Budget
Mai's
Vietnamese food, popular with the late night crowd. Burned down in Feb 2010 but currently rebuilding.
Niko Niko's
Authentic and tasty Greek food.
Amy's Ice Cream
Texas' own super premium, all natural ice cream.
Baba Yega's,
2607 grant st., 713-522-0042, (http://www.babayega.com/). this cozy cafe, named after a slavic witch, has been a favorite in the montrose area since 1975. this converted bungalow has several indoor & outdoor areas for semi-private dining. baba yega has been honored repeatedly by local patrons and neighborhood publications for "the prettiest patio", "best vegetarian", "best sandwich", "best burger" & "best brunch". sunday brunch always draw a large crowd.
Barnaby's,
604 fairview st., 713-522-0106, this local restaurant features some incredible, and texas sized, salads as well as mouthwatering burgers and other entrees. brunch menu on sundays.
Katz's,
616 westheimer rd., 713-521-3838, (http://www.ilovekatzs.com/). crave blintzes at midnight or corned beef and cabbage at sunrise? this is your place. cops from next door rub shoulders with families, politicos and all walks of colorful montrose life at this brick-paved double-decker. complete with subway artifacts and grand central station-style handrails, it's city slick and open 24 hours a day.
Midrange
Osaka,
515 westheimer rd., 713-533-9098. some of the tastiest sushi in houston can be found here at osaka. the portions are generous and you may be happily surprised with something on the house.
Ruggles Grill
An American bistro with several different locations.
Feast
Feast is "Rustic European Fare" served in a cozy house with a nice upstairs patio. The Brit owners and servers are friendly, the continental wine list is varied and interesting, and the ever-changing menu veers from adventurous breaded pig tails with dipping sauce, anyone? to comfy lamb stew with dumplings. The 2- or 3-course prix-fixe lunch is a fantastic deal for what you get dinner-sized portions!; there's also a "roast" lunch by reservation every 2nd and 4th Sunday of the month.
El Tiempo 1308 Cantina,
1308 montrose blvd., 713-807-8996, (http://www.eltiempocantin...). the tasty, cooked from scratch mexican food has been handed down, generation to generation in the laurenzo family and is a staple in the houston food scene. great grandmother ninfa laurenzo came to houston in 1948 and started cooking almost immediately, spawning the huge chain of ninfa's restaurants. 1308 cantina puts together all of the best for an incredible taste of tex-mex cooking sure to leave your mouth watering. the fajitas and margaritas have been amazing the montrose since the cantina opened.
Dolce Vita,
500 westheimer rd., 713-520-8222. marco wiles da marco restaurant brings his penchant for pizza to this casual, welcoming restaurant. the simple yet intriguing menu is based on authentic thin-crust neapolitan pizzas and italian antipasti. from a rocket-hot wood-burning oven handmade in rome, the pizzas arrive crispy and slightly charred around the edges. close to 20 kinds of pizzas are offered, with toppings like proscuitto, arugula, wild mushrooms and fresh herbs. a varied list of small dishes rounds out the menu.
Top end
Da Marco
One of Houston's best restaurants--known for great wine and Italian fare. Reservations required.
Mark's American Cuisine
Award-winning four-star restaurant by owner and chef Mark Cox. Housed in an old church for a unique atmosphere. Reservations are required.
Tony's
Houston's ultimate dining experience. Tony Vallone has set the tone for fine dining in Houston for decades. Parisian chef Olivier Ciesielski interprets contemporary cuisine with classic French care. Reservations required.