Houston, TXFrench

A Michelin starred outpost of Alain Verzeroli's plant forward French cooking inside the Kinder Building at the Museum of Fine Arts. Seasonal vegetables and herbs share the plate with sustainable fish and Texas meats in one of the state's most decorated museum restaurants.

Chef Philippe Verpiand's Uptown Park dining room built its name on precise classics like deboned Dover sole in warm butter and duck over whipped butternut squash. One of Houston's more accomplished French kitchens outside the museum and hotel circuit, with Verpiand's classical training anchoring the seasonal menu.

An intimate Rice Village bistro built around provincial French cooking, a thoughtful wine list, and a warm, low key room. The kind of neighborhood French spot regulars return to for the same dependable classics, where the tight room and wine list keep the crowd coming back.

A see and be seen River Oaks brasserie from the Ibiza and Coppa team, built around oysters, steak frites, and trout almondine with a Gulf Coast lean. The most social of Houston's French dining rooms, with oysters and steak frites headlining the River Oaks menu.

Housed in a 1940s era building in Humble, this fine dining French restaurant has run more than 40 years under chef owner Stacy Crowe-Simonson and her husband Scott. A homey room that punches well above its unassuming suburban setting, where the quiet exterior belies the kitchen's ambition.