Lauren McDowell

Houston

Lauren McDowell is a Houston-area native and freelance food and lifestyle writer with an M.A. in Food Studies from New York University. She contributes to publications including Chron and Houstonia.

Stories by  
Lauren McDowell

A seafood tower at Toca Madera in Houston features lobster, shrimp and crab legs on the top, and oysters on the half-shell with shrimp with citrus on the bottom. Book on OpenTable.
12 top restaurants for every kind of date in Houston
Three whole cooked shrimp in a buttery sauce with a flatbread on the side at Houston restaurant Októ
Hamsa team brings an exciting new take on Mediterranean food to Houston
Oysters on the half shell at a’Bouzy in Houston. Book on OpenTable.
12 fancy restaurants in Houston perfect for special occasions
Leafy vines and string lights in the covered outdoor space at Roma in Houston
These 11 Houston restaurants crush the outdoor dining game 
A canopy of crystal lights and purple velvet bar stools at Cocody in Houston
12 gorgeous Houston restaurants that will blow you away
The interior of Kemah restaurant Th_Prsrv featuring wooden tables and vines hanging from the ceiling with fairy lights
This Houston-area restaurant is one of the most unique in the country right now
Japanese Peruvian dishes at Pacha Nikkei in Houston including grilled octopus; black rice with shrimps, clams, and mussels; and spicy salmon maki
Editor’s choice: 12 go-to Houston restaurants from our local expert
Carrots with salsa macha, summer squash with puffed black rice, a gem lettuce tofu Caesar with cornbread, and other assorted Asian American dishes at JŪN in Houston
Houston’s 9 most exciting restaurant debuts of 2023
Roasted scallops on a black plate with cauliflower and yellow sauce at Houston restaurant Amrina
How a ‘Chopped’ winner brings theatrical drama to Houston at Amrina
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