• 1. Where to Stay
• 2. Where to Eat
• 3. What to Do
• 4. Insider’s Tip
• 5. An Oddball Day

From left, the tequila-ready bar at Hugo's; outside t'afia.    (Photo: From left, courtesy of Paula Murphy, Sharon Engelstein)

Gear up for a day of art-gazing by putting back a Bloody Mary and spinach eggs Benedict at Empire Café. Or grab coffee and pastries and listen to live jazz on the sunny patio at the nearby Café Brasil (2604 Dunlavy St.; 713-528-1993).

On the border of Montrose, Julia’s Bistro serves southwestern and South American food in a tropically hued dining room. Sit by the windows to watch the light rail in action. Nearby, t’afia, a great tapas and wine bar—and the site of a Saturday farmer's market—pairs well-chosen wines with free, market-fresh appetizers at happy hour (Tuesday to Thursday, 4 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.).

Join Houston’s A-list—everyone from Astros managers to opera singers to ex-presidents—for dinner at Hugo’s, five minutes from Montrose. Admire the Deco décor, then settle at one of the round tables for chef Hugo Ortega’s house-made moles and flights of tequilas.

Published on May 30, 2007 as a web exclusive.