Explore the Best Women-Led Restaurants in Houston for 2019

by The OpenTable Team

Updated February 03, 2023

March 8th is International Women’s Day. In celebration, we created a list featuring some of the most exceptional women in Houston’s culinary scene. A hotbed for Tex-Mex and vibrant flavors, this big southern city’s very influenced by its diverse residents and a promise that everything’s bigger in Texas. Next time you’re in town, we invite you to celebrate women (and eat something delicious) at one of these top spots.

Costa Brava Bistro

4.9

4.9 (1773)

$50 and over

Spanish

Bellaire

About the restaurant

Angeles Dueñas and Kitty Bailey bring a combined near six decades of expertise to the kitchen and atmosphere at Costa Brava Bistro. Dueñas alone has lived through 30 years in the hospitality industry, with much of it spent in management at the Cordua Group, the parent company behind Churrascos, Americás, and Artista. As she developed her knowledge of restaurant management, she devoted equal time to her love of wine. As a certified sommelier, her educated palate is behind many of the wine selections on the menu, along with thoughtful pairing suggestions to turn an entree into a truly sublime experience. \n Kitty Bailey, co-owner and leader in the kitchen, has always been a creative soul. Moving from the front of the house at Cent’anni, La Mer, Café Annie, and Abuso Catering Co., Bailey brings an equal amount of experience at the prep counter to the kitchen at Costa Brava Bistro. \n These two amazing women make up the executive management team at one of Houston's best Spanish restaurants. Costa Brava Bistro is a fine-dining restaurant that uses traditional French cooking techniques to prepare authentic Spanish cuisine like the Angeles Paella or Basque Chicken.

Top review

happyeater

Dined on Nov 22, 2023

Costa Brava always has good food and friendly staff.

Irma's Southwest

4.7

4.7 (669)

$31 to $50

Mexican / Southwestern

Downtown

About the restaurant

Irma Galvan first entered the restaurant scene serving up sandwiches out of an old home. Irma approaches hospitality from a place of deep faith and with a commitment to service. Her sandwich shop rapidly evolved into a Mexican restaurant, serving the same flavors she’d always enjoyed. Galvan's decades spent perfecting her craft in the kitchen received national attention when Irma's took home the James Beard Foundation's America's Classics Award in 2008. Irma continues on her culinary journey through Irma’s Southwest, adding a fine-dining element to her creations, while still keeping true to her roots. Mexican flavors are at the forefront, with housemade salsas and guacamole delightfully paired with entree plates like wild boar enchiladas. By blending locally-sourced wild game with authentic Mexican dishes, Irma creates a menu that is unique to Texas and an overall Houston favorite. "\n Mexican flavors are at the forefront, with housemade salsas and guacamole delightfully paired with entree plates like wild boar enchiladas. By blending locally-sourced wild game with authentic Mexican dishes, Irma creates a menu that is unique to Texas and an overall Houston favorite.

Top review

bportiervip

Dined on Oct 28, 2023

Food and service were impeccable. The waitstaff are very attentive and knowledgeable about the menu offerings. The lentil soup, offered before our entrées, was the best I’ve ever tasted. Perfect location for a dinner date prior to attending a Theater District performance. We will definitely return for future date nights.

Le Colonial - Houston

4.8

4.8 (3382)

$31 to $50

Vietnamese

Galleria / Uptown

About the restaurant

Classic French meets Southeast Asia at Le Colonial, a well-known Houston restaurant. Nicole Routhier and Hassan Obaye are the culinary masters behind the menu that delicately balances French cooking with Asian flavors. Routhier developed the first Le Colonial menu, and Obaye continues to reproduce many of those dishes today. Routhier brings a wealth of experience to this menu, as one of the world's most noted experts on Vietnamese cuisine. Her cookbook collection includes titles like, The Foods of Vietnam and Cooking Under Wraps. Nicole is an avid writer who spends almost as much time describing the process as she does cooking food. Her work is in The New York Times and The Houston Chronicle, along with dozens of food magazines. When Le Colonial was looking for a chef-consultant for their fusion menu, this Houston culinary teacher was an obvious choice. Dishes like the braised sablefish or shaking beef serve classic flavors with a modern twist.

Top review

OpenTable Diner

Dined on Jan 2, 2023

In Houston for NYE

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