The Best New Restaurants in Houston, December 2024

"From the team behind restaurants Doris Metropolitan and Hamsa, this Montrose Collective newcomer combines culinary traditions from across the Mediterranean for a riveting dining experience that lasts well into the night. The warm Moroccan flatbread, or Frena — served with homemade butter and olives, is an essential start before exploring worthy companions like its tuna crudo that’s topped with feta and a fresh parsley gremolata, or its sea bass carpaccio, which is brightened by slivers of red onion, red pepper, and pistachio. Main events include the restaurant’s foie-gras-topped steak Rossini, its Tiger shrimp bathed in a herbaceous arak beurre blanc, and the creamy crab squid ink pasta that’s given a spicy kick thanks to fermented peppers. Beyond dinner, Okto is a prime spot for happy hour or a nightcap, with olive oil martinis and shishito-infused gin and tonics served at its moody, illuminated, horseshoe-shaped bar." - Brittany Britto Garley