2 days ago
How to Plan the Ultimate Staycation in Montrose
From the famed Space Center Houston to the expansive Museum District, Houston has its share of top-notch tourist attractions, but thanks to sheer size and the need for a car, it can be hard to navigate Houston on vacation without a local to show you the way.
That's why, whether you're a native or out-of-towner looking for a low-key getaway, Montrose is one of the best neighborhoods in Houston to book a hotel room and treat yourself to a foodie staycation. In just under 8 square miles, Montrose is a haven for Houston's Michelin- and James Beard-award winning restaurants, world-class art, and historic gay nightlife. It's impossible to visit every restaurant, bar, and attraction in Montrose in just 24 hours, but this guide will walk you through some of the best the neighborhood — and Houston in general — has to offer.
By the way — for Houston's standards, Montrose is almost (almost!) walkable. While you can drive to all the locations listed in this guide, you can also wiggle into one of the many free street parking spots nearby and take the opportunity to explore Montrose by foot.
The Mecom Fountain in the intersection of Main and Montrose. Karen Warren/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images
9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.: Start your day with tamales and thrift shopping
Montrose is an ever-changing, living organism, with new restaurants and shops and bars cycling in and out constantly. But Brasil may outlive us all. The mainstay restaurant on Dunlavy Street and Westheimer Road offers a robust menu of breakfast classics, plus some more unique offerings like a morning grain bowl, as well as bean and braised greens tamales. If the weather is cooperating, eat outside on Brasil's vibrant green patio, and don't forget to order a coffee or tea to start your day off right.
After breakfast, head east on Westheimer to window shop at one of the many chic thrift shops along the street. Leopard Lounge, City Vintage and Pavement are all popular, but Out of the Closet at Mulberry Street and Westheimer is also a great choice for its LGBTQ and HIV/AIDS advocacy.
Other ideas: If you're not the type to get super hungry in the morning, grab a cold brew/pastry combo from Siphon and enjoy your morning from its cozy dining room. Or, if you don't feel like straying far from Westheimer, consider an espresso and one of the breakfast focaccias from La Sicilia. (Treat yourself to a monkey bread croissant.)
12 p.m.: Lunch at ChopnBlok
Hearty West African bowls for lunch. ChopnBlok
There's a lot of local places you can choose from along Westheimer for lunch, but ChopnBlok is more than worth your time. Head further east on Westheimer and grab a seat inside in the bright, colorfully decorated living room that celebrates West African art and aesthetics. The Motherland — with steamed rice, curry, yaji-spiced vegetables and sweet plantains — is a warmly spiced, ultra-filling standout here. So's the Trad, with jollof-style jambalaya, halal chicken and more yaji-spiced veggies, and stewed plantains. (You can order the plantains as an appetizer on the side, and they're almost impossible to pass up.) Cap off your meal with one of the classic cocktails, or if it's still a little too early to dive into alcohol, check out the refreshers, like the Cape Town Cooler, with guava, lemon, grapefruit and sparkling water.
Other ideas: If you like to sleep in and are feeling something more brunch-y, consider the cheeky (and Guy Fieri-approved) tiki bar The Toasted Coconut, directly south on Richmond and Mandell. The all-day menu offers both breakfast and dinner options, like the honey butter biscuit, with fried chicken, a black pepper biscuit, chili crisp, and cheese. Or, load up on the house dumplings with housemade chili oil, sweet soy sauce, and crispy garlic. For slightly lighter fare, Handies Douzo, a little farther east and a stone's throw from the University of St. Thomas, has a unique and ultra-fresh sushi menu.
1 p.m. to 4 p.m.: Spend an afternoon surrounded by art at The Menil Collection
The Menil Collection isn't exactly a hidden secret — it's perhaps the most well-known attraction in Montrose — but it's still criminal that it isn't more famous outside of Houston. Head south on Yoakum, taking a detour around the University of St. Thomas' gorgeous tree-lined campus if you like, then go west on Branard Street to hit up The Menil. It's free, so stroll right in, and take in the little museum's tens of thousands of pieces of art, from modern abstract sculptures to prehistoric relics. If the weather's nice, you can order your lunch to go and eat on the Menil's shady campus, but also make sure to take a quiet moment for yourself at the Rothko Chapel, a nondenominational art piece/chapel that has to be seen to be believed.
Other ideas: The Houston Center for Photography is another museum right across the street from The Menil. Its collection is smaller, but it's also free and offers a diverse, rotating selection of exhibitions.
Get lost in the galleries at The Menil Collection. The Menil Collection
4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.: Shop the rest of your day away at the Montrose Collective
After a long day of staycationing, you deserve to treat yourself. Head north back to Westheimer and you'll find the Montrose Collective, a new-ish, mixed-use development that offers more than you could visit in a single afternoon. But why not try anyway? Schedule a facial with Hi, Skin or Skin Laundry, or window shop at one of the many boutique clothing and jewelry stores on site. Paddywax Candle Bar, where you can make custom candles with your own fragrance blend, is a highlight, as is the secondhand luxury goods from The Real Real's Houston storefront.
If you get hungry and simply can't wait for dinner, there are plenty of options here, like toast and a matcha latte from La La Land and happy hour wine-by-the-glass and sandwiches from Fiora's Bottle Shop.
Other ideas: Not much of a shopper? Go upstairs at the Montrose Collective and spend some time at the Freed-Montrose Library, a unique two-story library with lots of light and plenty of space for kiddos. Grab a book and pull up a chair on the greenery-filled outdoor terrace, but if the weather's too hot, there are plenty of seats inside with gorgeous views of the neighborhood. Just be sure to check the hours on the day you go, because they can be sporadic.
La La Land Kind Cafe
7 p.m. to late: Grab dinner and a drink (or two)
You have a few options for dinner, depending on who's with you and your mood for the night. If you're with family or plan to join friends for dinner, head one block west on Westheimer and grab a table at Mala Sichuan Bistro. This Sichuan restaurant has a hefty menu of family-style meals, both traditional and more Americanized. The savory eggplant in spicy garlic sauce is a standout here, as is the generously sized red oil dumplings. Of course, it's not a Sichuan restaurant without mapo tofu, and Mala Sichuan serves up one of the best versions in the city. After Mala Sichuan, you're not far from Anvil, one of Montrose's most notable cocktail bars. Grab a seat at the bar or in one of the booths and ask the bartender about the seasonal cocktails — you can order almost anything here, including non-alcoholic cocktails, beer, and wine.
A soupy chicken dish. Mala Sichuan Bistro
Barbecue Tex-Mex tacos. Candente
Not feeling Sichuan? You can head south towards Richmond Avenue instead, and hit up Candente, a Tex-Mex favorite with barbecue bona fides. (Owner Sambrooks Management also operates The Pit Room next door.) The brisket nachos are a must-order, as are the brisket enchiladas and beef fajitas — that may seem like a lot of meat, but hey, it's Texas. After, you'd be remiss not to check out gay piano bar Michael's Outpost, just a short walk west from Candente. Catch a drag show if you come on the right day, but even if you miss it, you'll get to order cocktails and unwind to the sounds of live piano.
Other ideas: If it fits in your budget (and you're able to get a reservation), consider March, the fine dining destination that won a Michelin Star last year. The menu here, from chef Felipe Riccio, is available as a six- or nine-course tasting menu, which changes seasonally. Its newest season, which starts August 14, will be inspired by the Levant, a region that includes present-day Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Palestine, Israel, and part of Turkey. If you drink, be sure to try the wine pairing menu from award-winning sommelier June Rodil.
Late night: Keep the party going with retro hangs and pizza, pizza, pizza
If you're not full yet (and not dead on your feet), there are still a few places you can hit up before collapsing in your hotel room. 93' Til, a late-night restaurant/record bar, plays '90s hip-hop on vinyl and serves a thoughtfully crafted list of cocktails and wine by the bottle. Try the Japanese highball, with Hibiki Harmony whiskey, or the '93 Old Fashion, with Bonded Kentucky bourbon, Japanese brown sugar, and bitters.
If that sounds a little low-energy for you, consider Beetlegeuse Beetlegeuse's Montrose location, instead. You'll find creative pizzas and cocktails, like the Pickletini, with vodka and pickle juice, and the Black Lemon Drop Cocktail, with vodka, lemon vodka, limoncello, lemon, activated charcoal, edible glitter, and black sugar. Inside Beetlegeuse Beetlegeuse is a hidden surprise, Endless Bummer Tiki Bar, a small but outrageously decorated tiki bar with flaming Mai Tais and light-up cocktails. (You'll need to book a reservation on Resy for the code, though.)
Betelgeuse Betelgeuse's neon sign and a glimpse of its back room. Becca Wright
Where to stay
Montrose has very few hotels, so your options are limited to boutique picks if you want to stay in the neighborhood. La Maison in Midtown, a stately bed and breakfast, is, like the name suggests, technically in Midtown, but it's so close to Montrose proper that you should easily be able to walk or drive to your destinations. For a luxury experience (at luxury prices) closer to the action, you can book a room at La Colombe d'Or. The hotel offers three room types: smaller suites in a 1920s-style at The Mansion, modern aesthetics with a seating area at The Tower, and spacious apartment-sized suites at The Garden Bungalows.
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