The Best Dishes Eater Houston Ate This March, 2025

There are more than 12,000 restaurants in Houston. With at least 145 languages spoken across town and communities bringing compelling fare from regions like south Louisiana and the West Coast, and countries like Mexico, Syria, and the Philippines, there’s no shortage of outstanding food in Space City. Check back monthly to see the best things Eater Houston’s editor ate this month.

The Murimake roll at Haii Keii

The sushi doesn’t stop in Houston. It seems like there’s always a new Japanese restaurant popping up, offering its own signature-style rolls, often with a story behind them — but none like this. Haii Keii, one of the new restaurant with one of the funkiest designs in Houston, offers a sushi roll that’s an assembly of king crab, A5 wagyu, and kaluga caviar. The touch of gold leaf on the roll is nice, but the best part is the accompanying crackling crab butter candle. Made from a boiled-down and molded combination of crab and butter, the lit candle sits at the end of the plate in a hunk of wasabi to keep it steady, dripping butter for your dipping pleasure. Forget soy sauce. I want crab butter on everything. 3300 Kirby Drive, Suite 9-A, Upper Kirby.

French dip au jus at Yuston’s pop-up

At least once a year, Justin Yu, the chef behind Theodore Rex, gets playful with his pop-up, Yuston’s, which pays homage to one of the city’s most beloved restaurants — Houston’s. Hosted at the very end of March, Yuston’s menu was filled with Houston classics, including a more decadent version of its iconic spinach dip served with a side of rich cheese fondue and smoky salsa roja, and extra crisp tempura-fried chicken wings served with three homemade sauces. The French dip au jus, however, took the cake. Made with tender USDA prime beef and buns Yu made that morning, the sandwich came draped in smoked gouda, dressed with aioli and horseradish, and served with a side of brown butter jus. Yu, who could be found behind the counter and in the kitchen, says he might offer the sandwich as a special at his Heights bar Better Luck Tomorrow. Finally, although it was hard to make room for the hot fudge sundae, if there is a will, there is a way. The vanilla ice cream was surrounded by little surprises like dried cherries cooked in kirsch and candied pecans, then topped with whipped cream that almost tasted like marshmallow, as well as a side of hot fudge that diners can pour on themselves (don’t judge me, but I ate some of this straight with my spoon). 1302 Nance Street, Unit A, Downtown.

Brittany Britto Garley

Grilled fish head at Annam

Autry Park’s new Vietnamese restaurant offers a sparkling space to dig into shareable plates with your chopsticks and fingers. I managed to not get much fish sauce on my clothes, but when it came to the grilled fish heads, things got a little messy. We chose the recommended grilled salmon (also available with amberjack), which came to the table in two split parts topped with herbs, chili sauce, and spices. It was on us to dig into the fish head’s nooks and crannies, unearthing some of its tender and slightly fatty meat. Other standouts include the shaking filet mignon that almost fell apart with a chopstick nudge, the betel leaf beef, and the Imperial Roll — all of which come with lettuce and herbs to wrap them with. I can’t wait to go back for the Vietnamese chicken wings. 811 Buffalo Park Drive, Suite 120, Autry Park, Montrose.

Brittany Britto Garley

Beef cheek bourguignon and pommes aligot at Chardon

Sometimes hotel restaurants get a bad rap, but within the last few months, Houston has been stepping it up with the openings of new restaurants that can be destinations. Chardon is one of those. Prepared to be wowed by the French restaurant’s wagyu beef cheek bourguignon, which is the most decadent take of bourguignon I’ve had to date. It’s an irresistibly tender hunk of beef complemented by a rich Brunoise sauce that has just the right hint of tang and topping of crispy onions for added texture. Pairing this with the pommes aligot — possibly the stretchiest, cheesiest, most decadent potatoes Houston has seen yet — is non-negotiable. If you’re looking for an unconventional but somewhat interactive starter, order the Bisous Tower. The multi-tiered appetizer feels like a necessary introduction to Chardon’s more contemporary French menu, which features a stellar foie gras macaron. Don’t forget the booze: Chardon has a fantastic wine and cocktail list and, if it’s your birthday, tell them. You want the birthday cake macaron.

Brittany Britto Garley

Road Trip edition: Round Top

The gnocchi at the Frenchie

I visited Round Top the weekend before the country’s largest antique fair hit the small town with more than 100,000 travelers from all around the country. What I found is that this place, which has a population of little more than 90 people, is a perfect getaway, no matter the year, and the food is certainly worth the trip alone. Nick Middleton, the Austin chef behind the newly opened Golden Boy in the Faregrounds, serves dinner at a boutique hotel called the Frenchie. In a coursed menu, he delivered a standout kale salad, followed by some of the softest and most flavorful gnocchi I’ve ever had. Plated in a cream sauce, this pillowy pasta is paired with shiitake mushrooms for a punch of umami.

Brittany Britto Garley

Everything at Royers Round Top Cafe

Though that dinner was certainly fit for the spacious, airy, and somewhat summery digs at the Frenchie (there’s land nearby with goats and horses!), going into town, which is just a seven-minute drive away, yielded dishes that were far more hearty. We stepped into Royer’s Cafe, where the server filled our table with buttery rolls alongside garlic herb butter and red apple butters, a platter of Sunday special fried chicken with sweet cream corn and mashed potatoes, the shrimp BLT, and the steak special with a peppered gravy. Pie here, as I learned, is a requisite, so we ordered the blueberry lemon pie warm with a side of ice cream.

Brittany Britto Garley