The Cajun steam pot at the Porch Cafe features clams, mussels, shrimp and lobster. Photo by Stuart Villanueva

Where meals from land and sea are served with breezy elegance

Escaping Galveston’s busy seawall to duck into Beachtown brings a leisurely calm. [Read more…]

General manager Rosalinda Hernandez, left, and Melissa Tobar are serving juicy burgers, fries and onion rings along with adult milkshakes and daily margarita specials at TJ Reed’s Better Burgers & Shakes in Dickinson. Photo by Jennifer Reynolds

Where buns are fluffy, Angus beef is fresh and boozy milkshakes abound

The new kid on the block, TJ Reed’s Better Burgers & Shakes is a breath of fresh air. [Read more…]

Slevin Tran delicately constructs the lobster roll at Yamato Japanese Restaurant in Galveston. Photo by Stuart Villanueva

Where sushi and hibachi chefs artfully prepare good food

Starting with the hearty “Hello!” upon entering, Yamato Japanese Restaurant is instantly familiar and comfortable. [Read more…]

The Steakhouse at the San Luis Resort offers an intimate, fine-dining experience. Photo by Jennifer Reynolds

Where dining is elevated to the extraordinary

An evening spent at The Steakhouse at the San Luis Resort in Galveston captures the Golden Age of dining out. [Read more…]

Photo by Stuart Villanueva

Where sophisticated cuisine is served in a relaxed environment

At the busy Brasserie 1895, sport jacket-clad waiters make the rounds between tables of diners seated in sumptuous velvet arm chairs at large wooden slab tables. [Read more…]

Where food is authentic and the taqueria has a devoted following

Stepping across the threshold of La Michoacana Meat Market on Broadway in Galveston is akin to traveling across the border. [Read more…]

Charlie Felts, left, and Chris Simon, owners of Opus Bistro in Clear Lake Shores, serve such fare as Grouper Tropicale and Tropical Crab Salad at their new venture, Opus Ocean Grille, in the Watergate Yachting Center. Photo by Jennifer Reynolds

Opus owners work on their second Clear Lake Shores masterpiece

Eight years ago, Charlie Felts heard about a waterfront restaurant for lease in the small bayside community of Clear Lake Shores and went to take a look. The place was a little rough around the edges, but Felts saw potential. [Read more…]

Michael Pelischek places steaks in the case at AJ’s Meat Market & Smokehouse in Dickinson. Photo by Stuart Villanueva

An authentic Texas joint with a no-frills approach

It’s 10:30 in the morning, but AJ’s Meat Market & Smokehouse in Dickinson is far from empty. [Read more…]

Pecan-smoked sticky ribs with bourbon cane barbecue sauce and pickled watermelon rind. Photo by Jennifer Reynolds

Southern coastal restaurant brings out the island’s inner Creole

On the miniature cutting board before me, cornmeal-crusted oysters spill over slabs of Texas toast, revealing lacy leaves of arugula and a deep red tomato so juicy it must have just been sliced. [Read more…]

Valerie Fullen, owner of Oasis Juice Bar & Market, sips an Island Sunrise outside the eatery in the island’s downtown. Photo by Jennifer Reynolds

Where diners can find wholesome meals in a deep-fried desert

The Gulf Coast dining scene can seem, at least at times, dominated by deep-fried seafood platters and po’boys. While those tasty dishes certainly have their place, discovering an alternative that features organic produce, artisanal products and a wholesome menu is truly like stumbling across, well, an oasis. Oasis Juice Bar & Market has been serving nourishing meals in Galveston’s downtown for more than five years. [Read more…]