Some of Houston’s tastiest shawarma and breakfast tacos come from this unassuming convenience store. Al Quick Stop recently opened a restaurant in the Heights, and we love that for them, but every Houstonian knows to pay their respects to the original location on Waugh, which has helped many a bar reveler stay full of amazing food to soak up the booze thanks to its late hours.

The flagship of restaurateurs Hugo Ortega and Tracy Vaught has been holding court on the corner of Westheimer since 2002. Come here for the famous weekend brunch buffet or for dinner on a special occasion. The menu is an entryway into the various regions of Mexico, from a bistec Oaxaqueño served with a black bean tamal to catch-of-the-day fish in mole amarillo. And yes, you have to order the chapulines (grasshoppers), which come with tortillas made in-house, a chipotle-tomatillo salsa, and guac.

This quintessential Mexican spot in many ways represents what makes Houston’s food scene something special. La Guadalupana is family-owned, super-friendly, completely unpretentious, and tucked into a tiny shopping center—in fact, the team has to set tables and chairs up in the parking lot to accommodate the weekend brunch crowd. The migas are a must-order here, and don’t forget a treat from the bakery case on your way out.

We’re simply obsessed with Mala’s dan dan noodles, a tangle of flavors, creamy and numbingly spicy at the same time. Now with five locations in the Houston area including on Westheimer, this restaurant also serves excellent dry pots in various meat and seafood options, lion’s head pork meatballs, cumin lamb, Mongolian beef, green peppercorn basa fish, mapo tofu, eggplant in spicy garlic sauce, chile oil dumplings…we could go on.

Nobie’s is the neighborhood restaurant everyone wishes they had, reinventing itself just enough to justify coming back again and again. The menu changes often, with standbys like the Texas tartare and the Nonno’s tagliatelle Bolognese always there when you need it. Always, always start with the dilly bread, served with “everything” butter and optional added smoked trout roe that you should not treat as optional.

The first of Goodnight Hospitality’s concepts on this upscale corner of Westheimer, Rosie Cannonball, opened in summer 2019. The restaurant serves cuisine with European flair, touching on flavors from Italy, Spain, France, and more. The blistered bean salad with pea shoots, shallots, Fresno peppers, olives, and candied almonds is a delight that has been on the menu since the beginning; so has the cavatelli pasta dish with lambrusco-spiked Bolognese. Other offerings rotate regularly—a recent meal of tomatoes with feta, Calabrian chile, and fried garlic followed by ditalini pasta with pesto and chickpeas hit the spot.

Rosie Cannonball shares a wine cellar with the fine-dining restaurant upstairs, March, whose tasting menu completely changes concept every quarter. It’s a great destination if you’re looking to splurge, but if you just want a glass of wine and snacks, grab a table at Montrose Cheese & Wine’s small patio, next door to Rosie. The space also operates as a cheese and wine retail store, so make sure to grab some treats to go, too.

Rumors of the legendary Montrose nightlife’s passing have been greatly exaggerated. Yes, Pride Houston’s move to downtown in 2015 felt like something of a knife twist to the local queer community. Yes, the shuttering of Montrose Mining Company, Guava Lamp, and Mary’s Naturally left revelers reeling. Come the weekend, though, Montrose continues to thrum with raucous joy. Blur Bar, Ripcord, Eagle, Buddy’s, ReBar, JR’s Bar & Grill, and George Country Sports Bar continue to provide the local LGBTQ+ folks with memorable nights out. You can still dance the night away at Numbers, and even beloved South Beach reopened to bless us with laser shows and whiteouts once again. Lil Nas X famously stopped by JR’s and Ripcord while in Houston for his 2022 and 2023 shows. (Note: If you want a lesbian bar, you’ll have to leave the neighborhood and head to Pearl Bar on Washington Avenue.)

Opened by cocktail pro Bobby Heugel in 2009, Anvil began “the 100 List” as a training tool for all the classic cocktails every bartender should know how to make, but it’s now a public-facing menu any Anvil guest can order. The bar also has a two-page list of house cocktails, each attributed to the bartender who created it. Anvil can get raucous, especially at happy hour—if you’re looking for a more intimate and upscale experience, head to Refuge, the speakeasy upstairs.

Bobby Heugel bought dive bar Catbirds in the summer of 2023, and thankfully, didn’t really change much save for a fresh lick of paint and a new pool table. The happy hour is one of the cheapest and best in the city: $3.50 wells and $3.50-or-less beers weekdays until 6:30pm. Even after happy hour, the limited selection of classic cocktails cost only $10.

This beloved Westheimer dive rightfully prides itself on its generous selection of whiskeys and Texas beers. Share a round or two with the giant Kool-Aid Man statue in the back patio or put in a couple of rounds of pinball—if the machines are even working that night. If they were, then it wouldn’t be a proper dive, now would it?

Known affectionately as Rudz, this dive-meets-pub has a great list of rotating local beers and decent drunk food. Head to the back and play some darts, come for Wednesday trivia, or go upstairs for regular comedy nights. The comedians tend to be embarrassingly bad on free open mic nights, but if you’re willing to pay a small cover, some pretty great acts come through here too.

From the folks behind Nobie’s, this tropical-inspired bar is always a fun time, and one of the few watering holes where the food is just as good as the drinks. We love to post up here for the namesake Toasted Coconut (over-proof rum, toasted coconut, lime), then a Vamos a la Playa (mezcal, Mexican rum, pineapple shrub, lime), perhaps followed by a Rings of Saturn (gin, cachaca, mango, chile salt). You will definitely need the lamb flatbread or the popcorn chicken or the Unsolicited Noodz with ginger, scallions, and butter sauce—or all of the above. Be sure to also check out Nonno’s next door, from the same owners, for tavern-style pizza.

The “ice house” in the name isn’t an affectation. West Alabama Ice House opened in 1928 when Montrose’s roads were still made of dirt and horse droppings. The shack-like, all-outdoor bar hasn’t changed all that much since, and it’s without a doubt the most universally beloved spot in Houston. Come play a few rounds of pool or table tennis on a warm night with a cold beer. Then grab tacos at Tacos Tierra Caliente food truck across the street, or wait for the tamale guy to come through and order a dozen of venison.

Owner Myrna Hagelsieb is a master at turning concrete into beautiful home goods and gifts. Her store, inside Montrose Collective, is a great place to pick something up for a loved one or yourself, including Hagelsieb’s own creations or that of other artisans. You can even join an incense-making workshop to craft your own scent.

A great spot for shopping for secondhand items, from furniture and home décor to clothes, Blue Bird partners with Texas Children’s Hospital and other organizations to help fund a pediatric neurology clinic and neurological research. In fact, it made a $10 million gift to the Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute in 2021.

The grandmother of consignment shops is truly a scene on weekends. People of all ages—but yes, especially your grandma—buzz about the many rooms in search of clothes, jewelry, furniture, décor, and kitchen and dining goods, all at very reasonable prices that drop after specific dates (check the price tags). The crockery selection is particularly impressive, but really, there’s never any shortage of great finds in all departments here.

This three-level boutique has the distinction of being operated as a nonprofit, where each maker that has a corner of the space collects 100 percent of their sales. Mala Market is our go-to for gifts, from jewelry and home décor to candles and cosmetics, all made by small-batch artisans. The shop also has pop-ups and events pretty much every weekend, making a visit here a whole vibe.

Montrose has long been known as Houston’s premiere destination for secondhand finds. Out of the Closet provides thrifters a chance to do good while they fill their bags with stylish clothes. The shop donates 96 cents for every dollar of the proceeds to the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, and even offers free in-store HIV testing. It’s here to help you be fashionable and affordably keep on top of your health all in one trip.

Plant It Forward provides economic opportunities to refugees with farms and stands located across the city. The wonderful Roy Nlemba oversees the farm located on the University of St. Thomas campus. His stand opens to the public every Saturday from 11am to 2pm with his very own fresh, seasonal vegetables for sale. He sells out quickly, so show up early.

No gift-hunting or “just because” shopping excursions should leave out Space. Come here for a dazzling spectrum of goodies, like art prints, cards, jewelry, bath and body items, clothes, magnets, photos, stickers, prayer candles, tea… OK, you get the idea. It’s the best way to support local and state creatives without making them pay Etsy overhead.

Art League Houston is one of the best spots to learn about and support local visual artists… and maybe even take classes so you can eventually join in their ranks. It’ll be tempting to run into Texas Art Supply next door after witnessing all the amazing artistic talent that calls Houston home.

Black Hole is the type of place you can hear Steely Dan’s “Peg” play on repeat every other song for three straight hours. In other words, Black Hole rules. The coffee shop is a go-to hangout for people clacking on their laptops and friends catching up. We also love to come here alone with a book and pretend to read it while listening to everyone else’s gossip. The cajeta latte is our drink order; for food, grab some tacos at one of the two trucks in the parking lot, Delicias Maya and Think Tacos.

The Flat is casually sensual, a place for good food, good drinks, and dancing together until last call. Live DJs spin a wide array of music every night of the week. Not a night owl? Come here for a late morning cup of coffee or pizza and wine lunch instead.

It’s rare to have an amazing museum nestled within a residential neighborhood, and the internationally renowned Menil packs a punch. The museum showcases a permanent collection of modern and ancient art from founders Jean and Dominique de Menil (the latter a Schlumberger heiress), as well as star-studded temporary exhibits. The Renzo Piano–designed main building contains most of the art, but do walk around the entire campus to experience the stunning Cy Twombly gallery, the Drawing Institute, the gift shop, and Bistro Menil. Best of all? The Menil Collection is always free.

The low-key Mercantile set up an indoor swing and picnic tables right next to the stage where it hosts jazz night every Monday. Otherwise, it provides a quiet atmosphere for students and remote professionals to nibble on pastries or vegan goodies from Pat Greer’s Kitchen while sipping their favorite caffeinated beverages. If you get bored, Mercantile also keeps a small library on hand.

Right in Montrose’s core gayborhood, Reeves is one of the best community galleries in the city, dedicated to contemporary upstart artists living in Houston and beyond. Check the events calendar for upcoming shows, and if you have some dollars to spend, let the team help you find your next piece.

This nondenominational chapel is home to 14 paintings by Mark Rothko. They may look near-black at first, but spend some time peering into their depths and you’ll see shades of blue, purple, and even red revealed. In 2020, the institution unveiled a brand-new skylight that gives you a different experience of the paintings depending on the outside light that day, as well as some landscaping improvements to better complement the Broken Obelisk out front, dedicated to Martin Luther King Jr. The Rothko Chapel is always free and hosts a variety of events year-round.

Located just a three-minute walk from the Menil, Sicardi | Ayers | Bacino specializes in contemporary, avant-garde, and modern art by Latin American creators. Founded in 1994, it’s historically significant as one of the very first galleries in the country to showcase the talent of a demographic that continues to be underrepresented in the overarching art scene. The gallery also played a major role in bringing installation art to the Buffalo Bayou Park Cistern.

This neighborhood park boasts a small playground, tennis courts, and plenty of grassy space for running around and enjoying whatever activity you (and your pup) are into. There’s also a community center available for event rentals. Since the 1930s, the Cherryhurst Civic Association has maintained the area, occasionally hosting fundraisers to help with those costs.

All dogs are good dogs, and all good dogs deserve good playtime. Located at Allen Parkway and Montrose within Buffalo Bayou, Johnny Steele Dog Park provides two acres of fun for furry friends of all sizes. The massive pond and dog-level water fountains make it an especially valuable outing come summer.

This small community garden is where Montrose dwellers come to compost their scraps—and volunteer to take care of its many plants, for the most committed. The park has a couple picnic tables and swings that make for the perfect activity after a couple cocktails at Toasted Coconut across the street.

Menil Park truly shines during Houstonians’ favorite (read: bearable) seasons. Depending on when you go and who happens to show up, you can watch (maybe even join in on) yoga sessions, musical performances, even improv by local creatives. If there’s no free entertainment, Menil Park’s dramatic sculpture and many trees—including what is likely the most majestic old live oak in all of Houston—still provide a fantastic picnic spot.