So many outstanding restaurants have opened in Houston of late, including Houstonia’s 20 best new restaurants, that it is hard to keep track of all of them. It’s starting to look like next year is going to be just as busy when it comes to restaurant openings. To help you keep track, we’ve compiled a list of 22 restaurants that will be opening their doors in the Houston area in 2023. 

From upscale Mediterranean restaurants, to concepts inspired by the cuisine of Thailand’s royal family, to Creole-inpired barbecue spots and vegetable-forward eateries, there’s something for every kind of foodie to get excited about on this list. 

Eau Tour

Slated to open in January

Local restaurateur Benjy Levit will open Eau Tour in January in the former Thai Spice space located above Local Foods in Rice Village. The bistro-style concept features simply prepared, contemporary French cuisine with a focus on seafood. The restaurant, which has tapped Kent Domas to be its executive chef, also features a wood-burning oven and an extensive wine and cocktail program. 

Andiron

Slated to open in January

Andiron, a modern wood-burning steakhouse concept from the owners of Pit Room BBQ, 1751 Sea & Bar, and Candente, honors the traditional steakhouse while also offering a small plate progressive dining experience. The restaurant will be helmed by chef Louis Maldonado, who has worked at multiple Michelin-starred restaurants, including French Laundry, Aziza, Mourad, and Cortez. 

Norigami

Slated to open in January

Chef Cong Nguyen’s monthly sushi hand-roll pop-up event at Hidden Omakase, will be getting a permanent home in January. The concept, opening near Rice Village, will sport a speakeasy feel and offer diners signature items such as chef Nguyen’s Menage Foie Gras, a decadent combination of uni, toro, Wagyu, caviar, and foie gras. 

Albi

Slated to open in late January

Upscale Mediterranean restaurant Albi is slated to open in the River Oaks Shopping Center in late January. The restaurant is a partnership between siblings Nano and Jimy Fakhoury (from the family behind Mary’z Mediterranean restaurants) and hospitality entrepreneur Aladdin Nimri. Albi will draw inspiration from Lebanese, Turkish, and Greek cuisines.

PS21

Slated to open early 2023

The former home of Queen Vic’s will be transformed into modern French eatery PS21 late this winter. The restaurant is being opened by acclaimed French chef Philippe Schmit and his business partner Sabastien Laval, a hospitality veteran who has helped launch restaurants like La Table, MAD, Le Colonial, and Musaafer.

Ojo de Agua

Slated to open in early 2023

Mexico City-based brand Ojo de Agua will open its first Texas location in River Oaks District in early 2023. The popular all-day café, which opened its first location in the United States in Miami in early 2021, features health-conscious food made using holistic ingredients. The restaurant will serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner and have options like smoothies, acai bowls, kale salads, chilaquiles, avocado toast, and Kobe burgers.

Williams Smokehouse BBQ and Blues

Slated to open in early 2023

Williams Smokehouse BBQ and Blues, a traditional Texas barbecue concept with a Creole twist, is coming to Sugar Land Town Square in early 2023. The relaxed and family-friendly restaurant, from Sugar Land native Kennis Williams and co-founder Furrest Greenwood, will include 5,500 square feet of space and offer dishes like smoked turkey legs stuffed with dirty rice and topped with shrimp and sausage alfredo sauce, homemade armadillo eggs, and Creole candy smoked wings.

Urban Bird Hot Chicken

Slated to open early 2023

Fast-casual concept Urban Bird Hot Chicken is expanding in early 2023 with a new City Place location. The restaurant offers tenders by the piece and by basket as well as other tasty offerings like chicken and waffles and fries topped with chicken tenders, mac and cheese, and hot sauce. The restaurant also offers sides like sweet potato fries, crinkle cut fries, and seasoned street corn.

Gatsby’s Grill

Slated to open in early 2023

Gatsby’s Hospitality, the group behind Gatsby’s Steakhouse and Gatsby’s Seafood, is bringing its new craft-casual concept, Gatsby’s Grill, to the East End in early 2023. The restaurant presents chef Erick Anaya’s take on classic comfort food and includes options like burgers, pasta, wings, and fresh-cut fries.

Verde Garden

Slated to open in early spring

The Kirby Group will open Verde Garden in the Harlow District early this spring. Although details right now are scarce, you can expect Verde Garden to be similar to Heights Bier Garten but with a Tex-Mex menu and made-to-order margaritas. Verde Garden’s food menu will be developed by corporate chef Teddy Lopez. 

Los Tios

Slated to open early spring

Houston Tex-Mex favorite Los Tios, a part of Adair Concepts, will be opening its sixth location in early spring at the Plaza in the Park shopping center in West University. The restaurant is known for its famous puffy queso, combination plates, and frozen margaritas.

MaKiin

Slated to open early spring

Kin Dee co-owner Lukkaew Srasrisuwan will open upscale Thai concept, MaKiin, in the ground level of Hanover River Oaks in spring of 2023. Guests of MaKiin can expect elevated and unique dining experiences at the restaurant, which will showcase artful dishes that are an ode to the cuisines enjoyed by the royal family of Thailand.

Mandito’s

Slated to open in spring

The Palacios Murphy Hospitality Group, owned by husband-and-wife duo Cinda and Armando Palacios, are bringing a new location of their popular Round Top eatery Mandito’s to Bellaire in early spring of 2023. The 165-seat Tex-Mex restaurant delivers Tex-Mex staples as well as new surprise dishes. To the delight of fans of the Round Top location of the concept, the restaurant’s new Bellaire location also offers up its famous burrito bowls.

Nando’s PERi-PERi

Slated to open in spring

Beloved South African restaurant brand Nando’s PERi-PERI will make its first entry into the Houston market in spring of 2023 when it opens locations in Uptown and in Katy. The restaurant is famous for its spicy flame-grilled chicken, which is made using peri-peri, also known as African Bird’s Eye Chile. The Uptown location of Nando’s PERi-PERi includes 3,200 square feet of space with inside seating for 80 guests and patio seating for an additional 80 guests.

Pastore

Slated to open in late spring

Underbelly Hospitality is expanding in late spring of 2023 with the opening of Italian-rooted concept Pastore. The restaurant’s high-end menu, currently being workshopped by chef Chris Davies of Wild Oats, is expected to include a rotating list of handmade pastas. Pastore plans to include an upscale dining room and an elegant garden patio sporting fountains and lush greenery.

Postino

Slated to open in April

Postino continues its takeover of Houston in 2023. The all-day wine café, which opened its first location in Houston in 2017, is opening an outpost in The Woodlands in April of 2023. The Arizona-hailing concept already has Houston locations in the Heights, Montrose, Town & Country, Uptown Park, and Cinco Ranch.

Underbelly Burger

Slated to open mid-2023

Underbelly Hospitality is bringing an Underbelly Burger to Spring Branch in mid-2023. The fast-casual burger restaurant’s new location spans 1,310 square feet and will be home to its famous 44 Farmers Angus Burger, R-C Ranch Wagyu Burger, and fries and milkshakes. The concept’s original location is located at the Houston Farmers Market.

Wild Oats

Slated to open mid-2023

Underbelly Hospitality will open its second location of Wild Oats in mid-2023. Located on Witte Road, the new location will feature its signature Texas-inspired design aesthetic as well as its quintessential Texas dishes, including options like Wagyu chicken fried steak, Medina County steak tartare, and Texas Chili. Partner Nick Fine will oversee the direction of the restaurant’s menu, although there are plans in place to hire a new executive chef for the restaurant’s second outpost.

Auden

Slated to open in early summer

Husband-and-wife duo Kirthan and Kripa Shenoy, who recently opened EaDough Pastries & Provisions in the East End, will bring Auden to Autry park in early summer. The vegetable-forward, chef-curated menu at Auden is global-inspired and pays homage to the diverse palates of Houston. The restaurant is committed to sustainability, freshness, and seasonality.

Cyclone Anaya’s 

Slated to open this summer

Cyclone Anaya’s is expanding into River Oaks this summer with a new location that will serve the same Tex-Mex classics dished out at the restaurant’s six other Houston locations. The family favorite, founded more than 50 years ago,  is beloved in Houston for its jumbo-size margaritas, extensive list of Mexican beers, and enchiladas and fajitas. 

Leo’s

Slated to open in late summer

Culinary Khancepts, the restaurant group behind Liberty Kitchen and State Fare Kitchen & Bar, will open Leo’s in River Oaks Shopping Center late this summer. Overseeing the restaurant’s menu creation and design is executive chef Justin Yoakum, who has more than a decade of experience at top restaurants throughout Las Vegas and Los Angeles, including at Jessica Biel’s Au Fudge in West Hollywood. The restaurant, located next door to River Oaks Theater, will sport an upscale menu featuring fresh seafood, caviar flights, pastas, and butcher-cut steaks.

The Pit Room Memorial

Slated to open in fall of 2023

The second location of The Pit Room is slated to open this fall in Memorial City. The new location of the beloved barbecue restaurant will occupy more than 6,000 square feet of interior space and 2,000 square feet of exterior space by way of an expansive patio. The restaurant will specialize in the same Central Texas-style barbecue that has made its original location in Montrose a favorite among Houston barbecue fans, and will have a dedicated to-go counter that will dish out meats, sausages, sauces, and more.