Houston is the international trade center of Texas and the home of the Houston World Trade Association. Most of the embassies and consulates for the southern regions are located in Houston as well, including those belonging to China, South Korea, Israel, France, Germany, Japan, Egypt and Thailand. It should come as no surprise that Houston's diversity is reflected in its restaurants as well. You can find almost any kind of food you want in Houston, from the exotic to plain old Texas barbecue.
Houston has several Mediterranean and Lebanese restaurants, including Cafe Lili, Mary'z Mediterranean Cuisine, Dimassi's Mediterranean Buffet (which has three locations in Houston alone), Mashawi Lounge and Mint Cafe. Mediterranean food is characterized by its use of a great deal of vegetables, beans, legumes and olive oil. Fish is sometimes served, but Mediterranean cuisine has almost no red meat. Houston's Lebanese and Mediterranean restaurants offer many traditional dishes, such as kabobs, moussaka (fried eggplant and chickpeas) falafel, baba ghannouj, hummus and shawarma (sliced meat sandwiches). Dimassi's huge buffet also offers pita bread, tabouli, seasoned potatoes, baked fish and lamb shank.
Cafe Lili Lebanese Grill
5757 Westheimer Plaza, Suite 112
Houston, TX 77057
713-952-6969
cafelili.com
Mary'z Mediterranean Cuisine
5825 Richmond Ave.
Houston, TX 77057-6314
832-251-1955
maryzcuisine.com
Dimassi's Mediterranean Buffet
5160 Richmond Ave.
Houston, TX 77056
713-439-7481
dimassisbuffet.com
Texas has a reputation for steaks and barbecue, but Houston has a large number of restaurants that serve no meat at all, including several vegan and raw food restaurants. Mango's Cafe specializes in vegetarian pizzas, while Pat Greer's Vegan Kitchen not only prepares full gluten-free vegan meals but also offers catering and community cooking classes. Raw On the Run takes this a step further, serving only uncooked, living, organic entrees such as stuffed mushrooms, lasagna and banana tiramisu. As of May 2010, Raw On the Run only does take out and delivery, but a full-service cafe and drive-through are coming soon.
Mango's Cafe
403 Westheimer
Houston, TX 77006
713-522-8903
mangoscafehouston.com
Pat Greer's Vegan Kitchen
412 W. Clay St.
Houston, TX 77019
713-807-0101
Raw On the Run
800 W. Sam Houston Parkway S
Houston, TX 77279
281-630-4230
therawontherun.com
Of course, if you must have meat, Houston has no shortage of barbecue and hamburger places. Goode Co. has several locations in Houston, including a seafood restaurant and taqueria. Most of the Goode Co. restaurants serve barbecue and mesquite-grilled hamburgers, however. Goode Co. also has a special wheat- and gluten-free menu, with potato salad, pork, duck, turkey and honey-smoked ham. Prince's Hamburgers has fried gulf shrimp baskets, homemade chili and hot dogs in addition to single- and double-meat hamburgers and Swiss cheese, mushroom, hickory and pepper jack burger platters.
Goode Co.
5109 Kirby Drive
Houston, TX 77098
713-522-2530
goodecompany.com
Prince's Hamburgers
3899 Southwest Freeway
Houston, TX 77027
713-626-9950
princeshamburgers.com
