Houston, Texas: 4 Meals, 4 Unique Tastes of This Diverse City

Westheimer Road, a major east-west road named after a German immigrant and flour salesman, is now a go-to spot for restaurants of virtually every type. Exemplifying the city’s dining diversity, Westheimer boasts seafood places, Greek diners, empanada emporiums and more. Underbelly, a well-trafficked local restaurant, explores New Creole cuisine through farm-to-table, whole-animal cooking. Chef Chris Shepherd’s menu is filled with family-style offerings and shareable plates like house-made charcuterie, lamb merguez and crispy farmers’ market vegetables.

Everything old is new again thanks to the renaissance of Houston’s Downtown Historic District. The once-sleepy area is now hopping with inventive restaurants, bars and clubs. Drink in the history at Houston’s oldest bar, La Carafe. This candle-lit tavern dating to the 1800s pours wine and beer only. Or, catch a burlesque or cabaret performance at Prohibition Supperclub & Bar while enjoying craft cocktails and locally sourced dishes. Innovative OKRA Charity Saloon donates a portion of their proceeds to charity (with patrons voting for one of four selected causes with each drink they buy).

Travel back more than 100 years with a meal at the George Ranch Historical Park. The living history site, 30 minutes southwest of downtown Houston, sits on an 8,000-hectare ranch bustling with livestock and costumed historical re-enactors. Gather ‘round for a chuckwagon breakfast, a hearthside cooking class or a six-course dinner straight out of the 1860s. Meals include classics like country ham and pan gravy, candied pork belly, corn and potato casserole, and apple crumble. Candlelit, six-course dinners take place in the historic Ryon Prairie Home, hosted by Mrs. Polly Ryon herself.

Go hands-on with a chef-led Houston Culinary Tour. Chefs will lead you through the city’s most exciting neighborhoods, while tasting and learning along the way. Previous tours included explorations of Gulf of Mexico seafood, Houston’s best spots for Jewish specialties and ethnic comfort-food. Award-winning chef Chris Shepherd has led many tours, included visits to the city’s best Vietnamese spots and a trip down eclectic Long Point Road.

Houston has two main airports – the George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) and William Hobby Airport (HOU). IAH provides many direct flights from global destinations, and HOU is mostly domestic with Southwest Airlines providing some international flights.