Treat yourself to ranch-to-table eats, delicious cocktails, and craft an impressive line-up of beers at Ritual, a Texas-bred restaurant and taproom in The Heights.
Located just a few blocks north of I-10 on Studewood Street, this hotspot has won H-Town over with its emphasis on pastured meats (butchered on-site in a vast array of cuts), a spattering of fresh seafood, farm-fresh seasonal vegetables, a rotating cast of 40 craft beers, and fantastic cocktails.
The expansive dining room and lounge area evoke a warm, industrial vibe where everything from dressed-up jeans to cocktail dresses can be found on weekend nights, a more casual crowd lunching on weekdays, and a hip, neighborhood crowd descending for weekend brunch.
A former Brennan’s sommelier, co-owner Felix Flores has gone on to own Black Hill Ranch, which produces humanely-raised pork breeds along with beef, lamb, and goat which are showcased in the restaurant via a visually stunning refrigerated glass-encased dry-aging room.
Serious Cuts
The Ritual Burger (available at both lunch and dinner) is one of Houston’s best with its house-ground smoked brisket meat and bone marrow glaze.
On the dinner menu, the 30-day, dry-aged beef is available by the ounce (24 oz minimum) in strip, bone-in ribeye, porterhouse alongside a 14 oz cast iron ribeye and a “butchers’ special” filet – all with available add-on toppers like Deep Ellum Blue Fondue or A2 Steak Sauce.
Beyond the beef, the coffee-rubbed red-eye pork chop is a stand-out as well as the superb lamb chops.
Beyond the Meat
For lunch or dinner, begin with the Gulf Seafood gravy, a red pepper bisque with crab, shrimp, and fish served with grilled sourdough for dipping.
Seafood lovers will also swoon over the Palacious Redfish with its yummy house mustard-butter sauce, fried oysters, stewed okra and smoked tomato.
‘Appy Hour, Craft Beers, Wine & Cocktails
A standard happy hour happens Monday through Friday from 2pm to 6pm featuring awesome drink specials like $5 Texas craft beers, 18 wines by the glass from $7 to $16, and 9 cocktails priced at $5 each.
On top of the happy hour drink specials, Wednesdays there are even complimentary appetizers for guests –think tamales to wings or whatever the kitchen might be experimenting with.
Killer Brunch
Saturday and Sunday feature brunch from 10am to 3pm with a slew of delicious options like the Ritual Benedict on a buttermilk biscuit, fresh ham, and a 63 degree egg topped with green chile hollandaise and served with hash browns.
Or get a load of the “triple stack” pork tostadas with Black Hill Ranch pork, queso fresco, tomatillo, sour cream, avocado, a fried egg, and topped with cilantro.
If you like your brunch on the sweeter side, check out the Texas-Flag French Toast with egg custard sweet bread, macerated strawberries, blueberry maple syrup, and “doubled” cream.
Ritual Restaurant
- Owners: Ken Bridge and Felix Flores
- Address: 602 Studewood St, Houston, TX 77007
- Hours: Monday to Wednesday 11am to 10pm; Thursday to Saturday 11am to 11pm; Sunday 10am to 3pm.
- Reservations: Click here to make your reservation.
