Food Halls, Food Trucks, Tex Mex & Outdoor Art in Houston
I went to Texas for a week and got covid while I was there. I am not joking, I wish I was. BUT on the bright side, it didn’t actually hit me until I left and now (over a month later) I’m finally feeling better. So if you’ve been wondering where the newsletters are, I was watching The Perfect Match, taking lots of naps and then catching up on work/life/etc.
Thanks to many Instagram friends sliding into my DMs with recs during this trip… and to my friend Jess for hosting me. Didn’t know y’all were so passionate about Houston. I actually love Texas (outside of its politics) so it was a treat for me to return to the state after not having visited in nearly 8 years.
Coffee Spots I loved
Wild Coffee + CBD is really cute and all neon and pink and fun… they are a cocktail bar as well as a coffee bar and they even have a shop that sells CBD joints and creams and gummies. I went to the Heights location, but they have two more shops around town.
BlendIn Coffee Club - Wilford, who was one of our podcast guests a couple months ago, recommended Blendin. The shop roasts and brews Lamastus Family Estates coffee, which comes from Wilford’s farms in Panama.
Food and Drinks
Galleria Food Truck Park - Watched a sunset and ate the best quesabirria with my hands without making too much of a mess. You’ll find lots of Latin and Asian foods here.
POST Market - a really cool, futuristic-feeling food hall with lots of international options including Mexican, Thai, Cajun and Norwegian food. There is a cocktail bar in the middle of the space and an open-air rooftop with downtown city views.
Have lunch at the Original Ninfa’s on Navigation Blvd. Don’t let anyone tell you differently. A lot of people love this restaurant and I can see why. Frozen margaritas. Tacos, quesadillas, enchiladas. The restaurant has been open since 1973 (this is its first and historic location) and they claim it’s “the best Mexican food in Texas since Texas was in Mexico.”
Head to Navy Blue for an indulgent dinner. Start with bubbly, and no matter what you order the truffle risotto is a MUST. This seafood spot opened not too long ago and everything we tried was so delicious, from the mahi mahi dip to the dessert—we had this amazing and decadent chocolate cake(??) with pomegranates on it and I think pomegranate ice cream, but now I don’t see it on the menu so if you know what it is let a girl know! :)
Better Luck Tomorrow - a fun, dog-friendly bar in The Heights area. Cocktails are delicious and strong, and the neighborhood is walkable in case you want to keep it going after stopping here.
Art
A must: James Turrell's "Twilight Epiphany" Skyspace at Rice University. Built in 2012 and free to visit, the Skyspace can hold up to 120 people and is acoustically engineered to host musical performances and act as a lab for Shepherd School of Music students. I didn’t make it until after the sun went down, BUT you can see a light sequence here every day at sunrise and sunset. The Sunrise sequence begins approximately 40 minutes before sunrise (they recommend you arrive an hour before sunrise). The Sunset sequence begins about 10 minutes before sunset. Each sequence lasts approximately 40 minutes.
On my radar for next time: The Museum district, where you’ll find 19 world-class museums + Hermann Park and Houston Zoo.
*Pro tip: If you are traveling from Houston to other Texas cities like Austin, take the (fancy) bus. Vonlane picks you up at a hotel downtown and is equipped with Wifi, blankets, ear plugs, snacks, drinks and more. It’s a dream.
Additional recs from friends/acquaintances/colleagues:
Breakfast at The Breakfast Klub, a Houston institution known for its delicious Southern-style breakfast dishes.
The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, which features a vast collection of art from around the world, including works by Rembrandt, Van Gogh, and Picasso + a sculpture garden.
Discovery Green, a 12-acre urban park in the heart of downtown Houston. Here you'll find art installations, public events, and plenty of green space to relax and take in the city's skyline.
Space Center Houston: Explore augmented reality experiences like walking on the moon and even watching the Saturn V launch, and the New Artemis Exhibit has recently opened to the public.
Restaurants:
Xin Chao, Vinh Hoa, Okome Don, Koffeteria, Puebla’s Mexican Kitchen, Lucille’s, Coltivare, Indianola, Bludorn, Gatlin’s BBQ, Fin & Feather, Kiran's