From Houston With Love
Michelin restaurants, a pygmy hippo, tiki drinks, and Meow Wolf
At 268,596 square miles, Texas is a formidable state that would take you weeks or even months to explore.
When I was invited to Houston, I jumped at the opportunity. I’d only been to Texas once for a work meeting in Dallas, and I knew I was remiss in not exploring further.
My plane to Houston was delayed, so when I finally arrived, it was late, and all I wanted was some food. Thankfully, some wonderful people pointed me in the direction of a Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant that happened to have the most comforting burger I’ve had in ages. That was just the tip of the iceberg.
Where to Stay
Hotel Zaza Museum District
If you like eclectic hotels, the Hotel Zaza is your kind of place. Each suite is decorated with a different theme, from a space-themed “Houston We Have a Problem” to the romantic “An Affair to Remember”. The hotel is located in Houston’s Museum District, close to the zoo, where you can visit Akobi, the zoo’s four-and-a-half-year-old pygmy hippo.
Where to Eat
Candente
Not your usual Tex-Mex, this Michelin-recommended place offers traditional fare like enchiladas and nachos made with brisket cooked low and slow. The food is excellent, and the portions are huge. Bring a friend (or four), and you’ll still be taking food home.
Koffeteria
French pastries, kolaches, and more from a Cambodian chef await at this adorable little local place in east Downtown Houston. The menu rotates, but if the persimmon lemon scone is available, grab it!
Nancy’s Hustle
Arriving in Houston on a Sunday night after a delayed flight, I was just searching for anything open. Nancy’s Hustle not only keeps its kitchen open until 11 p.m. six nights a week, but it was one of the coolest places with the most amazing food. I’m surprisingly picky, so I love getting a menu and being puzzled by a serious cornucopia of things I want to eat, but every single item sounded delicious. Whatever you decide, do not miss the butter dumplings with sauerkraut (they will make you a half portion so you can try a few different items if you’re solo). After a long day at the airport, I needed the hug of a cheeseburger, and Nancy’s makes a divine one, served on an English muffin with American cheese, pickles, and red onion. It’s no surprise that this charming, lively, little, unassuming place has earned a Michelin Bib Gourmand.
Where to Drink
Lei Low
When the Uber drops you off at a lonely little strip mall outside of Downtown Houston, you might think they made a mistake. That is, until you walk in and see the nautical decor and take in the scent of fruit juices and dark rum. For all its tiki kitsch, this isn’t a tourist trap. It’s a neighborhood bar that just happens to serve potent Mai Tais.
St. Arnold Brewing Company
There’s nothing better than grabbing a fresh pint of beer and enjoying a beer garden on a sunny afternoon. St. Arnold’s comes complete with a water fountain for an added touch of zen. In keeping with its theme (the patron saint of beers), the indoor taproom is fashioned like a cathedral, complete with stained windows.
La Carafe
If you like a good ghost story with a side of history, grab a glass of wine at La Carafe. This cash-only bar is housed in a building built in 1837 and is said to be haunted by various spirits, including a “woman in white”. The bar leans into its spooky status, hosting tarot readers and annual seances.
What to Do
Visit Hou Deng and Friends at the Houston Zoo
Moo Deng started a pygmy hippo frenzy, for sure. Did you know, however, that the Houston Zoo has a pygmy hippo that’s as adorable? Four-year-old Akobi is a 477-pound pygmy hippo that recently took up residence at the Houston Zoo. Although his name is lovely (and means “first born” in Yoruba), Houstonians have nicknamed this adorable guy Hou Deng, a nod to the famous Moo Deng who causes the cutest chaos over in Thailand. While you’re there, don’t forget to say hi to the newborn baby elephant, Kirby, who was just born a few months ago. You can also feed the giraffes, ride a jungle-themed carousel, and drink local beer.
Meow Wolf Houston
Meow Wold Houston Radio Tave is one of the newest Meow Wolf exhibitions. You first enter into an old-timey radio station that kinda looks like a WKRP doppelganger before all hell breaks loose, and you’re lost in some alien-run space/time warp. Each door leads to another psychedelic adventure and each button you press or knob you turn changes your perspective. What makes the Houston location unique is that it’s the first Meow Wolf to have its own bar. And what a bar it is! Cowboix Hevvven is a fully immersive honkey tonk from hell where you can drink Jack Daniels, eat hot dogs, and hang out with space cowboys, beings from beyond, and other creatures of the imagination. Have you ever played pool with an actual pool shark? You can at Cowboix Hevvven!