"Houston's restaurant scene is growing fast, and spring is the best time to get out and try something new. These spots range from quick airport bites to sit-down dinners with creative menus — something for just about every taste and occasion."
Houston gets several new restaurants this April. Olympic gymnast Simone Biles opened Taste of Gold, an upscale café in Terminal A at George Bush Intercontinental Airport. Other newcomers include Exilio in Harlow District with Latin flavors, Atlantic Ocean in the Washington Corridor focused on coastal seafood, Birdie's Icehouse at East River 9, and Osteria di Mercato, a 30-seat Italian dinner spot. More openings are on the way.
Image: A.RICARDO/shutterstock.com
Scorching temperatures have yet to hit Houston, so now is the time to get out and explore before the unbearable heat and humidity arrive. And what better way to do so than by checking out the hottest new restaurants? Whether you’re passing through the airport and want to eat like an Olympian, craving a new seafood destination, or seeking stunning Downtown views, here’s what’s worth keeping tabs on, plus a roundup of what’s coming soon.
The wait is over. Olympic gymnast and hometown hero Simone Biles has finally debuted her restaurant in George Bush Intercontinental Airport. Inspired by her travels, Biles said in a release that her goal with Taste of Gold is “to help create a place for people to relax and share meals during their travels.”
Located in Terminal A near Gate A8, the “upscale café” keeps it simple with soups, salads, burgers, sandwiches, and chicken tenders. The Simone Skewers, which come with chicken, steak, shrimp, veggies, or a combination, are reportedly the athlete’s personal favorite. Adhering to the theme, Biles’s new establishment features several TVs for watching sports and 3D art by Texas designer Jody Dodson, with gold embellishments. In a TikTok post, Biles teases that this restaurant might be the first of many, so stay tuned.
IAH representatives originally announced the restaurant in September 2024, stating that it would be a Tex-Mex restaurant. Derek Missimo, cofounder of airport restaurant specialists Athlete Playmaker Group, says the concept is about “creating places that feel familiar and local, without sacrificing quality, speed or consistency.”
Image: Chris Quit Nguyen
Bari Hospitality, the restaurant group behind Italian restaurant Bari, has launched its newest endeavor. Exilio opened this week in Harlow District, offering a cuisine that's a mashup of Latin flavors from Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Spain. The opening menu includes a variety of ceviches and crudo, including a rib eye aguachile; seafood cocktails; tacos, and a variety of entrees, such as Argentine-style cuts of beef, rice dishes, and more. Diners can start booking reservations for lunch, drinner, or weekend brunch next week.
Image: Madelynne Grace
Known for his popular Atlanta brunch concept, Toast on Lenox, chef Virgil Harper has landed in Space City. Harper partnered with executive chef Aliyah Watley to launch Atlantic Ocean. Opened on April 1, the 5,100-square-foot Washington Corridor restaurant focuses on the coastal seafood diaspora, with grilled branzino with chimichurri, lobster pasta, and Dover sole with Meyer lemon beurre blanc and crispy capers. Cocktails carry the coastal theme further, with the Transatlantic, Atlantic’s take on a sidecar, and the Bom Dia (“good morning” in Portuguese)—a blend of Chinola (Dominican Republic passion fruit liqueur) and mango with a Tajín-lined rim.
Already home to a par-3 golf course, driving range, and pickleball facility, East River 9 just got livelier. In mid-March, the venue opened Birdie’s Icehouse, an on-site watering hole that now offers beer, wine, and cocktails, alongside “caddy snacks” (crispy empanadas, nachos, hummus, and pimento dip with kettle chips), tacos, and sandwiches. Need a break from the green? Stunning views of Downtown, a sprawling patio with several TVs, and an oversize LED screen might make this a new spot to watch your favorite sports team live.
The owners of gourmet grocer Mercato and Company have finally opened their planned sit-down dining component. The intimate, 30-seat restaurant Osteria di Mercato next door serves traditional Italian fare for dinner. A recent copy of its menu featured 17 items, including antipasti such as sourdough with housemade butter and saffron arancini with salsa verde, pastas such as braised rabbit fettuccine, stuffed Swiss chard quail, and chocolate Basque cheesecake.
Image: comma Hospitality
Comma Hospitality, the restaurant group behind Japanese restaurants Neo, Kira, and Oru, is opening a new izakaya on Tuesday, April 21. Toga channels the team’s travels through Japan, focusing on grilled items and bar food that pair well with its selection of sake, Japanese beer, and cocktails, according to a release. Yakitori will be a major focus, with various chicken skewers, including the neck and tail, which will be served over Japanese binchotan charcoal. Other highlights include “contemporary” izakaya dishes such as Comte-stuffed menchi katsu curry and a Wagyu Toga burger on a potato bun, served with fried snacks and Laotian jerky.
A new cocktail bar and listening lounge opens this Friday on Navigation Boulevard. Houston Chronicle reports that By the Wayside has taken over an abandoned building in the East End, replacing it with a cocktail bar anchored by live music and local art. Expect murals by local artists, among them Donkeeboy, cocktails made with housemade syrups, and a menu featuring elote cups, flatbreads, and tacos filled with smoked meats from Eastbound Barbecue. Fun fact: Owners Samantha and Braden Navarre got married at the spot this past weekend ahead of the bar’s opening.
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- Visit Taste of Gold next time you're flying through Terminal A at Bush Airport
- Make a reservation at Exilio or Osteria di Mercato before the word gets out and tables fill up
- Head to Atlantic Ocean in the Washington Corridor for a coastal seafood dinner
- Stop by Birdie's Icehouse at East River 9 for drinks and a game-day atmosphere
- Mark your calendar for Toga's opening on April 21
- Check out By the Wayside on Navigation Boulevard for live music and craft cocktails
