"This historic restaurant has been serving up home cooked goodness for longer than I’ve been on the planet!" says Williams. "Everyone in the Black community from Houston has made their Hajj here at least once. The restaurant has recently moved from gentrified 4th Ward (now called Midtown) to soon-to-be gentrified 3rd Ward. Despite the move and brief hiatus, the ownership is the same; the flavors still conjure up good childhood memories; and the plates still weigh about three to five pounds!"

"Having lived and worked in D.C. for a number of years, the one thing I missed the most about our nation’s capital when I moved back to Houston was great Ethiopian food. That is, until Lucy’s hit the scene! The first time I went into the place, I knew they were on to something great! From the carpeted walls, the loud Ethiopian music playing and…the KITFO! This traditional dish requires deft hands when preparing as it’s Ethiopia’s answer to beef tartare. Order it up with some honey wine."

"This brilliant duo opened up a few months before Lucille’s. I had the pleasure of doing a pop-up dinner with them in preparation of us opening and they STOLE the show...almost to the point to where I started to reconsider my career path. The things that these two do with RAW vegetables never cease to amaze! They also make all of their scratch juices and desserts in house. Best thing is, you can eat everything and never have any regret!
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"Chef Shannen Tune is really doing something extraordinary with the burgers at CB. This cat started his businesses as a food truck, and now has two brick-and-mortar locations in the Houston-area. And if his name sounds familiar, it’s because he’s a former champion of Food Network’s Chopped. You can definitely get a standard burger here, but the real ingenuity is in his over-the-top takes like his Truffle Butter Juicy Lucy. Pro Tip: Don’t leave without trying one of the shakes!"

"In the middle of my time living in Europe, I had the opportunity to work in a West African restaurant. After learning the technique that went into making Egusi, Fufu, Garnish Snail, and Bitter Leaf Soup, I fell in love with it! I’m so happy that Safari is here, still family-owned, and still putting out the best Bitter Leaf Soup in the city! Don’t sleep on the Egusi, Okra Soup or the Pepper Soup either. It will burn a hole in your stomach, but it’s so worth it."

"This little restaurant has been here for years and has been the best Jamaican restaurant in the city the entire time! The curry goat stays on point! My new favorite is the escovitche snapper—whole fried snapper simmered in scotch bonnet, onion and pepper-infused vinegar served with rice and peas and steamed veg! When the pandemic first started, I would feed my staff from local independently-owned restaurants everyday—Reggae Hut became a once-a-week treat!"

"A long time family-owned BBQ joint, this place has been a staple in the community and sets the standard for what Texas BBQ should be. In the past three years, they have taken BBQ sides to a whole new level with Greg Gatlin and Chef Michelle Wallace at the helm! Smoked crab gumbo? Oxtail menudo? Chargrilled okra? Yes x 3!

"This place has been a staple in East Texas for nearly 40 years. It’s a family business that’s run by Leonard Broussard and his wife, Carolyn. Texas barbecue isn’t hard to find, but they separate themselves from the pack with their unique specialty: down-home beef links. You won’t find them done this way many places, and they still case the links by hand every single day. If you’re in Houston, it’s a little over an hour drive to Beaumont—which is Broussard’s home-base—but you won’t regret it.

"This comes from the same owner as The Reggae Hut—Marcus Davis—and has been a Houston institution from the jump! Staples include the Chicken and Waffles along with the Catfish and Grits. Count on a line around the building everyday. Don’t worry though, Marcus has a well-oiled machine that turns tables at a record pace!"

"Last but mine! We are a chef-owned (me), chef-driven (Khang Hoang) restaurant in the Museum District (Third Ward). I named the restaurant after my great-grandmother; we celebrate her legacy through food and philanthropy, which led us to founding the non-profit Lucille's 1913 to combat food insecurity, food waste, and poverty. Come and relax on our patio, knowing your dollars will end up in the community either through 1913 or our Bar Patio Pop-Ups that support out-of-work bartenders."