At first glance, Houston doesn’t exactly seem like an exciting destination for design lovers. The downtown is characterized by corporate-looking glass-and-steel skyscrapers; the city has no zoning laws, so residential neighborhoods are replete with a mishmash of architectural styles (you might see a Tudor-style mansion and a starkly minimalist house right next to each other); and no matter where you want to go, you have to get in a car. Locals joke that Houston is 15 minutes from Houston. But dig a little deeper and you’ll find emerging neighborhoods, a thriving community of artists, swanky new hotels, and an incredible restaurant scene. “It’s an exciting place to live because it’s ever shifting and moving,” says Diane Gelman, a local artist with a studio in the Silos at Sawyer Yards.
As you might expect in a city that runs on oil money, there’s no shortage of luxurious places to stay. Houston is home to big-name brands, including Four Seasons, JW Marriott, and St. Regis. Lately, though, boutique hotels have been upping the ante. The priciest is the Post Oak Hotel at Uptown Houston, which Tilman Fertitta (the billionaire owner of the Houston Rockets) opened in 2018. It’s got a stellar art collection, a 20,000-square-foot urban spa, and a Rolls-Royce dealership in the same building.
The hippest new hotel, though, has got to be C. Baldwin, a member of Hilton’s Curio Collection. Opened downtown in October, the property is named for Charlotte Baldwin Allen—Houston’s unsung female cofounder, who made the city what it is—and her spirit pervades every detail. Two female designers, Lauren Rottet of Rottet Studio and Kate Rohrer of Rohe Creative, collaborated on the interiors. The signature restaurant, Rosalie, is dedicated to chef Chris Cosentino’s great-grandmother. The hotel is even home to a soon-to-open women’s membership club called The Parlour, which features a gorgeous design replete with crystal chandelier, floral-patterned bar stools, and a full bar for members and their guests.
Houston’s Museum District comprises 19 museums in four walkable zones, so you’ll never run out of places to see. Clustered together you’ll find the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston; the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston; and the Jung Center. The latter two are rather small, but you could spend hours at the MFAH. Be sure to walk through the installation by James Turrell that connects the two buildings on the lower level. Turrell fans should also visit his Twilight Epiphany Skyspace at Rice University. It’s always free to visit, but the best time to go is at sunset, when the lights change color, turning the installation into a glowing, fluorescent marvel of light and space.
The Menil Collection, whose main building was the first in the U.S. to be designed by Renzo Piano in 1987, unveiled a renovation in 2018 that improved the gallery layouts, displays, and lighting. Always free to enter, it boasts a must-see collection of nearly 17,000 objects that span the prehistoric era to the present day. Highlights include works by Andy Warhol, Christo, René Magritte, and Man Ray. Don’t miss the Cy Twombly Gallery and the Dan Flavin installation, which occupy other buildings on the museum’s campus.
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Though Houston isn’t exactly known for its contemporary art scene, it’s alive and well. To discover it, head to the Silos at Sawyer Yards. The former rice silos have been transformed into studio space for more than 100 artists. Wander the halls looking for open doors and you’re sure to meet artists like Diane Gelman, who paints brightly colored cakes, cookies, and other food. Fans of street art can see plenty of it nearby, in the area dubbed EaDo (short for East of Downtown). Even Discovery Green, a 12-acre park opened in 2008, hosts site-specific art installations like Paloma, a series of 200 aluminum origami-inspired birds illuminated by LEDs that hang from the trees.
Houston is one of the most diverse cities in the U.S., so it should come as no surprise that its restaurant scene is renowned as one of the best in the country, with everything from casual beer gardens to upscale steakhouses. EaDo is home to a bunch of breweries, beer gardens, casual restaurants and cocktail bars. The Truck Yard is popular with locals, who flock there when the weather is nice for craft brews in a beer garden built with recycled shipping containers and old truck parts. For creative tacos with fillings like spicy tikka chicken, falafel, and shrimp and grits, head to Velvet Taco, which has retro-inspired locations in Montrose and the Heights.
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For upscale southern fare, book a table at Eunice, which opened about a year ago in a bright, airy space done up in nautical navy blues with light wood accents and paper lanterns. Chef Drake Leonards celebrates the bounty of the Gulf Coast, serving specialties like oysters from Louisiana and Alabama, shrimp and grits, and burrata with Cajun caviar, pepper jelly, and biscuits. Denver’s upscale steakhouse Guard and Grace recently opened a location downtown. Diners seated in the plush booths above the sunken open kitchen can watch as chefs deftly prepare sushi and steaks. Top Chef Masters winner Chris Cosentino recently made his Houston debut with Rosalie, the chic restaurant in C. Baldwin dedicated to his great-grandmother, a first-generation immigrant from Italy. In a vintage-inspired, homey space designed by Kate Rohrer, he serves Neapolitan pizzas, pastas, and other Italian comfort food.
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Head to the Heights for the best selection of independent boutiques. Peruse the displays at AG Antiques and you might find some gems, like colorful midcentury tumblers, vintage chandeliers, and ornate antique mirrors. At Eclectic Home, which sells furniture, lighting, and decor, you could walk away with a modern Murano glass chandelier, a terrazzo end table, or some African baskets. A huge draped American flag welcomes you into Manready Mercantile, where you’ll find a candle bar, taxidermy, leather goods, apparel, and barware. Strolling around the area, you can pop into plenty of other shops selling vintage clothes, organic tea, and much more.
