HOUSTON, Texas -- Even with all the trauma restaurants have suffered during the coronavirus pandemic, people can still feel optimistic about the future of dining in Houston. Faced with unprecedented challenges, Houston's culinary community responded with pop-ups, ghost kitchens, and other innovations designed to keep their businesses afloat.
That spirit of optimism - along with the distribution of vaccines to prevent COVID-19 - will carry forward into the new year. As this list of over 30 upcoming bars and restaurants demonstrates, Houston's culinary community shows no signs of slowing down.
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This list runs the gamut from restaurants that will serve elevated tasting menus to new food halls and creative barbecue joints. It includes the return of a beloved Montrose institution, the first concepts in Houston dedicated to self-service beer and wine, and a splashy establishment from Houston Rockets superstar James Harden.
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