The Best New Restaurants in Houston, March 2025

"Astros pitcher Lance Cullers Jr. and the team at Rex Hospitality have branched out beyond local stadiums and its Thompson Hotel digs with their first standalone coffee shop, cocktail lounge, and full-service restaurant in Sawyer Yards. Diners can start the day with delightful pastries, breakfast tacos, sandwiches, and coffee drinks before introducing nighttime cocktails, like an epic carajillo or a cold shakerato, available with or without alcohol, or a pick from the curated wine list. The food menu also captivates with family-style dishes like tender octopus with roasted fingerling potatoes, a stellar steak au poivre, Caesar salad cups that can be eaten with your hands, and produce like maitake mushrooms and artichoke that are cooked with the most delicate care. Dessert is essential. Chocolate lovers will delight in its s’mores cup and the gooey chocolate lava cake." - Brittany Britto Garley