Howdy! As y’all know, I moved from Texas in November 2019. I thought it was about time I shared all of my fave spots we went to over the few years! I wrapped up shopping, food, drinks, and other tips I have on how to take on the city.
Highland Village // This was basically my spot. Grab a box of cupcakes from Sprinkles, hit all of the shops, & relax at the wine bar down the street (don’t worry, I have it linked below too). It’s my idea of a perfect day in Houston. You’ll find shops like Crate and Barrel, Pottery Barn, Anthropologie, Paper Source, LUSH, and much more.
The Galleria // Literally one of the coolest malls compared to anything in SC/NC. Anytime someone would visit me, I had to take them. The Dallas mall is fab too! They have shops like ZARA, lots of big designer brands, and your classics like Free People.
Rice Village // Went to the Dry Bar here! Cute spots with stores like Urban Outfitters, Kendra Scott, Banana Republic, and more.
City Centre // Lots of restaurants and shopping here too! It’s a bit out of the loop, but if you’re near the area you won’t want to miss it.
Okay so this is super hard because Houston has so many great food options! I already know I’m missing a ton on this list, but the list is already so long.
North Italia (Italian) // Miss this spot so much already! They have such good apps, drinks, and mains. My go to meal was pizza + aperol spritz!
Backstreet Cafe (American) // Such a cute brunch spot. Perfect for a girls day out or spot to bring your visitors.
Postino Wine Cafe (Italian) // Clearly I have a thing for wine & cheese. This spot is super cute! Great outdoor section and cozy inside too. It is prob the best spot to grab apps and drinks since they have so many sharing plates.
Dish Society (American) // If we ever couldn’t decide where to go, this was the spot! It was my fave for brunch.
Sweet Paris (French) // On a budget? Load up on delish crepes here! I would bring guests here before their flight when they would visit me. It’s quick, easy, cute, and affordable.
a’Bousy (French) // A must have experience. Such fun drinks, obvi lots of champs too, and really good food! They also bring you popcorn after you order so that’s a big selling point.
Emmaline (American) // One of the cutest places in Houston! It’s gorg on the inside/out and has really good food and drinks. They also have a gorg upstair patio with all white umbrellas. Perfect spot for a girls night! I love this spot for dinner.
Kolache Factory (Czech/Texas haha) // If you are visiting, you have to try a kolache. If you are moving to Texas, you’ll find out eventually! It’s basically a roll filled with different toppings. My fave is bacon, egg, & cheese.
El Tiempo/Velvet Taco/Chuy’s/Hugos // Have to wrap up all the mexican/tex mex into one since they have soo many options!
One of the things I miss most about Texas are the bars! Day drinking in the sun is one of my fave hobbies. Here are a few spots I recommend checking out!
Drextel House // One of my fave wine bars! Next to all the Highland Park shopping and the perfect pit stop. We always get the charcuterie board and I grab a glass of sangria.
Midtown Bars // From Little Woodrow’s (can’t miss the turtle racing on Thursday’s) to Dogwood (former Bachelor star owns this one), Axelrad (hammoks everywhere…and good pizza), Jack & Ginger (perfect spot to “watch” Arsenal day games and grab food + drinks), 13 celsius (fab views)…basically you’re not limited on spots in this area!
Kirby’s Ice House // One of our fave spots! My bestie and I would always come here for girls night. It’s got such a big outdoor section with twinkle lights galore. They always have food trucks too!
The Rustic // Another classic Texas bar/restaurant! They have live music, good frose, and chicken with a miller lite can in it. It’s an experience.
Karbach Brewery // Can’t go wrong with a brewery! It’s fun to grab a tour, food, or see what events they have going on. I went to a yoga class here before and grabbed a beer after- best combo!
Saint Arnolds Brewery // Another fun brewery! Really good prices and food options. Also closer to other Midtown bars if you are wanting to hop around.
Truck Yard // A true Texas bar. It’s another super cute outdoor bar. They have a mini ferris wheel and loads of food trucks.
Secret Garden // I didn’t know this existed, but I found it on Instagram a couple of weeks ago. Looks super cute so I had to include it! Let me know if you guys check it out!
Houston Rodeo // Duh! It’s the largest indoor livestock exhibition and rodeo in the world. They have a huge carnival, wine garden, and rode/concerts. It’s quite the experience!
Rooftop Cinema Club // Such a cute date night! You get a gorg view of the city and get to watch a movie, play corn hole, and eat/drink! It’s a fun time. They also have theme nights and sing-along nights too. Book your tickets online for this one!
Garden Center + food! // Stumbled upon the cutest garden center that has cute home decor shops and bonus – a gorgeous restaurant attached! The restaurant is called tiny boxwoods this spot is also known for their cookies. You’ve probably seen a few instagrams here!
Houston 365 // To get the scoop on all events and festivals, I referenced Houston 365. I found food truck festivals to concert tickets on this site.
Houston is such a fab city! Hope this guide helps y’all plan your visit or gives you new places to check out.
Had some great fun at the Galleria when we used to live close to Houston. Great travel post