Where to Eat in Houston’s Theater District
POST Houston-located Norwegian seafood restaurant Golfstrømmen is a great choice for a pre- or post-show dinner.
Image: Duc Hoang
Houston’s Theater District, home to nearly 13,000 seats for live performances, ranks second in the nation in size. The impressive, 17-block district plays host to nine world-renowned performing arts organizations that put on some of the best performances you can find anywhere. Equally compelling are the area’s dining options. If you’ve ever been to a performance in the district, you’ve likely spent time stressing over where you’re going to sup before you savor. To make things easier for you, we’ve rounded up our top five picks for where to eat in the area ahead of a performance—because the last thing you want to do is watch even one performance of Wagner’s Ring Cycle on an empty stomach.
Georgia James Tavern
Although it was introduced to the Houston foodie scene as the “little sister” of Underbelly Hospitality’s Georgia James, Georgia James Tavern has really come into its own of late. Back in May of this year, the quaint pub scored a new executive chef, Tom Reading, and he’s been instrumental in elevating the pub’s menu, which now includes entrée selections like confit duck cavatelli pasta, uber-juicy brick chicken, and a seared bavette steak. Since Georgia James Tavern is located on the first floor of Market Square Tower, it is a short walk from all of the Theater District’s main venues. The pub also is as close as you can get to a Café Momus stand-in in the area, so if you’re a fan of Puccini and are partial to the bohemian lifestyle, dinners at Georgia James Tavern should be part of your standard pre-show repertory.
Bravery Chef Hall
Bravery Chef Hall is located across the street from Market Square Park, making it a convenient dining option for those who are about to see a show in the Theater District. The food hall, which has culinary offerings more diverse than the “Land of Sweets” dance in The Nutcracker, is home to some of the best restaurants in Houston. Our favorites here include Christine Ha’s The Blind Goat (Vietnamese), Chris Zettlemoyer’s Figo Sugo (Italian American), and Patrick Pham and Daniel Lee’s innovative Japanese hot spot Kokoro. So, pirouette your way over to Bravery Chef Hall ahead of your show for a dinner guaranteed to be on pointe.
Common Bond Brasserie & Bakery
Located a block away from Jones Hall in the Bank of America tower, Common Bond Brasserie & Bakery harmonizes perfectly with a Houston Symphony performance. If you’re in the mood for a pre-show seafood platter grander than the crescendos in Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5, then this is the spot for you. The seafood tower here, priced at $85, is piled high with enough jumbo shrimp, fresh-shucked oysters, marinated crab fingers, scallop crudo, and poached lobster to keep your belly full through the encore of your show. Other notable high notes at the popular brasserie include a pan-seared duck breast in a black cherry gastrique and a sous vide filet mignon so illustrious that you’ll want to compose a requiem for it in remembrance of your meal.
Birraporetti’s
Birraporetti’s, located across the street from the Wortham Theater Center, is one of your best dining options if you’re about to drink in a performance by Houston Grand Opera, the Houston Ballet, or Alley Theatre. The Italian staple, which has been open for nearly 50 years, is a Theater District mainstay with a storied history that stretches back farther than a prima ballerina—almost. Favorites at Birraporetti’s include its famous lasagna, its escargot, and its lobster ravioli. The pizza there is also pretty stellar, we must add.
POST Houston
Located just steps from the Theater District is POST Houston, the city’s reigning food hub. There is something for everyone at this food hall, which hosts more than two dozen envelope-pushing concepts, including choice spots such as Golfstrømmen, Thai Kun, East Side King, Soy Pinoy, and Lea Jane’s. The design of POST Houston is as stunning as the food, so be careful of how much time you spend there—it might upstage the production you’re about to see.
