» t'afia

Monica Pope's simple Midtown haven transforms local market fodder into culinary sensations.

Chef Monica Pope opened this petite Midtown eatery to showcase her flavorful creations. Housed in an intentionally unadorned dining room with brick walls, concrete floor and utilitarian tables, t'afia has an almost Zen-like simplicity. With a focus primarily on food, culinary enthusiasts will find a cornucopia of striking, satisfying dishes.

Emphasizing a local market approach drawing heavily on regional products, the menu is reinvented each day and ranges from such esoteric fare as antelope, quinoa and celeriac to standards like macaroni and cheese and bread pudding. A five-course tasting menu is an opportunity to explore options colored with Pope's unique French and Mediterranean sensibilities.

On Saturday mornings, a Midtown Farmers Market is held in the parking lot, offering many of the same foodstuffs the restaurant prepares.

Try one of the several house-specialty drinks that contain the fortified wine ratafia, from which the restaurant derives its name.

*Featured in The New York Times as a bar on the cutting edge of the Farm-to-Glass movement (2008).
*Chef Monica Pope was named by O, the Oprah Magazine the most creative chef in Houston (2006)
*Listed among Travel + Leisure's Best New American Restaurants (2004)