The 10 Restaurants That Defined Houston Dining in 2022

Celebrated Norwegian chef Christopher Haatuft of Lysverket teamed up with James Beard Award-winning chef-restaurateur Paul Qui for his acclaimed American debut: a sustainable seafood restaurant that merges Nordic flavors with fresh bounty from the Texas Gulf. Golfstrømmen is located inside downtown’s casual Post Market food hall, belying the elegantly plated, complex creations (executed with precision by chef de cuisine Alberto Cruz) that appear before diners.

Take, for instance, the raw scallop ceviche, which is presented in its own shell with diced nectarines, delicate slivers of tomato and shallots, smoked trout roe, and a citrus dressing. The whole deep-fried red snapper — impossibly crispy on the outside and perfectly flaky on the inside — served with juniper pickled ramp sauce and a grilled lemon, is also a winner.

Burger enthusiasts were beyond elated when food blogger and influencer Abbas Dhanani announced he was opening a permanent brick-and-mortar shop for his beloved smashburgers and chopped cheese sandwiches. After all, Burger Bodega’s pop-ups had fans queuing up around the block for a taste of the signature double, which features two super-thin-yet-juicy patties topped with American cheese, grilled onions, housemade pickles, and Bodega sauce sandwiched between two pillowy potato buns. Guests can now also get the burger as a single or a triple, with a side of loaded thin-cut fries and Craft Creamery milkshakes.

Modeled after the quintessential small grocers found all over New York City — the shop’s interior is adorned with graffiti by Noke 713, Donkeeboy, and the student artists of Young Art Pros — Dhanani’s passion project also aims to showcase retail goods from local restaurants and merchants. As such, the shelves are stocked with products including “thick AF” cookies from Pudgy’s Fine Cookies, Bludorn’s fiery Eight Zero Seven Taft hot sauce, spice rubs from Feges BBQ, and “Top Chef: Houston” contestant Evelyn Garcia’s Southeast Asian line of condiments.

Call 346-293-8909 for more info.

Since opening its dining room in early 2021, March has taken Houstonians on a journey through four seasonal menus, each one highlighting the foods and cultures of different regions of the Mediterranean. Its latest menu incarnation explores more than 2,000 miles of the Mediterranean coast, spanning from the distinct flavors of the Canary and Balearic Islands to the traditional dishes of Cyprus. A highlight from a recent visit was the Pesce Azzuro, a dish from the island of Sardinia featuring salt-cured and grilled mackerel with a delightful hit of acid from fresh tomato paste, served with littleneck clams, fregola (also known as Sardinian couscous), and a delightfully light consommé poured tableside.

Each season also comes with perfect wine pairings by master sommelier June Rodil, as well as cocktails, including those made with the latest version of the restaurant’s housemade vermouth.

Houston-raised chef Emmanuel Chavez and co-owner Megan Maul opened a permanent location of their farmers market pop-up in Spring Branch earlier this year, after making a name for the brand by selling freshly made tortillas and other delicious brunch items. Now at this intimate, 13-seat restaurant, Chavez continues to innovate, serving up a progressive menu of Mexican-inspired dishes that has gained national attention — even more so after Esquire magazine named it one of America’s best new restaurants in 2022.

With heirloom corn from Mexico as its main star, the $125 seven-course tasting menu treats diners to thoughtfully prepared tostadas, tamales, quesadillas, sopes, and, yes, tacos. The restaurant (open for brunch on Sundays) also frequently collaborates with well-regarded establishments including Neo, Chivos, and Burger Bodega, not to mention lauded chefs such as Alex Bremont.

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Aaron Bludorn’s eponymous Fourth Ward restaurant has only been open just over two years, but it’s already on its way to becoming a Houston institution — which explains the fanfare surrounding Navy Blue, his second Bayou City outing with wife Victoria Bludorn and their partner Cherif Mbodji. Collaborating with Bludorn on the menu here is executive chef Jerrod Zifchak, who worked under Bludorn at Café Boulud in New York City and took the reins when the former relocated to Houston.

Housed in the former 7,100-square-foot Rice Village space that once belonged to Politan Row food hall, Navy Blue focuses its lens on Texas Gulf Coast seafood with the decadence dial turned up. Case in point: A rich spaghetti vongole featuring manila clams, sea urchin, and seaweed; a swordfish au poivre drenched in green peppercorn pan sauce and served with a whole head of aromatic roasted garlic; and a creamy mussel bisque topped with puff pastry presented tableside the “Bludorn way.” If you know, you know.

Lao food is having a moment in Houston and one of the best places to get it is this tiny little spot in the growing Garden Oaks neighborhood. Souli Phaduangdet and her husband, John Tapia, used to run the popular Thai-Mexican fusion food truck Pho-jita. In October 2021, they retired their mobile concept in favor of something more permanent, opening Sao Lao Thai Cafe to focus on Thai and Lao cuisine. The menu is succinct — for now — but every dish is packed with flavor.

Our humble advice: Start with the spicy filet mignon beef laab and the nam khao, a crispy Lao fried rice that’s fragrant with red curry, coconut shreds, and fermented pork. Then move on to the beautifully rich, layered, and comforting Thai boat noodles, which is so popular it sells out frequently. And when mango is in season, don’t sleep on the mango sticky rice topped with creamy coconut milk, coconut shreds, and sesame seeds.

Call 832-203-5920 for more info.

What do you get when you combine Heights hand roll haven Handies Douzo and Bravery Chef Hall sushi counter Kokoro? You get Aiko, a full-service sit-down restaurant from sushi rock stars Patrick Pham and Daniel Lee, the creative minds behind those two hot spots. Located in the Washington Corridor, Pham and Lee’s latest project — complete with a 10-seat sushi bar so diners can still watch the action up close — blends the best of both menus from the dynamic duo’s previous concepts. Their signature hand rolls, thoughtfully dressed crudos, and artfully prepared nigiri are all on offer. The restaurant also recently rolled out a happy hour omakase for $45 that includes a crudo, five pieces of nigiri, and two hand rolls, giving sushi lovers even more reason to become regulars.

In November, brothers Don and Theo Nguyen celebrated five years of their much-loved Asian-influenced barbecue venture Khói. According to Don, it all began as a way to honor their mom and the Vietnamese food she cooked for them when they were growing up in Houston. Eventually, it evolved into what it is today — a seamless blending of their Asian American heritage with their love of Texas barbecue. The brothers, of course, are best known for their smoky brisket pho and earthy bò lá lốt sausage links (a play on traditional Vietnamese betel leaf-wrapped and grilled beef).

Khói is about more than just barbecue, though, at least for Don. As he revealed in an Instagram post in June, the business has given him something even more valuable: the “confidence” to say that he’s American, that he’s a Texan, that’s he’s Vietnamese, and that he’s “proud” of where he came from. (Also, that “fish sauce is delicious,” which is the absolute truth.) And as the brothers work on opening their first brick-and-mortar restaurant after the phenomenal success of their pop-ups, it’s a reminder to the rest of us of the power food can have in bridging divides and bringing people together, even if there’s still much work and learning to do.

In Arabic and Hindi, the name Amrina means princess, and this stunning restaurant — which opened over the summer and is the first from Kahani Social Group — is fit for royalty. From the chic 10,000-square-foot interior to the plush seating and modern chandeliers, all the way down to the exquisitely plated dishes and dazzling cocktails, Amrina oozes luxury. Chef Jaspratap “Jassi” Bindra — who earned Michelin recognition for his food at Punjab Grill in Washington, D.C. — oversees the culinary direction here, serving inspired dishes that showcase the bold flavors of all the regions of Bindra’s native India, but using innovative techniques. The jackfruit biryani and bone-in rib eye with masala rub, madras curry, and spice butter immediately come to mind.

If you order just one thing here, let it be the bone marrow tacos. The indulgent dish features two canoe-cut beef marrow bones that are first roasted, then grilled over a pecan and mesquite fire, giving it a wonderful smokiness. The buttery marrow is topped with crunchy salsa seca and plopped onto a bed of market greens and radish, completed with a wedge of grilled lime and blue corn tortillas for you to roll your own tacos. The layers of flavors — tart, sweet, salty, buttery — and the crunchiness of the nuts and seeds in the salsa seca contrasted with the softness of the marrow and tortilla, all combine to create a perfect bite, and one you won’t soon forget. That’s just one example of the sheer ingenuity diners will find on the carefully crafted menu at this contemporary Mexican American restaurant, led by executive chef Thomas Bille. Also notable: the housemade flour tortillas served with truffle butter and bright orange pearls of trout roe.