Houston Black-owned restaurants are thriving as never before. The foodie scene in Space City is literally out of this world! Its increasingly diverse and rich tapestry of flavors makes it a must-taste stop for any serious culinary fan.
In 2024, the city’s remarkable fusion of cultures and cuisines makes it a standout, with plenty of eateries worth seeking out and sampling. And it’s the Black-owned restaurants capturing much of the attention. Exploring each means embarking upon a unique gastronomic journey that speaks to the city’s melting pot of influences stretching from the Deep South to Africa and beyond.
Soul food is prominent here, with local traditions boasting centuries of roots. Caribbean influences offer a taste of the islands with a loving mixture of yearning and vibrancy. Innovative vegan fare caters to 21st-century tastes while sticking close to kitchen secrets handed down from generation to generation. Houston’s Black-owned eateries represent the full gambit of recipes and legacy that mix unforgettable dishes with a deep sense of cultural pride.
So let us eat our way through the heart of Houston, exploring 10 Black-owned restaurants that represent the Space City’s foodie renaissance as paragons not only of delicious innovation but also as a representation of the community and the legacies they both follow and are laying down. Whether you’re a seasoned food enthusiast or a newcomer exploring bold new frontiers of flavor, these eateries deliver dining experiences that celebrate tradition while invoking daring originality in the same bite.
Here are the 10 Black-owned restaurants in Houston to visit in 2024.
8128 North Sam Houston Pkwy W B, Houston, TX 77064
Black Restaurant Week Listing | Website | Instagram | Facebook | (832) 271-4500
This is the perfect place for both Black Restaurant Week and Latin Restaurant Week! Dominican-born Afro-Latina Chef Elsa and Houston native Chef Jeff bring two great traditions together for an unforgettable combo of Caribbean cuisine and soul food at the great Comfort Foodies. Blending their family traditions, they crafted a menu that will hit the spot for foodies of all stripes. Start off with empanadas that range from chicken and cheese to oxtails. Move on to Cajun-style blackened catfish or dive into a comfort wing basket. The community spirit is felt just as much in the establishment as it is in the owners’ work with local nonprofits.
Must try dish to order: Oxtail Empanadas $6.00
811 St Emanuel St, Houston, TX 77003
Black Restaurant Week Listing | Website | Instagram | Facebook | (713) 405-3500
Things are about to get really saucy around here! Gotti’s Restaurant — the brainchild of local native Irv “Gotti” Williams — is one of the great homes of all things Cajun and Creole, making it a bucket list stop for restaurants to visit in Houston near downtown. Cajun eggrolls set the tone, while Big Momma’s gumbo infuses the senses with the heart of this establishment’s ethos. All-day brunch means you can enjoy crispy catfish and grits any time, while cocktails, like Queen Bey’s Lemonade Jar, help you wash it all down.
Must Try Dish: Surf & Turf H-Town (lobster tail & ribeye steak) $49.95
2213 S Victory St, Houston, TX 77088
Black Restaurant Week Listing | Website | Instagram | Facebook | (832) 328-5220
We won’t blame you if you immediately feel at home when you arrive at Jamaica Pon Di Road. The converted house feels like a beachside Caribbean abode down to the straw umbrellas and Jamaican flag, perfectly reflecting the menu’s vibe. Proprietor Chef G is indeed a native of the eatery’s eponymous West Indies island, leaning into his grandma’s recipes. The porched and pebbled establishment has Jamaican staples like beef patties and rice and peas. Sharable main dishes like the YAAD Family Packs let you choose from classics like jerk chicken, steamed cabbage, and drunk plantains.
Must Try Dish: Oxtail Cheese Steak $31.99
6850 Hwy 6 Ste. 200, Missouri City, TX 77459
Black Restaurant Week Listing | Website | Instagram | Facebook | (832) 987-1916
If you’re looking for some “real deal” Deep South kitchen fare, then Micheaux’s Southern Cuisine is sure to hit your sweet spot! Expect overloaded plates you’ll have to save plenty of room for, combined with a celebratory atmosphere that is always lively. Founder George Micheaux and his wife Janice have their hands literally in almost everything that ends up on your plate here. From classic baked turkey wings to oxtails that simply fall off the bone, you’ll feel like maybe it was your own momma toiling in the kitchen. Sides like okra & tomatoes and hushpuppies add a little more comfort to the food.
Must Try Dish: Baked Turkey Wings $20
25551 Kingsland Blvd C102, Katy, TX 77494
Black Restaurant Week Listing | Website | Instagram | Facebook | (832) 344-3508
Park Place @ The Boardwalk Steakhouse & Grille pairs two things that many culture hounds love in equal measure: thick steaks and hot music. This combination of classy chop house and live stage space lives up to the expectations both palate and ears bring to the table. Expect rousing music from the banquet room to the outdoor patio. Fried lobster dippers are the perfect way to get the appetite going, while a nice wedge salad can help cleanse the palate for what’s to come. Center-cut filet mignon and prime New York strip keep you in the beef, while alternatives such as spicy jerk lamb chops and catfish Atchafalaya ensure there’s something for everybody.
Must Try Dish: Fried Lobster Dippers $25
8002 Willowbrook Mall, Houston, TX 77070
Black Restaurant Week Listing | Website | Instagram |Facebook | (281) 305-3205
The Willowbrook Mall area’s Quotes restaurant had us with its inviting loungey atmosphere, but it kept us here with its soul food stalwarts! We’re talking about old favorites like chicken and waffles, crab cakes, and shrimp and grits. But why stop there when these fine folks also serve up some surprises, such as Mardi Gras tacos and boudin empanadas? Comfort food combos like the insanely filling Creole-loaded fries challenge all those with iron stomachs. And even the crispy cauliflower bites come with a series of homemade sauces, from lemon pepper to garlic parmesan.
Must Try Dish: Creole Catfish $20
8586 Westheimer Rd, Houston, TX 77063
Black Restaurant Week Listing | Website |Instagram | Facebook | (281) 400-1121
As they state in their own creed, The Fry Guys aren’t just here to make fries but to make memories! They achieve this by taking the basic hot oil approach to a creative explosion of innovative dishes. Start out with the Bayou fries with fried shrimp and Creole sauce or maybe the Truff parm shrimp with white truffle oil aioli. And it’s all about presentation here, where even classics like Buffalo hot chicken come with a decorative and functional ranch drizzle. And there are outstanding vegan choices, too, with vegan Nashville chicken carefully cooked in a separate fryer.
Must Try Dish: Lobster & Craw Fries $30
6025 Richmond Ave, Houston, TX 77057
Black Restaurant Week Listing | Website | Instagram | Facebook | (713) 242-8793
Incredible live music, hookahs on the patio, a serious party crowd, and dozens of TVs adding to the fun — and, oh yeah, there’s also amazing food at the Rockhouse Southern Kitchen! Making “food and music the celebration” is what this place is all about. In between the R&B, Blues, Jazz, and more, you can enjoy some incredible victuals. Pulled oxtail sliders get the party started, while loaded nachos let you share. Move on to the crawfish etouffee if you hanker for a taste of the sea. Daring cocktails are worth sampling here as well, from the Lady Sings the Blues to Ike & Tina.
Must Try Dish: Firecracker Salmon $33
Galleria: 5819 Richmond Ave, Houston, TX 77057
Midtown: 502 Elgin St, Houston, TX 77006
Black Restaurant Week Listing | Website | Instagram | Facebook | (832) 581-2073
Stick Talk Cajun-Hibachi is about as Houston as you can get when it comes to melding culinary traditions. Japanese meets when you choose from crawfish tails, ribeye, and shrimp to mix in with hibachi veggies. From there, it’s all about the sauces! Spicy garlic butter will feel a little more New Orleans, while teriyaki sauce sends you to Tokyo. Have all this poured over rice or noodles, and you get the idea right in the bowl. Wash it all down with sublime dragon fruit slushies and wild berry mimosas.
Must Try Dish: Yacht Club Combo (lobster, salmon, shrimp, and crawfish tails) $74.25
Inside Darwin’s Pub, 33 Waugh Dr, Houston, TX 77007
Black Restaurant Week Listing | Website | Instagram | Facebook | (832) 630-8373
“Black-owned, cruelty-free, and delicious, the whole family will savor every bite.” This is the central creed at Meek’s Vegan Pizza, and believe us: You won’t miss the meat and dairy when you bite into these slices! Unbelievably creative pizza pies live up to their names: Greek Freak, The OG, Mean Green, and Mexican Connected all taste just like you would expect, minus the livestock. But there are also oyster mushroom rings, stuffed peppers, and a build-your-own calzone option. Guilt-free eating has never tasted so darn good!
Must try dish to order: A Slice of Euphoria (seitan pepperoni, Impossible Burger, etc.) $34.99
While Houston Black Restaurant Week is the perfect time to sample these and other local Space City eateries, these Black-owned restaurants are worthy of your attention all year long.
Never forget that food is a language of culture, with foodways transmitting the knowledge of peoples through time and space. Nothing quite brings folks together like a great meal. Make that double when the cuisine being enjoyed also pays tribute to communities and their experience crossing seas and centuries.
Author: Black Restaurant Week
Content Team
