both dining and imbibing. Located in the Marriott Marquis across from Discovery Green downtown, the interior is quite attractive, more so the further you are from the lobby, though the patio seating can be an invitation to be pan-handled. The cooking is as good as its sibling Hugo’s – and maybe more consistently so – though it is less of a value.
Zaranda – Mexican – Opened in 2025, the fifth Mexican concept from star chefs Hugo and Ruben Ortega and the H-Town Restaurant Group is an upscale, contemporary one featuring soaring ceilings directly across Discovery Green from its last one, the Oaxacan-themed Xochi. The cooking at Zaranda is stated to be inspired by “the historic region spanning from Northern California to Cabo San Lucas….shaped by coastal seafood, ranching traditions, Spanish influences, and Asian immigration… [that] blends wood-fired cooking, pristine seafood, arroces, premium meats, and vibrant Baja street foods…” So, this is Mexican fare that is something new for the group and for the city. It is also something very well-done as might be expected from them. The mix-and-match-suited menu is divided among starters, shellfish, tacos, tostadas, the paella-like arroces, vegetables zarandeado dishes, which are several seafood choices that are grilled in a wire basket overall coals and accompanied with a trio of salsas and a cooling cucumber salad. Plus, the range of offerings includes several enticing steaks, necessary for the visiting conventioneers staying a block or two away.
Barbacana – New American – Fully opened in January of 2025 and catercorner from where the late, lamented Public Services once stood, this is an insertion of ambitious dining in an underserved part of downtown. Chef Christian Hernandez, who cooked at top spots locally, in Mexico City, and New York, with Michelin-starred experiences along the way, was chef de cuisine at March before starting Barbacana. In an attractive, industrial-esque space, he serves both a la carte and tasting menus with influences from around much of the globe, currently, France, Mexico, Middle East, New Orleans, India, Vietnam, Japan and Korea. Dry-aged duck breast, with pistachio dukka and a date demi-glace, and braised pork collar with nước chấm are just a couple of the wide-ranging preparations that manage to come together well on the plate and on the menu. Dishes are grouped among small, tartine, medium, large, and sides to mix and match, and share. There is even dessert tasting menu who want to swap protein for sugar, maybe after a nearby show.
Brasserie du Parc – French – Started by Philippe Verpiand, a Master Chef of France, this is a lower-key, but still white tablecloth spot that offers an enticing range of largely well-known French dishes both day and night. There might be more of an emphasis on seafood, but there are several steaks; it’s Texas, after all, plus it needs to satisfy those (mostly male) business travelers that might be congregating at the George R. Brown just a short walk away. It’s an airy and approachable place, that sense might be enhanced by the charmingly cheap-looking reproductions of French poster artwork on the walls.
Pappas Bros. Steakhouse – Steak – Boisterous, always loud, approachable, and often delightfully indulgent and even excessive, this, along with its sibling in the Galleria area, is the best local example of the traditional American steakhouse. Not only is the food excellent, especially the nearly unparalleled wet- or dry-aged steaks, most importantly, but the compendious wine list is the most impressive in the city. The Westheimer original has around 5,000 labels and 28,000 bottles, and the downtown branch slightly less, so there is seemingly everything you might want at a fine dining restaurant with depth in Champagne, Burgundy – both colors, with pages of Grand Cru and Premier Cru – Bordeaux, Napa, Super Tuscans, Barolo, Rhone, and much, much more. You can spend a small fortune on just drink here. Along with the kitchen and cellar, the wait staff here, is also a cut above among the local steakhouses. The attentive, friendly and proficient service stands in stark contrast to the casual, not-so-professional or informed service you might find at Mastro’s, another expense account steakhouse, for example.
Perbacco – Italian – Featuring approachable Southern Italian cooking geared toward local sensibilities from a longtime restaurateur from Capri, off the coast of Naples, the fare is generally lighter and better prepared than similar dishes elsewhere. Set in pleasantly utilitarian fashion in the ground floor of an office building, albeit Philip Johnson and team’s landmark Pennzoil Plaza, the emphasis is on enjoyable eating rather than fine dining. There are several, somewhat hearty, baked pasta dishes such as lasagna and cannelloni, a dozen other pasta and sautéed items such as penne with Gulf shrimp, veal Marsala, and gnocchi with eggplant in a tomato sauce, and several straightforward grilled proteins. Their version of the traditional, simple linguine and clams is one of the best around. Entrées are served with a small salad, helping to make this an especially nice value for lunch. Open for dinner on Friday and Saturday, too.
Potente – American Italian – The preparations here are Americanized Italian with a luxurious bent, as the caviars topping the menu might indicate, it has a top chef at the helm, Danny Trace formerly of Brennan's here and Commander's Palace in New Orleans, and uses approachable preparations inspired from Italy with excellent ingredients to a welcome, if quite expensive result. Trace’s kitchen is very adept with seafood and those preparations occupy much of the menu, but it is tough to go wrong here; decadent pastas, a few steaks and dried porcini-braised veal cheeks are some other options. Directly across from the ballpark, this is owned by Jim Crane who also owns the Houston Astros.
Rosalie’s – Italian-American – Houston has historically been tough on out-of-town restaurateurs and hotel dining, but things might have changed, as West Coast-based television chef Chris Cosentino has channeled his Italian-American roots into what has been a popular and adept smallish spot in a refurbished and now surprisingly hip hotel – the C. Baldwin was a setting for The Bachelor airing in early 2022 – at the southwestern edge of downtown. Chef-created Italian-American might be the best description of the offerings here. The crab cannelloni features Sauce Americane, a French concoction featuring cream and lobster shells. Fairly rich and redolent of the sea, it’s quite tasty if not what any Italian-American family (or restaurant) makes. The menu is enticing with other pastas, spot-on sides such as roasted cherry tomatoes with garlic and breadcrumbs, and protein-centered preparations like a spicy Shrimp Fra Diavolo, a hanger steak Pizzaiolo also with peppers and capers, and a milanese with chicken – there’s no veal on the menu. There are pizzas, too. Though the crusts are not nearly flavorful nor soft enough to pull off a successful margherita, but the other toppings might work well. This cab be a fun stop, and it’s in a hotel!
Theodore Rex – New American – In an out-of-the-way part of downtown, the Warehouse District – it might be a bit far, and too interesting, to walk from any of the hotels – Justin Yu has drawn (mostly) raves in a couple of versions with a technically impressive personal cuisine that draws on a variety of influences, often French, and that gives plants some prominence. A few pastas are usually on the menu like thin strands of freshly made noodles warmed in cultured butter, seasoned with oyster liquor and mignonette, and another not-at-all-Italian creation with fermented radish crisp, mushroom and dill. Larger plates might include a Gulf snapper with soupe au pistou. The restaurant is not for everyone but it’s a destination for those interested in meticulous and informed preparations done with “a little sense of humor,” attentive service and an excellent wine list largely of low-intervention labels.
Vic & Anthony’s – Steakhouse – Catercorner from the ballpark and set in a hefty, bunker-like building, this is actually one restaurant from the sprawling Landry's group of chain concepts that you can visit without having to apologize for yourself, and it’s one of the best steakhouses in the city that checks all the proper boxes, and with an Italian-American accent.
Xochi – Mexican – This opened eight years ago with an array of enticing Oaxacan-themed offerings, most well-suited for sharing that was something a both little different and also quickly familiar. There are crudos, roasted oysters, an array of moles, as Oaxaca is the land of seven moles, after all, and other preparations, all bolstered by excellent sourcing. There are even a few insects on the menu, for the adventurous, even if these tastes might not be too far out. As at their other restaurants, Sean Beck puts together compelling wines and cocktails that makes this a clear winner both dining and imbibing. Located in the Marriott Marquis across from Discovery Green downtown, the interior is quite attractive, more so the further you are from the lobby, though the patio seating can be an invitation to be pan-handled. The cooking is as good as its sibling Hugo’s – and maybe more consistently so – though it is less of a value.
Zaranda – Mexican – Opened in 2025, the fifth Mexican concept from star chefs Hugo and Ruben Ortega and the H-Town Restaurant Group is an upscale, contemporary one featuring soaring ceilings directly across Discovery Green from its last one, the Oaxacan-themed Xochi. The cooking at Zaranda is stated to be inspired by “the historic region spanning from Northern California to Cabo San Lucas….shaped by coastal seafood, ranching traditions, Spanish influences, and Asian immigration… [that] blends wood-fired cooking, pristine seafood, arroces, premium meats, and vibrant Baja street foods…” So, this is Mexican fare that is something new for the group and for the city. It is also something very well-done as might be expected from them. The mix-and-match-suited menu is divided among starters, shellfish, tacos, tostadas, the paella-like arroces, vegetables zarandeado dishes, which are several seafood choices that are grilled in a wire basket overall coals and accompanied with a trio of salsas and a cooling cucumber salad. Plus, the range of offerings includes several enticing steaks, necessary for the visiting conventioneers staying a block or two away.
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