Low-angle view of the Sam Houston equestrian statue in Hermann Park, Houston, standing atop a stone pedestal against a partly cloudy Texas sky.
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City Guide

Houston

2024

Discover Houston

Houston is home to our 2nd SHOP office and one of the most diverse food and cultural scenes in the country. From world class museums and neighborhood boutiques to incredible restaurants representing nearly every cuisine imaginable, the city always offers something new to discover. These are the places we find ourselves returning to and that, to us, capture what makes Houston special.

Abejas

Abejas is one of our favorite hidden gems for shopping in Houston. This sister owned boutique has the feel of browsing through a stylish friend's home, with beautifully curated clothing, accessories, and jewelry from both established and emerging brands. 

Bright seating area inside Abejas Boutique featuring two modern armchairs, a small side table, and large windows that fill the space with natural light.
Clothing display inside Abejas Boutique showcasing women's apparel on a minimalist clothing rack in a bright, modern retail space.
Decorative bee sculpture atop the Abejas Boutique building silhouetted against the sun and a partly cloudy Houston sky.

Bering's Hardware Store

Bering's is far more than a hardware store. Family owned for generations, it combines top quality hardware and home goods with luxury gifts, fine china, gourmet foods, and bespoke stationery. It has become one of Houston's go to destinations for wedding and baby registries and thoughtful gifts, and the old-fashioned customer service keeps people coming back. 

Exterior of Bering's Hardware & Gifts in Houston featuring the storefront entrance, American flag, and landscaped sidewalk.
Gourmet food and candy section inside Bering's Hardware & Gifts with refrigerated dessert displays, specialty chocolates, and coffee selections.
Children's clothing department inside Bering's Hardware & Gifts featuring colorful apparel, toys, and gifts for infants and young children.
Books, toys, and children's gift display inside Bering's Hardware & Gifts with shelves of storybooks, games, and plush animals.
Decorative hardware display inside Bering's Hardware & Gifts showcasing cabinet pulls, knobs, and handles in a wide range of finishes.
Benjamin Moore paint color selection wall inside Bering's Hardware & Gifts featuring hundreds of paint sample swatches.
Home décor and tabletop display inside Bering's Hardware & Gifts featuring fine china, decorative plates, glassware, and elegant table settings.

Bludorn

Located in Montrose, Bludorn is one of Houston's standout dining destinations. The menu blends French technique with Gulf Coast ingredients, creating dishes that feel elevated without being overly formal. Favorites like the lobster pot pie, octopus, and flambéed Baked Alaska make it a restaurant we love to recommend. 

Exterior view of Bludorn restaurant in Houston, featuring a historic brick facade, large glass doors, and a glowing gold script Bludorn sign under a clear blue sky.
Interior of Bludorn restaurant showing a rich wood staircase with a metal railing next to a long hallway leading to a dimly lit bar area with patrons.
Close-up of two golden-brown, flaky biscuits garnished with sliced green onions on a white plate, served with a small bowl of vibrant red raspberry jam.
A brunch dish at Bludorn featuring eggs benedict topped with everything bagel seasoning and hollandaise sauce, served alongside a fresh green side salad.
The oyster bar at Bludorn, featuring an iced display of fresh oysters, a chalkboard listing Mermaid Tears and Murder Point varieties, and a chef working near a wood-fired oven.

Dao Chloe Dao

Located in M-K-T in the Heights, Dao Chloe Dao offers a boutique experience that feels like  NYC or Paris. After winning Project Runway, the owner built a collection known for expert tailoring, clean lines, and timeless pieces influenced by her Asian heritage. The shop is intimate, beautifully designed, and highly personal. 

Exterior storefront of the Chloe Dao boutique in Houston, featuring a modern glass facade, blue-tiled walls, and a wood-paneled overhang, located next to a sweetgreen restaurant.
Inside the Chloe Dao boutique, featuring a plush tan velvet sofa with brown throw pillows illuminated by sunlight, set against a wall decorated with framed magazine covers.
A close-up of a white mannequin wearing a vibrant red dress and a matching oversized straw hat with tassels, standing in front of a clothing rack filled with designer garments.
A detailed close-up of heavy mustard-yellow and beige dressing room curtains held open by a unique, polished gold bracket shaped like a human hand.

Heights Hike and Bike Trail

The Heights Hike and Bike Trail is one of the best ways to experience everyday Houston. Running through one of the city's most walkable neighborhoods, it connects two major shopping hubs Heights Mercantile and MKT, making it easy to stop for coffee, lunch, shopping, or a workout along the way. The trail is always full of runners, cyclists, families, and dogs. 

Exterior storefront of Local Foods along the Heights Hike and Bike Trail, featuring a prominent logo on a rusted metal mesh patio wrapper.
Large black text signage for Melange Creperie mounted on the light-colored horizontal wood siding of its storefront.
A charming, light blue bungalow style building housing Cloud 10 Creamery, featuring brick pillars, a front porch, and wooden picnic tables in a gravel courtyard.
An earthy-green painted bungalow storefront for Lululemon, complete with a classic front porch, stone steps, and manicured landscaping.
The outdoor wooden deck and glass entrance of Melange Creperie, featuring colorful metal bistro chairs and tables set against pink horizontal siding.

Hugo's

Hugo's is a Houston institution and one of the city's best places to experience authentic Mexican cuisine (rather than Tex-Mex). Housed inside a beautifully restored historic building in Montrose, the restaurant is known for scratch made moles, fresh cheeses, handmade tortillas, and traditional dishes. Despite the elegant dining room and towering chandeliers, it maintains a welcoming atmosphere that feels approachable. Save room for dessert and order the signature Pirámide de Chocolate. 

Exterior view of Hugo's restaurant in Houston, featuring a tan stucco building with arched iron doors, a striped awning, and large potted plants at the entrance.
Interior dining room at Hugo's with high ceilings, decorative gold chandeliers, blue booth seating, and artwork featuring cultural figures displayed on exposed brick walls.
A plate of golden-brown empanadas garnished with white crumbles and plantain chips, served on a vibrant blue plate with a blue napkin and silverware.
A plated Mexican entree featuring enchiladas drizzled with white crema and onion rings, served with a side of rice, black beans, and colorful garnishes.

Kuhl Linscomb

Kuhl Linscomb is unlike any home store we have visited. Spanning several interconnected buildings in Upper Kirby, it offers everything from furniture and bedding to gardening supplies, gifts, jewelry, and luxury kitchenware. Every corner is thoughtfully curated – in fact, the owners travel all over the world to handpick pieces. The merchandise is typically rare, imported, and exclusive which makes for a really unique shopping experience. 

A large beige monument sign with the letters KL and name Kuhl-Linscomb standing in a parking lot with cars and a Whole Foods Market in the background.
An indoor floral department display filled with multi-colored faux tulips, hydrangeas, and roses arranged in wall-mounted buckets and baskets.
A formal dining room display featuring a table set with pink and white patterned chinaware, crystal wine glasses, and a crystal chandelier hanging overhead.
An upscale apparel display section with a rustic "Hunting & Fishing Co." sign hanging below an old wooden canoe, surrounded by jackets, jeans, and outdoor accessories.

The Menil Collection

The Menil Collection is one of Houston's greatest cultural treasures. Located within a quiet, park like neighborhood in Montrose, the museum is free and houses an impressive collection totaling over 25K works. We recommend taking time to explore both the galleries and the surrounding green spaces. 

Visitors inside a spacious gallery at The Menil Collection with dark wood floors, white walls, angled ceiling skylights, and horizontal white display cases containing artifacts.
An indoor museum exhibit displaying ancient artifacts on white pedestals, including a small dark sculpted figure, small decorative cups, and a stone tablet mounted on the wall.
Exterior view of a modern pavilion entrance at The Menil Collection, featuring gray horizontal siding, a large glass window facade, a concrete walkway, and manicured green groundcover.

MF Sushi

MF Sushi is one of Houston's premier sushi experiences. Chef Chris Kinjo, known as "Magic Fingers" (hence the name), is celebrated for his exceptional nigiri and omakase, where each course is prepared with remarkable precision. The intimate dining room, custom Japanese ceramics, and beautiful wood sushi bar create an experience that is refined. 

A concrete monument sign embedded with the black "MF SUSHI" circular logo and text, lit from below by landscape lighting in front of a modern building facade.
A sushi chef in a white uniform and traditional cap carefully assembling a dish with chopsticks behind a long wooden sushi counter alongside other chefs.
A close-up shot of raw salmon slices rolled up and served in a deep blue, boat-shaped dish garnished with fresh microgreens and cherry tomatoes.
A sushi chef wiping down a light wooden counter next to a long black plate featuring four pieces of freshly prepared nigiri sushi.
Six pieces of tuna maki rolls neatly arranged in a blue curved ceramic dish, garnished with a sprig of greenery and a curled beet ribbon next to chopsticks.

Montrose

Montrose is one of Houston's most vibrant neighborhoods. Picture historic homes that sit alongside art galleries, vintage shops, cocktail bars, coffee shops, and some of the city's best restaurants. Street murals, local boutiques, and nearby museums make it a neighborhood where you can easily spend an entire day. 

A shiny metallic street sign that reads "MONTROSE DISTRICT" mounted on a silver pole, set against a backdrop of lush green trees.
A metal utility box painted with a vibrant rainbow sunburst pattern and the words "WELCOME TO MONTROSE," with a street and parked cars in the background.
The iconic Mecom Fountain spraying water from its tiered concrete basins, surrounded by a manicured green lawn under a clear blue sky.
The Sam Houston Monument featuring a bronze equestrian statue atop a large stone arch, situated in a green park with stone walkways and tree-lined paths.

Museum of Fine Arts Houston

The Museum of Fine Arts anchors Houston's impressive Museum District and is one of the largest art museums in the country. Its collection spans thousands of years, over 80K works of art, and includes everything from ancient artifacts to contemporary installations. Even beyond the museum itself, the surrounding district is one of the country's premier cultural destinations, housing 19 distinct museums. 

A spacious museum interior featuring a large gold tapestry hanging on the wall, a woven dome structure on the floor, and an arched entryway lit with glowing green light.
A bright gallery space with speckled terrazzo flooring featuring an abstract red metal sculpture and a colorful, textured oil painting hanging on a nearby wall.
A multi-level museum lobby viewed from above an elevated walkway, showing wide white staircases, a reception desk, and a delicate hanging mobile sculpture.
An exhibition room with dark wood flooring displaying various geometric, abstract wire and wall-mounted sculptures against white walls.
An outdoor plaza area paved with stone bricks leading to a modern building with a vertical-tubed glass facade, accented by a rocky landscape installation.
A modern stone building with large glass windows reflecting the surrounding trees, featuring the text "The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston Sarofim Campus" engraved on the wall.
A close-up shot of a glossy black pillar sign that reads "HOUSTON museum DISTRICT" on its sides, positioned under a canopy of green oak trees.
A prominent tan stone wall carved with large block lettering that spells out "MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS HOUSTON" at the entrance of the Audrey Jones Beck Building.

Nancy's Hustle

Nancy's Hustle is widely considered one of Houston's most essential culinary destinations. The cozy dining room is relaxed and the menu combines European influences with creative New American cooking. We recommend ordering the famous Nancy Cakes and the famous cheeseburger served on its signature house made English muffin. 

An evening exterior shot of a modern brick corner restaurant featuring large glass windows, glowing yellow "Nancy's Hustle" neon signs, and patrons seated at an outdoor wooden bench and table.
A close-up view of dried decorative grass in a vase, positioned next to a gold-framed oval mirror that reflects blurred framed artwork on an opposite wall.
A close-up shot of a round white coaster on a wooden table with the cursive text "Nancy's Hustle" printed inside a thin yellow border, partially supporting a glass of a light green drink.
A female bartender working at a well-stocked bar counter under a lighted sign that reads "YOU'RE SPECIAL," with rows of liquor bottles on wooden shelves in the foreground.

The Original Ninfa's

The Original Ninfa's is a Houston classic and widely recognized as the birthplace of the modern fajita. The original location in EaDo has been serving fresh homemade tortillas and sizzling Tex Mex favorites for decades. The lively atmosphere and rich history make it a standout classic. 

An exterior shot of a white brick restaurant building with a hand-painted mural reading "THE ORIGINAL Ninfa's ON NAVIGATION," featuring an outdoor sidewalk, potted plants, and a rooftop sign.
A close-up shot of a wire basket filled with crispy yellow tortilla chips lined with white paper, sitting on a wooden table next to two small bowls of green and brown salsa.
A dimly lit restaurant dining room with dark wooden tables and chairs, featuring hanging lantern lights and a colorful wall mural of a woman with Day of the Dead face paint surrounded by red roses.
An enclosed patio dining space with a cobblestone floor, multiple square tiled tables, mismatched colorful chairs, and ceiling fans spinning overhead.

Nobie's

Nobie's feels like one of Houston's best kept neighborhood secrets. Set inside a converted bungalow in Montrose, it serves a constantly changing menu built around seasonal ingredients and Gulf seafood that is delivered daily. The restaurant only plays vinyl soundtracks that adds to the cozy atmosphere. Make sure to order the signature Nonno's Pasta – a pasta that remains a staple on the changing menu. 

See You in Houston

Houston is a city that rewards curiosity. Whether you spend the day exploring museums, shopping local boutiques, or working your way through its incredible restaurants, there is always another neighborhood, hidden gem, or memorable meal waiting around the corner. We hope this guide helps you experience the city the way we do.