If you manage to find fabulous food, terrific drinks and a spectacular outdoor setting all in one place this time of year, you’ve scored a major trifecta. The restaurants below pull off all three. From a contemporary Italian eatery near Minute Maid Park to a gastropub with fun games from cornhole to foosball, here are 10 new patios to hit up now.
Nobie’s
Look no further than newcomer hotspot Nobie’s in Montrose for delicious seasonal fare from land and sea, doting service, and an intimate 250 square-foot patio, with seating for 20, that offers a respite from the hustle and bustle of the city.
2048 Colquitt St.; 346-319-5919
Field & Tides
Heights bistro Field & Tides offers Southern comfort cuisine, from pimento cheese fritters to pan-seared scallops with seafood risotto, and outdoor seating for 32. Come summer, the owners are set to launch a bar and lounge next door, where you can enjoy sips, and snacks from the restaurant’s kitchen.
705 East 11th St.; 713-861-6143
Osso & Kristalla
Downtown’s Osso & Kristalla from Houston Astros owner Jim Crane has plenty of patio game, thanks to outdoor seating for 60, plus two flatscreen TV’s, a state-of-the-art sound system, and a prime location near Minute Maid Park.
1515 Texas Ave.; 713-221-6666
State Fare
Dig into drool-worthy Southern eats, including a smoked double pork chop, hot fried chicken, and fresh shucked cream corn, on the 24-seat patio at Gateway Memorial City restaurant State Fare, which CultureMap readers voted as Best New Restaurant at the recent Tastemaker Awards.
947 Gessner; 832-831-0950
Xochi
Chef Hugo Ortega’s (Hugo’s, Backstreet, Caracol) latest concept, Xochi, is a prime destination standout for traditional Oaxacan cuisine paired with an extensive roster of mezcals, tequilas and Mexican craft beers. Indulge on the 775 square-foot veranda located on a prime corner of the new Marriott Marquis Hotel near Discovery Green. The patio has 60 seats, complete with large ceiling fans and a roof outfitted with slats that open and close, so it’s a sure thing no matter the weather.
1777 Walker St.; 713-400-3330
Beaver’s Westheimer
Up your your bar game when you dine alfresco at Beaver’s Westheimer. The outdoor space at Briargrove/Tanglewood gastropub with Southern fare and tasty ‘cue boasts a 5,000 square-foot deck, a fire pit, a bar housed in a repurposed trailer, and games from Jenga to foosball.
6025 Westheimer Rd.; 713-714-4111
Grotto Ristorante Downtown
Enter the downtown locale of Grotto Ristorante at the George R. Brown Convention Center and you can’t miss the front 1,430 square-foot, 40-seat rustic dining space. Two propane fire pits, along with portable heaters and comfy couches, set the mood for a cozy good time if the weather gets chilly. Multiple TV’s throughout make every seat the best in the house.
1001 Avenida de las Americas, Suite A; 713-658-0752
Bebidas
Two massive oak trees provide shelter from the sun on the 1,500 square-foot patio at Bebidas Juice, Coffee & Bites near River Oaks. Breakfast and lunch treats are available every day — the avocado toast is popular — and on Wednesdays, load up with fare from a revolving lineup of food trucks (6-8:30 pm). Once a month, get your workout on as various fitness spots (think Big Yoga to Define Body and Mind) host a class.
2606 Edloe St.; 713-554-0023
Hopdoddy Rice Village
Inventive burgers, frothy milkshakes, and ice-cold brews may be the hallmarks of Hopdoddy, but the spacious 4,000-square-foot patio, with a cornhole and seating for 100, at the Rice Village locale is also worth noting.
5510 Morningside Dr., Ste. 100; 281-557-2337
Brasserie du Parc
The terrace at downtown French eatery Brasserie du Parc makes an impression from the moment you walk in. The eye-catching 1,500 square-foot space, climate-controlled with sliding glass doors, features marble tables with wicker bistro chairs, providing seating for 100. What’s more, it’s also the home of a crêperie concept within the restaurant, Crêperie du Parc, which serves up delectable sweet and savory crêpes.
1440 Lamar St.; 832-879-2802
Inarguably, Houston is a hotspot for culinary delights, but next time you dine out, why not head to a restaurant that pleases your visual senses as well as your palate? Coldwell Banker United, Realtors © presents the list of striking spaces below, all of which take their stylish decor as seriously as their delectable eats. Read on for eight hotspots, all with high design and solid menus, that will make you the envy of your Instagram followers.
Le Colonial
Chic French Vietnamese restaurant Le Colonial, designed by architect Mark Knauer, resembles a modern-day 1920s French Colonial villa. As you enter the two-story picturesque space through steel doors from a Houston artisan, you’ll find pressed tin ceilings, framed rug patterns reminiscent of houses and hotels in turn-of-the-century Saigon, and wicker dining room chairs and Art Deco brass table bases from the Philippines. The second floor is fashioned by a tropical themed wall mural created by acclaimed Swedish painter Jonas Wickman.
The Dunlavy
By day, grab-and-go eatery The Kitchen at The Dunlavy offers counter service for breakfast and lunch. By night, the venue turns into an elegant event space. The sleek, free-standing building, located on the banks of Buffalo Bayou, boasts floor-to-ceiling windows, offering guests scenic views of Buffalo Bayou Park, the downtown skyline and Lost Lake, a restored pond located onsite. French white oak floors, Spanish wood beams, and glamorous Italian and French crystal chandeliers set the backdrop at the contemporary glass treehouse, while crisp gallery-like interiors serve as a blank slate allowing the interior designer inside you to shine.
Caracol
The interior of Caracol, designed by John Kidd Associates, pays tribute to Mexico, especially the country’s beaches. The walls of the restaurant, located in the Galleria-area, is decked out with aquatic-themed art by American Modernist painter Charley Harper. The bar area is complete with sailboat booms and a suspended sailcloth with hues of sand, straw and blue throughout.
Osso & Kristalla
Visual stunner Osso & Kristalla, designed by the Houston office of the acclaimed Gensler firm, catches your eye from the moment you walk in. Expect bronze and black lighting fixtures, beige and green banquettes, butcher-block tabletops, and triangular flooring. Get inspired by the open exhibition kitchen which provides insight into the creative culinary process. The lively yet casual vibe makes you feel right at home.
A collaboration between Archi-Arts, general contractor James Montgomery and restaurant owners Shepard Ross and Dan Zimmerman, this Montrose eatery is decked out with a bar that was originally a way station for Wells Fargo coaches in the 1800s. A giant map of the U.S. cut from a single piece of steel and an impressive art collection with several pieces by Keith Haring further delight the visual senses. Inside the bathrooms, pieces by Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein artfully canvas the walls.
BCN Taste and Tradition
Set in an intimate 1920s home in Montrose, original works of art by Miro and Picasso pop up against crisp museum-white walls at BCN Taste and Tradition. The two-story restaurant, designed by San Antonio–based architect and designer Augustin Orozcohas sports bright orange window awnings and a custom burnished copper sign, which complement the original period details of the building. Refinished wood flooring and sand-colored tablecloths add warmth while keeping things simple.
State of Grace
The architects at Square Feet Studio in Atlanta, along with in-house designer Elizabeth Ingram, skillfully created a cozy yet elegant setting at James Beard Award semi-finalist Ford Fry’s State of Grace. Dine at a table under one of three custom sparkling chandeliers or at the bar with a window view of a live oak tree.
A color palette of greens, grays, and warm whites set off blackened-steel frame doorways and natural elements (think walnut, marble, and leather) in the timeless space.
Oporto Midtown
Relaxed European tavern-like eatery Oporto Midtown, located on the ground floor of Post Midtown Square apartments, is modish with an old-world feel, drawing inspiration from the owner’s Portuguese-Italian background. Dramatic features from Spanish cedar ceilings to Mexican cement tiles and to wood-and-tile flooring, are all the work of Austin’s award-winning architect Michael Hsu.
CHEF PARKER U.S. presidents, Queen Elizabeth II and other dignitaries have savored his signature dishes. Now, chef Michael Parker is cooking for Houstonians at Jim Crane’s two downtown restaurants.
Find out about your favorite chefs, and where they like to eat, in our Chef’s Corner column. This month, restaurant writer Dai Huynh interviews chef Michael Parker.
Prior to the Super Bowl’s kickoff last month, 40-plus restaurants opened eagerly to fans converging on Houston. Among the most anticipated openings was Potente(link is external), Houston Astros owner Jim Crane’s restaurant. Neighboring Minute Maid Park, Potente (1515 Texas) is an upscale, modern Italian showpiece with chef Michael Parker at the helm, working alongside chef de cuisine Micah Rideout and pastry veteran David Berg. A few weeks after Potente started serving veal osso buco and bistecca alla florentina, Crane opened trattoria-inspired Osso & Kristalla(link is external). The two handsome restaurants anchor the ground floor of the block-wide 500 Crawford apartment building.
Parker and his team oversee the breakfast, lunch, dinner and brunch menus for Osso & Kristalla and the dinner-only Potente. Just add this to Parker’s extensive duty roster. Along with being Crane’s personal chef, he is the executive chef at the millionaire’s exclusive Floridian National Golf Club in Palm City, Fla., which has hosted dignitaries that include President Obama. “It’s not your average country club,” Parker said. Members fly in on their private jets.
Parker now splits time between Texas and Florida. The 47-year-old Englishman earned his stripes in the kitchen, working with the famed Roux brothers at the Waterside Inn, a three-star Michelin restaurant near London. After graduating from high school at age 15, he received his culinary degree from Bournemouth and Poole College in Dorset in 1987. He has cooked for Queen Elizabeth II, along with Presidents Reagan, Bush, Clinton and Obama. Here, he talks about cooking for the Houston Astros and turning President Obama’s team onto hidden culinary gems along the North Atlantic Ocean.
When hiring new cooks, chefs like yourself come up with all sorts of tests to gauge skills. How do you determine whether someone is qualified to work in your kitchen?
You’re only as good as your worst cook, so you got to know your basics. The first test is can you dice or slice an onion? It is amazing how many guys come through who can’t do it correctly. Then I’ll ask, “How do you make hollandaise?” You’ll be amazed by what some people say. I’ve heard guys tell me that you make it with hard-boiled eggs and then you put mayonnaise in them.
Michel and Albert Roux are culinary luminaries. What did you learn working for them?
You learn perfection. You learn how to taste and season. We tasted everything. We had an 80-cover restaurant and 22 cooks. You worked 16-17 hours a day.
The Roux brothers put out an expressive alumni roster – you and others.
Yes, Gordon Ramsay worked for the Roux, along with Marco Pierre White and Gary Jones.
What do you recommend ordering on a first visit to Potente?
The whole brazino, grilled and stuffed with crab and cauliflower. We also have a terrific traditional veal osso buco with olive tapenade. The beef carpaccio – that’s a good dish – and the tuna crudo, which I think is the best dish on the menu, with shaved foie gras, caper berries and a lemon curd aioli.
What is Jim Crane’s favorite dish?
Jim Crane likes a lot of fish. He likes scallops. We have a good diver-scallop dish.
Have any Houston Astros players been spotted at Potente or Osso & Kristalla?
I’ll be doing a dinner for the Astros soon, and naturally, when baseball season starts, the players will be hanging out there after the games, I’m sure.
Potente is high-end, with an impressive wine list, fine scotches, and whiskeys. How would you describe its more relaxed, younger sibling, Osso & Kristalla?
We have a strong coffee program for breakfast with homemade pastries. We fire up the wood-burning pizza oven for lunch and dinner. We’ll have pastas and paninis. Lunch is fast-paced. Dinner is more relaxed, with wines by the glass.
Can you recommend a favorite place to eat?
There is a place called Little Moir’s Food Shack (Jupiter Square, 103 US-1 D3) in Jupiter, Fla. It’s just a bunch of surfer guys who love surfing and fishing. They cook fresh fish. It’s not a white-tablecloth place; they don’t take reservations. I took some guys who worked for Obama here, and they loved it. They went back there a few times. It’s a no-frills place, but it’s fresh and good.
Editor’s note: Buzz dining columnist Dai Huynh is a James Beard food-journalism award winner and longtime Houston-based restaurant writer.
