Near the George R. Brown Convention Center and PNC Stadium, you’ll find the vibrant and vastly growing neighborhoods of EaDo (short for East Downtown) and East End. EaDo was once home to Houston’s Chinatown and East End has been known for its great art scene. Both neighborhoods now boast a culturally diverse selection of restaurants and bars for Houstonians and visitors to enjoy. If you’re hungry for a good time, read on for our food and drink recommendations!
BREAKFAST: BRASS TACKS
LUNCH: RODEO GOAT
HAPPY HOUR: TRUCK YARD
DINNER: ACADIAN COAST
LATE NIGHT: ROOTS
Read on to learn more about each place and get some other good options!
BREAKFAST: BRASS TACKS
Brass Tacks is the perfect place to study, work or simply get your day started. Grab a pastry and an iced coffee, nitro cold brew or a London fog tea to take on the day. If you love a good breakfast option order their “BELT” croissant with bacon, sunny-side up egg, lettuce and tomato or a chorizo, egg and cheese breakfast taco with a warm flour tortilla.
You can also try Brothers Taco House whose breakfast tacos are so good, you’ll often find a line out the door! Taste their popular barbacoa, egg, picadillo or migas breakfast tacos made with freshly made tortillas. Other EaDo must-trys are Tout Suite and Indianola.
LUNCH: RODEO GOAT
Rodeo Goat is a casual joint that offers creative variations of house-ground burgers like their Sugar Burger with candied bacon, grilled peaches, caramelized onions, arugula and jalapeño jam that you can enjoy indoors or on their outdoor patio. Vegan and vegetarian options are also available. Be sure to add cheese fries to your order (they are half priced on Wednesdays)!
Visit SeaSide Poke for a quick lunch and try their poke, a classic Hawaiian dish made with produce from local Texas farms and sustainably caught fish to give it a Houston flavor. You can also grab a slice at Vinny's or explore the intriguing menu at Nancy's Hustle.
HAPPY HOUR: TRUCK YARD
Known to be an adult playground for its ferris wheel, food trucks, live music (6 - 9 p.m.) and great drinks, Truck Yard is a neighborhood favorite. You and your friends can enjoy carne asada, steak philly or chicken philly tacos on Taco Tuesdays for $2 each and pair with $3 frozen margaritas and $4 select Mexican beers. Pets and children are allowed, but Truck Yard is 21+ after 9 pm.
The popular Little Woodrow’s in EaDo is another great spot to relax, enjoy drinks and hang out with friends on the patio. Also worth a stop are Chapman and Kirby and East End Hardware.
DINNER: ACADIAN COAST
For dinner head to East End’s Acadian Coast which prides itself on the blend of Acadian Creole with the rich cooking traditions of the American South. Start the night by ordering a Fleur des Lis gin cocktail and your choice of grilled or fresh oysters. We recommend the delicious Shrimp & Cheesy Grits or the Blackened Catfish with dirty rice for an entree. Be sure to taste one of their amazing desserts like the Berry Beignet or the Red Velvet Cake. If you love jazz music, you’ll love listening to live music while you dine, available Thursday through Sunday nights.
You can also try The Original Ninfa’s on Navigation Boulevard in East End, a Houston staple known for great Tex-Mex cuisine. It is where “Mama” Ninfa Laurenzo first created the ‘fajitas’ in 1973! Be sure to try their wide selection of fajitas, queso, margaritas and homemade tortillas. Around the Corner and Leeland House are also top picks.
LATE NIGHT: ROOTS
After dinner, sit back and relax with a glass of wine at Roots, a self-serve wine bar that offers you to “Try Before You Buy” by using fully automated wine dispensing machines. You can taste fine wine in 1 oz, 3 oz, or 5 oz pours from their rotating list of 50+ wines on tap. Beer and non-alcoholic beverages are also available. If you’re up for a late night snack, you can order food like the Crawfish Croquettas and Fried Oysters. The Tasting Room and patio are open from 4 p.m. - 12 a.m. on Wednesday - Friday, 12 p.m. - 2 a.m. on Saturday and 12 - 10 p.m. on Sunday.
Continue the night with great beer, ciders, seltzers, cocktails and food trucks at the laid-back East End Backyard brought to you by owner and Houston Dynamo legend Brian Ching. Miss Carousel and Neil’s Bahr are also worth noting.
Want to venture over closer to the Heights to eat? No problem. We have the perfect day of eating there, too.