Monday, September 5, 2011

Places to Eat in Houston

I found a website that lists the best restaurants in Houston and I want to try them out.  Here is the list.  Erik and I plan to try at least one of these restaurants per month.  I have already tried Americas and Max's Wine Dive and I can attest to the fact that they are AWESOME.

http://www.visithoustontexas.com/media/accolades/Culinary 


Américas (check)
  • Chef Michael Cordua named James Beard Award semifinalist for Best Restaurateur (2011).
  • Named Restaurant of the Year by Esquire (1993).
  • Named one of Texas Monthly's Top 10 Restaurants in Texas (2009)
  • Included on Gourmet magazine's list of 20 Burgers to Eat Before It's Too Late (2009).
Backstreet Cafe (check)
  • Sean Beck named Rising Star Sommelier by StarChefs.com (2011).
  • Chef Hugo Ortega was two-time guest chef at prestigious James Beard House
  • Received Wine Spectator Award of Excellence (2001-2010).
  • On Travel + Leisure's list of America's Best Fried Chicken (2010).
  • Named a Hot 10 Summer Blockbuster by bon appetit—considered the restaurant openings for Summer 2008 with marquee chefs and lots of buzz (2008).
  • Named by Texas Monthly as one of 10 "Where to Eat Now" restaurants in Texas (2011).
  • Chef David Grossman named a Houston Rising Star by StarChefs.com (2011).
  • Sticky Toffee Pudding named one of the five best desserts in America by GQ (2011).
  • Named one of the 10 best burger spots in America by Bon Appetit (2010).
  • Named by The Daily Beast as one of Winter's Hot New Restaurants (2010).
  • Spicy Chicken Salad sandwich featured in Metropolitan Home's feature on The Great American Sandwich (2009).
  • Named one of Zagat.com's best bets for breakfast in the U.S. (2010)
  • One of Four Finalists for Good Morning America's America's Best Breakfast (2010)
  • Included on Esquire magazine's list of the 59 Best Breakfast Places in America (2009).
  • Featured on Eater.com's list of Where to Eat Right Now (2011). 
  • Featured on Eater.com's list of Where to Eat Right Now (2011).
  • Featured on The Food Network's "Kid in a Candy Store" (2010).
  • Chef Michael Cordua named James Beard Award semifinalist for Best Restaurateur (2011).
  • Churrasco steak was included in Esquire's feature on the 20 Best Steaks in America (2008).
  • Chef Michael Cordua was inducted into Food & Wine's Hall of Fame (2008).
Ciao Bello
  • Featured in Esquire as one of 11 Restaurants You Don't Want to Miss (2010).
Da Marco (check)
  • Rated No. 29 in Gourmet's list of America's Top 50 restaurants (2006).
  • Listed on Gourmet's list of "Places We're Talking About" (2008).
  • Named one of the top pizzerias in the country by Every Day with Rachael Ray (2010).
Feast (check)
  • James Silk and Richard Knight named James Beard Award semifinalists for Best Chef: Southwest (2010).
  • Featured in USA Today as one of "10 great places to savor winter's flavors" (2009).
  • James Beard Award semifinalist for Best New Restaurant (2009).
  • Featured as one of the "Big Three" best meals in the USA by GQ magazine (2009).
  • Included on Travel + Leisure's list of the 50 Best New U.S. Restaurants (2009).
  • Included on Bon Appetit's list of the Top 10 Best New U.S. Restaurants (2009).
  • Hailed by The New York Times as "one of the country's outstanding newcomers" (2009).
  • Listed in USA Today as one of 10 great places to welcome prosperity for the Chinese New Year (2009).
  • Featured on Eater.com's list of Where to Eat Right Now (2011).
  • James Beard Award Semifinalist for Outstanding Restaurateur (2010).
  • James Beard Award Semifinalist for Outstanding Restaurateur (2009).
  • Listed in USA Today as one of "10 Great Places to Chow Down on Barbecue" (2006).
  • Campechana Extra was featured in Garden & Gun's list of 100 Things You Simply Must Eat Before You Die (2008).
  • Named one of Esquire magazine's Best New Restaurants in America (1990).
Haven (check)
  • Named by Texas Monthly as one of 10 "Where to Eat Now" restaurants in Texas (2011).
  • Chef Randy Evans named a Rising Star Community Chef by StarChefs.com (2011).
  • Named one of Southern Living's best new restaurants in their 2010 Best of the South Travel Awards.
  • Named one of the 20 best new restaurants in the U.S. by Esquire (2010).
Hugo's (check)
  • Sean Beck named Rising Star Sommelier by StarChefs.com (2011).
  • Named one of the top 5 Mexican restaurants in Texas by Texas Monthly (2010).
  • Recipient of Wine Spectator's Award of Excellence (2003-2010).
  • Anjou pear mojito featured in Food & Wine Cocktails (2007).
  • Recipient of the Wine & Spirits Hospitality & Cooking Award by Sante magazine (2002, 2006, 2007).
  • Named Best Drinks by Playboy (2005).
  • Featured on Gourmet's list of Where to Eat Now in 30 American Cities (2004).
  • Named one of the 8 Great Mexican Restaurants in America by Delta's SKY magazine (2004).
  • Named a Top Table by bon appetit (2003).
  • Featured by Gourmet as a Restaurant We Love (2003).
  • Chef Charles Clark competed against Mario Batali on Food Network's Iron Chef (2007).
  • Included on Food & Wine's The Go List for Best Wine Experience, featuring the 376 hottest restaurants around the world (2006).
  • Included on Travel + Leisure's list of the Best New American Restaurants (2004).
  • Charles Clark featured as an "engaging young chef" in Wine Spectator (2004).
  • Winner of the James Beard Foundation's America's Classics Award, as a "small, regional restaurant that has carved out a special place on the American culinary landscape" (2008). 
  • Chef Manabu "Hori" Horiuchi named a Houston Rising Star by StarChefs.com (2011).
  • Chef Seth Siegel-Gardner named a Houston Rising Star by StarChefs.com (2011). 
  • Featured on The Food Network's Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives (2010).
  • Named one of North America's 10 best Jewish delis by Maxim (2009).
  • Creme Brulee Bread Pudding made Food & Wine's list of the Best Restaurant Dishes of 2008.
  • Recipient of the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence (2005-2008).
  • Named Best New Restaurant of 2005 by Zagat.
  • Named one of Esquire magazine's Best New Restaurants in America (1991).
  • Featured on The Food Network's Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives (2010).
  • Included on Gourmet magazine's list of 20 Burgers to Eat Before It's Too Late (2009).
  • Listed among the top 10 restaurants in the U.S by the Zagat Survey (2007).
  • Named by Wine Spectator as one of the "brightest and most exciting new restaurants in America" (1998).
  • Named one of Esquire magazine's Best New Restaurants in America (1997).
Max's Wine Dive (check)
  • Named one of the "Hot 10" wine bars in the country by bon appetit (2008).
  • Named one of Texas Monthly's Top 10 Places to Eat Now (2008).
  • Named one of the best bars in America with very good food by Esquire (2010).
  • Included in Esquire's 2002 list of the Best New Restaurants in America.
  • Enchiladas de Tejas (cheese enchiladas with chili con carne) named one of the greatest "guy" foods in America by Men's Health magazine (2010).
Niko Niko's (check)
  • Featured on The Food Network's Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives (2010).
  • Recipient of AAA Four Diamond Award (2005-2009).
  • Rated as one of Robb Report's Best of the Best restaurants (2005).
  • Recipient of the 2010 Grand Award from Wine Spectator magazine, the highest award granted from the magazine.  It’s one of 78 restaurants in the world with this distinction, and the only holder of the award in Texas. 
  • Named one of the top 10 steakhouses in the U.S. by MSN.com (2008).
  • Featured on Eater.com's list of Where to Eat Right Now (2011).
  • Listed in Zagat's book of 200 Best Italian Restaurants in America (2008).
  • Received Wine Spectator's Award of Excellence for wine list (1998-2010).
  • Chef John Watt was two-time guest chef at prestigious James Beard House.
  • Called "Houston's best kept secret" by Money magazine (1993).
  • Named one of the top hotel restaurants in the country by Zagat and USA Today (2010).
  • Awarded four stars by the 2011 Forbes Travel Guide.
  • Recipient of the AAA Four Diamond Award (2002-2009).
  • Rated a four-star restaurant by the Mobil Travel Guide (2009).
  • Named one of America's top 10 new restaurants by MSN.com (2006).
  • Chef Robert Del Grande named a James Beard Award semifinaist for Outstanding Chef (2011).
  • Chef Robert Del Grande named a James Beard Award Semifinalist for Outstanding Chef (2010).
  • Rated by MSN.com and Gayot.com as one of the 10 best new U.S. restaurants (2010).
  • Featured on The Food Network's Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives (2010).
  • Named one of the 101 Best Restaurants in America by TheDailyMeal.com (2011).
  • Chef Bryan Caswell named Rising Star Restaurateur by StarChefs.com (2011).
  • Chef Bryan Caswell named James Beard Award semifinalist for Best Chef: Southwest (2011).
  • Chef Bryan Caswell competed on The Food Network's The Next Iron Chef (2010).
  • Chef Bryan Caswell named James Beard Award semifinalist for Best Chef: Southwest (2010).
  • Rated by MSN.com and Gayot.com as one of the 10 best seafood restaurants in the U.S. (2010)
  • James Beard Award semifinalist for Best Chef: Southwest (2009).
  • Chef Bryan Caswell named one of six Texas Tastemakers in Saveur magazine (2009).
  • Included on Travel + Leisure's list of the 50 Best New U.S. Restaurants (2009).
  • Chef Bryan Caswell named one of Food & Wine's best new chefs of 2009.
  • Named the No. 1 seafood restaurant in American by bon appetit (2008).
  • Sriracha Remoulade was featured in Garden & Gun's list of 100 Things You Simply Must Eat Before You Die (2008).
  • Included in Continental Magazine's list of Five to Try (2007).
  • Recipient of the AAA Four Diamond Award (2002-2009).
  • Ranked in a Zagat Survey as one of the top 100 hotel restaurants in America, based on food quality, decor and service (2006).
Samba Grille
  • Featured on Eater.com's list of Where to Eat Right Now (2011).
  • Listed among Travel + Leisure's Best New American Restaurants (2004).
  • Named by Texas Monthly as one of 10 "Where to Eat Now" restaurants in Texas (2011).
  • Named one of the 10 best new Italian restaurants in the U.S. by Food & Wine (2010).
  • Chef Justin Basye named James Beard Award Semifinalist for Rising Star Chef of the Year (2010).
  • Chef Monica Pope was a contestant on the second season of Bravo's Top Chef Masters (2010).
  • Chef Monica Pope named one of six Texas Tastemakers by Saveur magazine (2009).
  • James Beard Award nominee, Best Chef/Southwest (2007).
  • Chef Monica Pope named by O, the Oprah Magazine the most creative chef in Houston (2006).
  • Listed among Travel + Leisure's Best New American Restaurants (2004).
  • Chef Monica Pope is the only Texas woman chef to be named a Food & Wine Best New Chef (1996).
  • Pecan pie is named one of five best mail order pies in America by Country Living magazine (2010).
  • Pumpecapple Piecake featured on Food Network's Outrageous Food.
  • Owner/chef Bobby Jucker competed in Food Network's Cake Challenge airing Fall 2011.
Tiny Boxwoods
  • Vanarin Kuch named a Rising Star Pastry Chef by StarChefs.com (2011). 
  • Included on Esquire's list of the top 10 destination restaurants in the U.S. (2011).
  • Recipient of the AAA Four Diamond Award (2002-2009).
  • Named one of the best U.S. Italian restaurants by ForbesTraveler.com (2008).
  • Named one of Esquire magazine's Best New Restaurants in America (2005).
  • Rated by MSN.com and Gayot.com as one of the 10 best steakhouses in the U.S. (2010)
  • Received an Award of Ultimate Distinction from Wine Spectator magazine for "impeccable service, outstanding food, alluring decor and imaginative and energetic wine programs" (2006).
  • Recognized by Food & Wine as one of ten new restaurants with a stellar wine list—the first time for a Houston restaurant to be included.
  • Included on Travel + Leisure's list of the 50 Best New U.S. Restaurants (2009).
  • Named one of Esquire magazine's Best New Restaurants in America (2008).
  • Featured on The Food Network's Meat & Potatoes (2011).
  • Chef Jamie Zelko named a Rising Star Sustainability Chef by StarChefs.com (2011).
  • Featured on Eater.com's list of Where to Eat Right Now (2011).
  • Named one of Texas Monthly's Top Best New Restaurants in Texas (2010).Restaurant Rankings
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